91ÖÆÆ¬³§

Industry Categories icon

Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Retail

Cost cutting in times of crisis works; doubling down on innovation works even better.

Unlock a Free Sample

When the ripple effects of economic and policy disruption hit, IT is often first on the scene. Amid the volatility of shrinking budgets, escalating tariffs, and persistent supply chain fragility, IT leaders in the retail sector have a unique opportunity to lead a strategic response. Equipped with solutions like hyper-automation, GenAI, and FinOps, they can transform disruption into competitive advantage. Our step-by-step blueprint can help IT leaders in retail build a technology-first action plan that will turn today’s volatility into tomorrow’s value.

To help their organizations remain competitive, IT must take the lead by prioritizing risks, optimizing costs, and investing in technologies that drive smarter, faster retail decisions – whether through AI-powered personalization, intelligent inventory management, or privacy-safe analytics. This is IT’s moment to lead – enabling technology as a strategic hedge against uncertainty and a catalyst for retail resilience.

1. Cut costs to free up resources for innovation.

Innovation drives new ways of generating organizational value but often sees its budget slashed amid budget constraints. IT leaders must cut unnecessary costs and redirect spending to the people, resources, and budgetary capacity their innovation efforts will need to overcome today’s turmoil.

2. Meet the moment. Take the lead.

As much as today’s uncertainty is a strain on IT’s resources, it can also be an opportunity. By demonstrating that their technological know-how can be used not only to solve problems but also to enable better decision-making, CIOs can prove their ability to lead not just IT, but the organization as a whole.

3. 91ÖÆÆ¬³§ an adaptive IT team.

With technology advancing at an exponential rate, you will never permanently close the skills gap. Focus instead on building sustainable learning and development practices to enable your staff to retain knowledge and develop in-demand skills as they are needed.

Use this step-by-step blueprint to realign IT to lead through retail uncertainty

Our research offers practical guidance with a step-by-step framework to build a technology-first action plan capable of adapting IT to any technological challenge.

  • Assess uncertainties and opportunities by scanning your IT environment for vulnerabilities and determining, assessing, and prioritizing new IT risks.
  • Review IT staff and spending to find costs that can be either cut or channeled toward innovation opportunities.
  • 91ÖÆÆ¬³§ your technology-first action plan by identifying and prioritizing initiatives that will drive the organization forward and consolidate each into a 12-month plan.
  • Prepare to execute by identifying the organizational value of your plan and building an adjustable communications strategy to bring stakeholders on board.

Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Retail 91ÖÆÆ¬³§ & Tools

1. Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Retail Deck – A comprehensive framework that will help you organize every stage of your plan to lead through uncertainty.

Use this deck to begin building a structured, forward-thinking, and agile plan that will empower IT to adapt quickly to any technological upheaval.

  • Understand the challenges, obstacles, and benefits of building a technology-first action plan.
  • Encounter actionable insights to inform your efforts as you build your plan.
  • Benefit from multi-step guidance to build your plan in logical stages before execution.

2. Technology-First Action Plan for Retail Sample Deliverable – A customizable slide deck to document and communicate your action plan.

Use this presentation template to adapt Info-Tech’s framework into a plan tailored to your organization’s unique situation.

  • Outline your executive summary and each stage of your plan.
  • Fully customize every aspect of this sample, informed by the work you’ve done thus far.
  • Communicate your action plan in detail to earn stakeholder approval.
Unlock a Free Sample

Cost cutting in times of crisis works; doubling down on innovation works even better.

About Info-Tech

91ÖÆÆ¬³§ is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

  • Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Retail Deck
  • Technology-First Action Plan for Retail Sample Deliverable

Talk to an Analyst

Our analyst calls are focused on helping our members use the research we produce, and our experts will guide you to successful project completion.

Book an Analyst Call on This Topic

You can start as early as tomorrow morning. Our analysts will explain the process during your first call.

Get Advice From a Subject Matter Expert

Each call will focus on explaining the material and helping you to plan your project, interpret and analyze the results of each project step, and set the direction for your next project step.

Unlock Sample 91ÖÆÆ¬³§

Author

Donnafay MacDonald

Visit our IT’s Moment: A Technology-First Solution for Uncertain Times Resource Center
Over 100 analysts waiting to take your call right now: +1 (703) 340 1171