With support from AWS, Grendene tests AI to support Melissa's sales force

When the testing phase is complete, the new virtual assistant will be made available to the sales teams of 403 active Melissa clubs in Brazil, the vast majority of which are installed in shopping centers. Tremarim believes that the introduction of new technologies tends to make results appear more quickly. “With this joint movement with AWS, we tend to gain a lot in the assertiveness of what consumers will receive, not only with what they order, but also regarding other products that may be offered together,” he says.

Gandolfi also points out that the initiative is one of the company's first to bring technological solutions, common in B2C relationships, to B2B relations as well. “E-commerce usually provides recommendations for the end customer. We are talking about a value chain, made up of franchisees and sellers who also need to receive these recommendations,” he says.

For the head of retail tech Melissa, Walter Duarte, these recommendations will bring benefits to employees on several fronts. An example is the strategic inventory knowledge and smart redirection, where Charla, using detailed inventory data from the entire network, can offer suggestions for alternative products in the event of a local stock-out, or direct customers to other channels and stores in the chain, using an omnichannel approach.

“We also expect an increase in complementary and cross sales, since the assistant will be able to recommend not only accessories, but complementary products that enhance the customer's shopping experience using product catalog analysis, encouraging additional sales together with the shoes chosen,” he explains.

The new assistant should also provide highly personalized recommendations, based on each customer’s purchase history and individual preferences, improving their experience. “This not only encourages customer loyalty, but it also fosters frequent returns, resulting in a constant increase in sales over time,” he defends.

Finally, Duarte also highlights the possibility of identifying inventory trends and strategies through customer buying pattern and behavior analysis. “It will be possible to identify which products are most likely to be sold, allowing the store to direct its resources to inventory and marketing strategies for products that are in high demand and following current market trends,” he explains.