Deutsche Telekom, with its partners ServiceNow and Cisco, will be presenting the future of smart retail at next week’s EuroCIS trade fair in Düsseldorf.

The applications on show from February 27 to 29 will support retailers in modernising their IT infrastructure and prioritising sustainability.

At the show, T-Systems will present Instore Task Management, an end-to-end offering developed with ServiceNow. This consists of technically harmonised components including hardware, software and connectivity. Applications include promotion campaigns.

Stores regularly have to adapt their promotional areas. What is to be presented, how and where are often specified in contracts with suppliers, with the stores usually informed via email and the requirements transmitted in a document. For on-site implementation, decoration employees or the property management have to be informed. There is no standardised documentation of whether and how the measures have been implemented. These individual steps not only cost time, they are also prone to errors. A central platform to which all branches are connected provides an answer. Information can be sent digitally to the branches. Feedback and documentation are provided by employees directly in the system without media discontinuity.

This can also be used when cleaning and repairs are required in the store. The measures are ordered digitally in the system and later reported as completed. An end-to-end offering ensures analogue processes are digitised and automated. This creates transparency and optimises workflows.

With law monitoring, T-Systems is presenting artificial intelligence (AI) for commerce. The automated AI service monitors topic-specific legal changes worldwide. This is particularly important for retailers, as almost daily laws are amended somewhere in the world. These can include import and sales bans, declaration requirements, environmental regulations, trade regulations, or tax rates.

Companies often check changes in legislation manually and assess the potential impact on their own business areas. Incorrect assessments and non-compliance with laws have serious consequences. Law monitoring reduces the error rate and helps retailers protect themselves legally. Companies can derive recommendations for action, adapt changes and assess possible effects on their own business areas. T-Systems offers law monitoring as software-as-a-service (SaaS), which is used via the internet. Employees can access it from various devices.

Sustainability is putting retailers under pressure to act. Prospective buyers select suppliers based on sustainability aspects. Companies with proven sustainability are given preference in tenders. Banks also reward them with better credit conditions. At EuroCIS, Deutsche Telekom will present the Telekom Sustainability Manager, a modular offering for data collection, documentation, climate management and CO₂ balance as well as supply chain management. The functions of the Telekom Sustainability Manager – such as legally compliant ESG reporting – meet the individual needs of retailers and facilitate overarching collaboration within the company. The requirements are adapted to the European market. This is also a SaaS offering. Retailers can use the rental software via the internet without any IT effort. Companies can choose a suitable module from a basic entry level to a complete package.

Various services make it easier for firms to connect their store employees digitally to the company. Offers for the use of mobile devices in the B2B environment include 5G devices. Deutsche Telekom also provides infrastructure, supports the development of apps and the integration of Office 365, offers flexible leasing options, and ensures data security. The package includes exclusive employee offers for mobile phone tariffs, end devices and accessories.

Deutsche Telekom (www.telekom.com) will also be providing at the show (www.eurocis-tradefair.com) information about the expansion of fibre optics and the associated benefits of the digital transformation of branches. High-performance broadband connections enable services such as self-checkout or the use of modern analysis and AI technologies evaluate business data in real time to help stores gain insights.