SIG Global: An Indispensable IT Partner for Chain Stores(Retailers & Suppliers)

The concept of chain stores has witnessed extensive growth in the last few years. Growing strong, this trend will continue to thrive in the years ahead with expanding consumption scale and purchasing power. In particular, in the ASEAN countries, owing to the expected population and economic growth, chain stores—by retailers and restaurateurs—are likely to witness immense growth. To manage this scale of expansion and growth, retail companies and restaurants will need to very soon find a solution that will allow them to manage their operations across multiple stores efficiently, in a centralized manner. While that seems like a simple problem, the hiccup is that retail businesses often lack the IT know-how to operate stores efficiently and end up carrying out time-intensive operations such as processing purchase orders manually. A shining ray of hope for such companies is Singapore-based SIG Global that is changing the narrative through a comprehensive set of IT resources—known as Business Based EDI Platform (BBP)— required for managing businesses that have multiple outlets such as retail companies as well as restaurants. Initially introduced in Japan and then in ASEAN countries, BBP is SIG Global’s answer to the operational loopholes that retail chain businesses and restaurants are often faced with. For such businesses, BBP proves to be a capable solution that simplifies the management of chain stores.

BBP is an all-in-one solution that helps streamline the facets of a retail business, right from supply chain operations to employee management. BBP also includes an EDI and payment platform that manages the supply chain behind the company. SIG Global is also the EDI platformer. By using BBP, chain store companies can streamline employee salary payments with the attendance management system, and use EDI to streamline B2B purchases from external companies and their settlements, as well as internal and external people, goods, and money. The company’s one-stop solution takes away the burden of managing and maintaining IT resources in-house.

SIG Global even brings a business software package called Gulf CSM (Chainstore Management System) along with Gulf EDI, which is a blockchain-based B2B ordering/payments for the supply chain. However, to make the most of these solutions, organizations need to have a strong network and infrastructure. The SIG Global team manages that part as well by not only providing key software solutions but also offering the surrounding infrastructure to ensure a stable, high-quality IT environment optimized in its entirety to customers. “We charge a usage fee for our solutions, which leads to a significant reduction in overall cost compared to using individual networks, hardware, software, related services,” elaborates Ishikawa Junichi, CEO, SIG Global.

Assisting Customers through a Multi-Layered Approach

The services are extended by all the companies of the SIG Group— GulfNet Co. Ltd., GulfNet Singapore Pte. Ltd., and GulfNet (Thailand) Co., Ltd.—through a five-layered approach.

The first layer is focused on delivering statistical consulting services to develop an understanding of the customers’ needs and challenges based on industry data such as POS data to resolve issues. The company, thereafter, through the business support layer, extends round the clock support for clients’ operations. It also comprises the delivery of asset management services, equipment installation, logistics agency services, and so on. Through the third layer, known as real-time architecture, the SIG Global team goes on to deploy its SNS Gulf TMT solution that allows users to report, communicate, and consult within the company in real-time. Not just that, at this stage, the company also offers the push tool GroupCast that can instruct all stores directly from the headquarters in real-time and automatically summarize the report of the results and share them.

The next layer—EDI platform— brings a unique capability in the form of Gulf CSM that offers the AI prediction function. At this stage, the SIG Global team employs several systems, including time management, stock management, and employees’ point systems, along with mobile applications that can quickly perform all the operations. Gulf EDI, at this point, plays a significant role in ordering and settlement, analyzing sales in cooperation with POS, and predicting future purchases and the number of consumers. The last and the most crucial layer that leads to the final implementation of all the solutions offered through all the other layers is an infrastructure platform. It ensures a secure business network infrastructure connecting stores and headquarters along with the implementation of blockchain infrastructure to ensure ordering and settlement for EDI.

Each company in the SIG Group optimally combines these services of BBP according to the customers’ needs. The team at SIG Group also customizes these services as and when needed, to fulfil specific client requirements. “For customers to avoid excessive personnel and asset burden for ITSM and concentrate on their core business, the SIG Group provides consultation to its customers on what kinds of IT services should be used,” says Junichi.

Handholding Customers through Digital Transformation

As the use of technologies such as AI and IoT along with mobile applications becomes critical in ensuring smooth business operations, reducing cost, and ensuring profits, the SIG Group actively works towards ensuring easy implementation of these technologies at retail stores and restaurants. However, it often remains difficult for companies to implement such technologies and obtain results from them. To help customers in this regard, the SIG Global team has strengthened four areas: mobile applications that make operations easier, AI to assist decisions, IoT to automate processes, and blockchain to manage data stores that outperform reliability. It’s these capabilities coupled with the company’s ability to respond to customers’ requests and deliver new services for their specific needs that make SIG Global stand out.

After all, SIG Group is driven by its aim to be an indispensable partner for its customers by continuously developing services that can solve their problems.