“Omnichannel analytics has become critical because the customer expects to shop anywhere at any time,” said Lori Schafer, SAS Retail Executive Advisor and co-author of Branded! How Retailers Engage Consumers with Social Media and Mobility.

“SAS will showcase its customer and merchandising analytics retail software during NRF 2014. But the most valuable information will come from SAS customers leading Big Ideas sessions on Monday and Tuesday.” SAS Big Ideas Sessions at the 2014 event include:

Monday, Jan. 13. 4:30 – 5:15 p.m. B1, Room 4, Level 3

Transforming the Retail Business with a New Kind of Analytical Talent: An intimate chat with Parinaz Vahabzadeh, Vice President, Global Customer Intelligence and Advanced Analytics at Coach; and Lori Bieda, SAS. Retail analytical teams need to predict market trends, anticipate customer needs, and thread together a full spectrum of insights.

These increased demands mean a dramatic shift in how retailers look at their analytical teams’ mission and the skills necessary to get the job done. Learn how Coach, a leading New York design house of modern luxury accessories, and SAS see these changes taking shape, and discover what needs to be done to be well positioned for this challenge.

Tuesday, Jan. 14. 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. B1, Room 3, Level 3

The Role of Analytics Across the Entire Retail Supply Chain: A panel discussion including insights from Scott Zucker, Senior Vice President of Merchandise Operations, Family Dollar Stores Inc.; and Lori Schafer, SAS.

The panel will touch on how to produce, select and sell products in the right quantities at the right time by applying predictive analytics and forecasting at every decision point. Attend this session to learn how analytics is used from product production and planning through merchandising the shelf. Also learn how forecasting and other advanced analytics build value for customers.

This is the 18th year SAS has participated in the NRF Big Show, one of the most influential retail events of the year.

About SAS

SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions, SAS helps customers at more than 65,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster.

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