Data-Driven Operations Leader: Why Free Returns are NOT Profitable

What The Teck?

Blake Lawson is a Fractional COO at FullViz, where he provides operations leadership to growth-stage companies. With a track record of scaling businesses and building teams, he's worked in operations and product development roles with industry giants like Target, Amazon, and SAP. Blake's insights stem from firsthand experience in cutting-edge retail practices and transformation strategies.

In this episode…

With inflation on the rise, retailers must develop strategies to retain consumers while maintaining profitability. This includes integrating new technologies to address consumer needs and adapt to a shifting market. What strategies do retail giants concoct behind the scenes, and what can you learn from their efforts?

With hands-on experience driving profitability for Amazon’s grocery and apparel arms, Blake Lawson discloses the operational secrets of AmazonFresh and Prime Now, including their banana alarm strategy that alerted the retailer to critical stock shortages. This inventory management approach drives sales consistency and customer retention. Retailers can also integrate AI and augmented reality into their operations to personalize the shopping experience and lower costs. Additionally, while offering free returns is considered a fundamental customer service strategy, they’re often costly, so finding a balance by incorporating limits is crucial to long-term sustainability.

Join Rolando Rosas in this episode of What The Teck? as he sits down with Blake Lawson, the Fractional COO at FullViz, to talk about the winning strategies of prominent retailers. Blake shares the positive impacts of inflation on retailers, how to leverage data to understand customer motives, and the future of cashier-less shopping.