Making Registers Ring

I love a good case study as much as the next person but I sometimes forget that underneath all of the technology, best practices and consolidation lies the beating heart of a shrewd accountant. Let's face it, at the end of the day, all of the compelling stories and streamlined strategies that we share throughout this publication -- and at our conferences and Web seminars -- boil down to making registers ring at retail. Or, as Pink Floyd puts it: "Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash."

This month's cover story on Thermos (Page 14) slapped me back into the reality of today's challenging retail environment. As a mid-market company with a killer brand name, Thermos is using its technological wizardry to, simply put, sell more stuff. Thermos also nabbed some impressive ROI numbers immediately following the implementation of its Oracle engine.

Obviously, making registers ring also means that the right products need to arrive at stores the right time. If you're just too darn busy to concern yourself with these types of details, don't worry, there are people who can help, some of whom are mentioned in our Supply Chain Services section (Page 21). Companies like Master Lock, for instance are entrusting what is arguably the most critical aspect of their business--on-time shipping--to a third party.

Believe it or not, this little thing you might have heard about called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) also wants to help you sell more stuff too. Yes, it can be expensive. Yes, it can be disruptive. But it's kind of hard to ignore what Kimberly-Clark, Wal-Mart and EPCglobal have to say about RFID on Page 16.
Next month, expect more great coverage on how to make registers ring with a Best Practices section devoted to Sales & Marketing. Some of today's best and brightest manufacturers will be on hand to divulge tips on sales force automation, trade promotions, analytics and product lifecycle management so be sure to check it out. As always, your feedback is welcome: [email protected].