Our PHILO characters simply represent our solution users. When crafting solutions and new features we put ourselves in their shoes to make sure we get it right. Everything we do has to be meaningful for the user – Peter, Harry, Ibra, Lina and Olivia help us understand what each of them need and to test if what we create actually fits their needs and if it’s exciting and simple to use!
I am a Supplier. I need to ensure both ends of the supply chain are happy, thus I need to have good visibility and the tools that help me accelerate slow moving or high margin goods. I feel I should add on retailers and brands marketing efforts too. Consequently, I want to be able to understand the consumers and their purchases in real time and not wait for a report about the after-math. Finally, I need systems that can integrate seamlessly with point of sale systems and the more digital we get, the more agile and effective I can be to grow and control my business.
I am the retailer! My business is not just about selling great products and having good customer service. We face constantly evolving competition and I need to be agile and quick. When I come up with ideas to increase my sales or boost the consumer experience, I need them to materialise fast, be simple to run, and have total control of their performance. New systems need to be omni-channel, easy to start with reasonable charging based on how much we use them. As for my solution provider, they should be a true partner suggesting innovations and features I may have missed!
I am the behind-the-scenes IT guy. The systems enabling your shopping experience are supported by my team. I need them to be reliable and simple to run with me being in control even when I'm away or on the move. I also need to be quick to enable new requirements and ideas of the business users so I can't afford spending all my time just administering systems. Finally, I get very excited when innovations can coexist with my legacy hardware and software that is hard to get the budget to replace all the time.
I am the Brand Rep. I sometimes deal directly with Harry but I usually do things via Peter. Despite being visible and glamorous across digital and physical demand generation channels, I feel a bit distant from the end consumer. I love finding new ways to boost my brands awareness and sales, but this has to come with good visibility and control. Budgets are never endless, thus I need to know what works well in real time and be able to fine-tune or change before its too late.
I am the consumer - and I'm just like you - we are the Queens & Kings of retailing. Very demanding, digitally enabled but usually time starved too. I know I have plenty of choices but sometimes I don't have the time or the extra money. Whether I shop out of need or for pleasure I should get the most out of my shopping and at the same time truly enjoy it. I want to be able to connect to my favorite retailers omni-channel and know about offers that matter to me at my time. Oh, I also tend to share what I see, buy or experience with my social circle and am simply more keen to shop and revisit when that experience feels exciting!