Shifting Thrift Market Requires Smarter Systems.
Legacy systems can’t adapt to constant donor and shopper changes.
Many Goodwill stores are struggling to deliver satisfying work experiences that manage the health concerns of employees while ensuring optimal shopping experiences during the pandemic.
- The “Great American Cleanout” has driven record-level donations
- Thrift shopping was growing pre-COVID and continues to rise
- Retail employees remain apprehensive about workplace wellness
- Shoppers are demanding contactless commerce and other precautions
Citations:
- Today.com
- ThredUp’s2019 Resale Report, conducted by GlobalData
- CNBC.com
- Forrester Research #pandemicEX study, March 25, 2020
If only you could get instant access to smarter business technology systems that accelerate automation, improve operations and enhance employee and customer experiences. But, starting a digital transformation project from scratch right now seems daunting.
Unless you look to your colleagues in Seattle.
A Proven Platform for Goodwill Stores
Built for agility on Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform
Local Goodwill agencies now have a ready-made platform for advancing their thrift store operations – from the point of donation through point of sale and purchaser insights. With Seattle Goodwill as a proven prototype, Goodwill leaders have easy access to a local market-driven, customer-focused thrift business technology platform that is simple, scalable, transparent, intelligent and adaptable.
Situation
Seattle Goodwill’s thrift business relies on a donation-based model that requires the daily processing of thousands of used, donated items for its income stream. These items must be identified, ranked and entered into an inventory system for immediate sale at 27 retail outlets in five counties. However, the agency’s aging business systems, comprised of disconnected solutions supported by manual processes, resulted in more time spent on operational management and support cycles and less time interacting with customers and raising revenue.
Solution
Avanade – the leading digital innovator on the Microsoft ecosystem – and Microsoft Technology for Social Impact, engaged with Seattle Goodwill to build a proof-of-concept (PoC) application for inventory receipt, a critical workstream, using Microsoft PowerApps. Based on the successful PoC, Avanade and Seattle Goodwill are now working together to modernize the organization’s ERP system to improve the efficiency of its back-office functions as well as staff performance and development.
Benefits of a Locally-Driven, Customer-Focused Platform
Avanade created the Goodwill Business Platform for adaptation by local agencies. Some of the platform benefits include:
Data Integration
- Shift from soiled processes to connected operations.
- Unify data across enterprise applications
Operations Excellence
- Back-end processes linked from intake to insights.
- Automated tasks and improved workflow efficiency
Adaptable Architecture
- Modular, Unified, Intelligent
- Respond to change with no-code/low-code tools
Business Outcomes
- Integrated operations
- Increased workforce efficiency
- Innovation that grows revenue
Expertise to help you transform your thrift store experience
Avanade’s end-to-end retail and non-profit capabilities include strategy, implementation, change management and managed services. And we have more Microsoft expertise and experience than any other partner. Thanks to our unique heritage and strong alliance with Microsoft, Avanade also has deep experience bringing IT and the Business together to drive sustainable impact from low-code technologies like Microsoft Power Platform.
Avanade brings strong non-profit technology credentials:
- Through our Tech for Social Good partnership with Microsoft, we’re working with nonprofit organizations and the social sector to fulfill their missions and increase their impact through the power of digital transformation.
- We’ve worked with nonprofits like SOS Children’s Villages International, Ovarian Cancer Australia, Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), Canadian Red Cross, British Red Cross, Pro Mujer and Trócaire.
We’ve worked with nonprofits like SOS Children’s Villages International, Ovarian Cancer Australia, Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), Canadian Red Cross, British Red Cross, Pro Mujer and Trócaire.
Our retail expertise is substantial:
IDC named Avanade and Accenture as market leaders in implementing Microsoft solutions
We have over 2,400 retail industry professionals.
We currently have more than 100 large retail projects worldwide.
Eleven out of the world’s 40 largest retailers are Avanade clients.
More than 700 of our global delivery people are focused on retail.
We are well known in the industry for our innovative presence at NRF and other industry events.
Forrester awarded Avanade “market leader” status for Dynamics 365 technologies.
Power Up Your Platform. Now.
Let’s set up a workshop to explore how to adapt Seattle Goodwill’s purpose-driven platform to your specific needs. Request a virtual meeting and demo to learn more.