Out are the clunky grey screens and in are the apps that replace ERP with intuitive technology.

Might it be possible that ERP functions will make it onto watches? Will buyers receive competitor price alerts and drop retail prices in an instant? Will invoices be authorized on the tube?

With the release of the Apple Watch is seems that anything might be possible. Here are some ideas:

  • Managers could set up KPI alerts on their watches, e.g. stock alerts, or weekly flash sales reports
  • Store staff could check stock availability or pricing without carrying tablets or leaving the customer’s side
  • Watches could provide information for workforce management and scheduling
  • Customers could receive promotional offers while they are in the store and scan money off vouchers from their wrists

With all the excitement around new technology, there are also some justifiable concerns. Will the watch become ‘an electronic leash’? Will we suffer from ‘digital fatigue’. Will watches become RFID tags and track our every movement? Will the constant distraction of messages distract us even more, impairing our ability to concentrate?

Security is another concern for enterprises. Will stolen watches expose sensitive information? Despite concerns, the pace of change is set to continue. Samsung and others started it, Apple is launching, the future is here.

 

Sundeep Khanna