Structured Process Analysis

 Structured business processes support operational and structured managerial decisions and activities. We will focus on the sales process, which includes lead generation, lead tracking, customer management, sales forecasting, product and brand management.  

Step by Step Sales

Process

These processes are a standardized and organized set of activities that help to support operational and managerial decisions in ShopRite. 

a) Lead generation is the process of attracting potential customers through promotions, coupons, and loyalty programs to market themselves. 

b) Lead tracking includes monitoring customers’ interactions, whether in-store or via app, shopping habits, and the effectiveness of their promotions.  

c) Customer management can be engaging with customers through the ShopRite mobile app, rewarding their loyalty with programs, and in-store promotions.  

d) Sales Forecasting uses the data from past sales and analytics to predict future sales trends  

e) Product and brand management helps to ensure product availability, the price is accurate, and effective promotions.  

The sales process covers the transaction cycle that occurs from product selection to checkout and utilizes ShopRite’s information system. 

Process Functionality

ShopRite’s structured process is built on a cooperative business model, where individual store owners operate under the ShopRite brand while benefiting from centralized support in purchasing, distribution, and marketing. This structure allows for efficiency. However, the decentralized nature creates operational inconsistencies, particularly in inventory management, digital integration, and customer experience. To improve, ShopRite may need greater standardization, stronger technology integration, and more streamlined inventory coordination while maintaining the flexibility that makes its cooperative model successful. 

Information System

The information system that supports this process is the POS system, which goes with sales. The reason is how the POS is used for customer transactions and tracking down the number of items the person purchases. An Information System has five components: hardware, software, data, people, and processes. These work together to collect, process, and use information to support decision-making and operations

Information Silo

While ShopRite has a structured information system, some information silos may still exist due to its cooperative business model. The company’s technology infrastructure helps mitigate silos but does not entirely eliminate them, especially where independent store operators use different systems. Customers sometimes face issues with online orders not matching in-store inventory due to delays in system updates. 

CRM, ERP, and EAI

Customer relationship management (CRM) is managing all interactions with customers through 4 phases of the customer lifecycle: marketing, customer acquisition, relationship management, and loss/churn. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a suite of applications; its purpose is integration because it allows real-time updates. Enterprise application integration (EAI) connects system "islands," a rated layer on top of existing systems, while leaving functional applications “as is," and enables a gradual move to ERP. Shoprite uses an SAP ERP system when selling products. When a customer scans products and checks out, the POS system automatically updates the inventory, so management knows when to stock up and what products are selling. They also have a Sales force CRM system to deal with customer comments, concerns, and complaints. 

Inter-Enterprise Information System

Interenterprise IS is supporting one or more inter-enterprise processes. The system procedures are formalized and have problem solutions that affect multiple organizations. It can resolve problems or duplicate enterprise data and is very difficult to change. ShopRite does have an inter-enterprise, which includes the POS system, customer relationship management, and enterprise resource planning. The POS system helps track down customers' orders and generate the items that are clipped in their ShopRite Card. For example, when there is a weekly sale, there tends to be certain items that are clipped in using the digital coupon.