Landmark Retail: Building Smart Supply Chains to Drive Customer Loyalty
In a fiercely competitive industry, Landmark Group has been leading the retail sector in the MENA region and India for over 50 years. With a diversified portfolio of 43 brands and 2,200 stores spanning 21 countries, the company has grown from humble beginnings – with a single store in Bahrain – to becoming a multi-billion-dollar business.
With eight category-leading retail brands, Landmark is achieving astronomical business growth, fuelled in part by the smart services offered by Jafza.
Landmark in Jafza: a ‘Smart’ Partnership for Smart Services
The group began with a modest 500 ft2 space in Jafza in 1993, and now occupies a sprawling 330,000 ft2 space. It’s Jafza’s smart digital services that is supporting the company’s increasing efficiency of its distribution, according to Ashish Sood, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Landmark Group.
“Jafza’s digital platforms for trade and logistics, customs clearance and warehousing have been very beneficial to us, in terms of optimising processes in the supply chain. Specifically, the recently launched smart services app, iJafza – which provides integrated connectivity with the back-end systems of Jafza, Imdaad and World Security – has been instrumental in creating a more joined up, efficient model,” said Sood.
Landmark Retail and Jafza have enjoyed a long-standing partnership. In 2019, they partnered to launch Omega DC, a fully automated logistics and distribution hub. As the tallest warehouse in the GCC, standing at a staggering 43 metres, Omega DC can accommodate up to 2.2 million cartons and two million hanging garments. It is the largest, most technologically advanced, privately-owned facility of its kind in the MENA region. Its “strategic location” has played a crucial role in the company’s growth and development plans, according to Sood, by providing easy access for the distribution of goods across the MENA region.
“Jafza’s ecosystem has allowed Omega DC to use cutting-edge technology and efficient processes and is helping us expand our business. We’ve achieved several significant milestones, including the implementation of advanced warehouse automation technologies, and the use of robots to facilitate decision-making and reduce manual efforts,” said Sood.
“We’re committed to exploring the most effective ways of minimising our environmental impact and bringing positive change to the communities where we operate,” concluded Sood.
Increasing Customer Satisfaction
Building customer loyalty is vital to the long-term success of retailers and is an area of Landmark Retail’s laser focus. “Providing excellent customer service is key to competing with other major players in the retail industry,” said Sood.
“We achieve this by paying close attention to our customers’ needs and preferences, using our omni-channel network to curate our product offerings, and by investing in advanced supply chain systems and technologies to ensure timely delivery of products. We must always be nimble in our response to customer demands,” he added.
The Power of Data
Pivotal to the customer experience are data and analytics – the key ingredient for driving improvements. Insights here help analyse a customer’s lifetime behaviour, preferences and needs. This data is then used to create more personalised experiences, improve product offerings, and increase customer satisfaction. Such data-driven decisions have improved operational efficiency, optimised pricing strategies and enhanced marketing efforts, according to Sood. “Landmark Retail also uses advanced analytics to identify and predict trends, such as changes in consumer demand, as well as providing insight into improving forecasting and planning,” he added.
Towards a Greener Future
Additional to Landmark’s operational excellence, there is also a clear goal to operate with a sense of purpose. With that aim, they have enhanced their already environmental-friendly operations in line with the announcement made by the President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan that 2023 would be the ‘Year of Sustainability’.
Landmark Retail is adopting several initiatives to contribute to the vision of a cleaner and greener future, and the company is focusing on several sustainable initiatives. The retail giant, according to their sustainability report 2018-19 built a single rooftop solar power system in Dubai South warehouse generating 3.4+ million kWh of energy annually, covering 50 per cent of the warehouse’s energy consumption. Landmark Headquarters in Dubai is certified as LEED Gold, recognised for efficient use of resources. The group also invested in an Energy Management System in the UAE in 2018-19, planning to reduce carbon emissions by up to 81,000 tonnes in the next five years, with energy savings equivalent to powering over 12,500 houses in a year.
