IS IT ME, OR IS THE WORLD GETTING SMALLER?
Yes, Silicon Valley is regarded as the Global epicentre of technology – it’s the home of Google, Facebook, Apple and Twitter. However, from recent experience Australia is becoming the fastest adoptee of machine learning technology in retail, globally.
Amazing to think we are conducting all of this from our base in Ramsbottom, or should I say…Silicon Rammy.
With Dream Agility now Operating in 20 countries, and a Google Premier Partner, we believe that we have a good grasp of the international ‘scene’, and Australia easily appears to show the fastest rate of adoption.
Other countries are more reserved, but the Australian retailers are quite irrepressible in their desire for a competitive edge. In particular, household named Australian brands such as Chemist Warehouse – an enormous Retail Pharmacy Group, and one of Australia’s Top 10 Retailers, with over 300 stores.
We also have forward-thinking retailer Tentworld, who recently won a place Smart Company’s Smart 50, move onto our platform. With Jon Burrell, Director, quoted as saying:
“Tentworld are very much entering the Machine Learning age and what better place to test it than on Google Search with its millions of data points. What impressed me about the Dream Agility platform is it’s impressive award-winning track record and the constant advancements in the tech.
With 12 stores and further ambitions to grow our real estate, at what has been a tough time for many other retailers. It’s important to be able to accurately demonstrate how the spend on Google is influencing our in-store sales, so we know the true value of our online advertising.
We’re looking forward to using all the new developments on the Dream Agility platform to give us a competitive edge and support our ambitious business growth, both online and instore.”
I refuse to be complacent though, as with Technology comes the ongoing threat of falling behind.
Our PhDs are tasked with the goal of making the current platform and approach obsolete. I ask often them, ‘If we were to start the business today rather than two years ago, how would we do it differently?’
Google and Amazon’s hosting support of start-ups, like us, has enabled the development of a visual AI tool, currently in beta testing, that we believe will revolutionise online merchandising in fast fashion.
Given the no nonsense adoption of Australia, it was inevitable that our testing is beginning there – where results seem to matter more than status quo.