METRO

METRO AEBE is a leading supermarket chain in Greece, with a high level of automation of its processes, based on in-house software. The company was early to foresee that the retail industry would be significantly impacted by the rise of digital technology, and invested in building digital capabilities, which were not available off-the-shelf at the time. At the heart of our infrastructure, the use of a digital asset manager (DAM), became increasingly prevalent.

The digital asset manager is the system that allows businesses to store, organize, and distribute digital assets such as images, videos, and documents. Retail businesses can use DAM to manage digital assets used in their e-shops, digital signage, electronic or paper shelf labels, digital scales, point of sales, self-checkouts or self-ordering systems, print catalogues, advertorials and social media campaigns. The use of such an application can lead to improved productivity and customer experience, but also assure compliance to regulatory and legal obligations, when it comes to displaying updated and relevant information.

One of the primary benefits of using a DAM in retail is the ability to streamline workflows. By centralizing all digital assets in one place, retail businesses can save time and effort in introducing new products or building private labels. DAM allow users to quickly search for specific assets and view relevant metadata. This not only speeds up the content creation process, but also ensures that the right assets are being used in the right context.

DAM can also help retail businesses maintain brand consistency. Retail businesses often have a large number of employees and stakeholders, who need access to digital assets. DAM provides a single source of accuracy for all digital assets, ensuring that everyone is using the correct logos, media files, product descriptions and attributes, package sizing, nutrition declarations, production methods, information of origin and traceability, or other significant materials. All informational and promotional materials are up-to-date and consistent across all channels, which can improve brand recognition and customer loyalty.

Furthermore, by tracking who has accessed which assets, businesses can gain insights into how their assets are being used and which are most effective. This information can help companies make data-driven decisions about their marketing and promotional strategies. Retail businesses can also use DAM, to track asset usage rights, ensuring that they are not in violation of copyright laws or other legal regulations.

DAM can also improve customer experience by allowing retail businesses to create more personalized content. By organizing assets into collections and metadata, businesses can quickly and easily retrieve relevant assets to create personalized content. For example, a retailer could use a DAM to retrieve quickly images, videos and texts of a specific nutrition category and then use them to create targeted social media campaigns with genuine product descriptions, high-quality product images and clear information about available variants. This can increase customer engagement and drive sales.

Another benefit of DAM is the ability to collaborate more efficiently. Multiple users can access and work on the same digital assets simultaneously. This can help teams collaborate more effectively on projects and campaigns, leading to faster turnaround times and better outcomes. Users may leave comments and annotations on assets, facilitating communication and feedback, between team members or external partners, such as suppliers.

Digital Asset Managers are becoming increasingly important in the retail industry. They can help businesses streamline workflows, maintain brand consistency, track asset usage, improve customer experience, meet the demands of omnichannel-savvy customers and collaborate more efficiently with suppliers and partners. Retail businesses, that invest in a DAM can benefit from increased productivity, improved customer engagement, and a competitive advantage in the market.