Retail Management and Strategy: Navigating the Next Normal

Course Name

Schedule

Description

Has Brick and Mortar died? In the US, the shopping mall phenomenon has been dying for many years, with many well-renowned labels declaring bankruptcy. In the Philippines, the pandemic accelerated the adoption of online retailing overnight, and has made a tough and competitive traditional retail environment even more challenging. In the last decade, the retail industry in the Philippines experienced a boom period, with new shopping mall developments opening in just about every corner of Metro Manila and provincial cities. It was enough for aspiring and existing retailers to simply ensure that they have a general knowledge of basic retail management skills to operate a retail store. But post-pandemic, with online/social media and a shift in consumer buying behaviors locally, it is no longer enough to simply ‘know the basics’. Where are we headed, and how can existing retail businesses address these changes in the industry?

Our six-module course design examines the various intricacies of the local retail industry, with particular focus on developing key strategies for effectively managing a retail business. It aims to equip retail business owners and retail managers with additional general management skills to adapt to this new environment, and to spot new growth opportunities in an otherwise disruptive economy.

Who should attend

Existing and start-up retail business owners, upper to senior level managers in retail organizations who are the key decision makers in their companies, as well as participants who are planning on opening a retail business. Primarily, the class will be most helpful to those who are responsible in crafting, implementing, and evaluating retail strategies for their companies.

After this program, you will be able to:

Define, discuss and understand the various issues pertaining to the fast-changing retail environment in the Philippines and globally;
Understand the necessary fundamentals in basic retail management theories, strategies and concepts;
Refine existing retail strategies to uncover new opportunities in the retail industry; and
Drive retail profitability through continuous improvement in retail operational and business processes

MODULE 1: GLOBAL AND PHILIPPINE RETAIL TRENDS
Resource Persons: Mr. Hans Yao and Mr. CJ Jesena

• We start the first module using a macroeconomic approach to recent retail trends globally, particularly on the effects of the pandemic on the business model of various retail types.

• We define what today’s ‘Next to Normal Retail’ is, sift through various studies related to changes in the retail industry, and analyze how specific retail businesses adapted to these changes.

• We study closely two seemingly opposing phenomena in retail: the ‘death’ of the shopping mall model and online retail.

• We discuss in detail the next normal customer shopper journey.

MODULE 2: RETAIL STRATEGY FUNDAMENTALS
Resource Person: Mr. Hans Yao

• We take a deep dive on Barbara Khan’s ‘Retailing Success Matrix’ and Lewis and Dart’s ‘Strategic Operating Principles of Retail Success’ – two fundamentals of retail strategy

• We discuss the retail industry’s critical success factors, and how these have remained consistent despite the evolution of the industry

• We also discuss other management theories, such as Michael Porter’s five forces, to understand the retail industry’s position in the next normal.

MODULE 3: RETAIL STRATEGIC PLANNING – UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR
Resource Person: Mr. Hans Yao

• We look closely at the profile and behavior of the retail customer, across specific demographics and nationalities. How can understanding different customer profiles improve our retail offer?

• We discuss how brick-and-mortar and online triggers can enhance the shopping experience, leading to higher turnover and customer loyalty.

Module 4: E-COMMERCE AND DIGITAL MARKETING
Resource Person: Ms. Clarissa Cabral

• We learn about retail execution highlights in e-commerce, online, digital, and social media marketing. How have existing brick-and-mortar retailers adopted online selling and marketing? How have online retailers capitalized on evolving post-pandemic trends?

MODULE 5: CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RETAIL SELLING SKILLS
Resource Person: Ms. Bim Mercado

• What is the meaning of ‘legendary customer service’, and why the concept lives on in the next normal?

• We discuss the basics of retail selling skills, and how it remains to be an integral part of the customer journey.

Module 6: DRIVING RETAIL PROFITABILITY (with case study assessment)
Resource Person: Mr. Harvey Ong and Mr. Hans Yao

• How do we effectively measure retail profitability? We study various Key Performance Indicators that are essential in understanding the performance of retail businesses.

• We focus on the concept of ‘continuous improvement’ and ‘agility’ to develop flexible action plans in response to changes in the industry.

•We propose meaningful changes in the direction of your own existing retail businesses or create successful plans to launch your new retail business.

Mr. Hans Clifford Yao
Program Director

Mr. Hans Clifford Yao is Managing Director of Washington Retailers Inc. and the Adrenaline Group of Companies, distributors and retailers of several international brands in the Philippines.

He has experience managing various retail formats in non-food, food, and specialty retail categories. He is also a retail consultant to several new retail start-up businesses on prototype and brand development. He is also a part-time lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila Graduate School of Business, teaching Strategic Management and Retail Management Strategy.

Mr. Yao earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management (Honors program) from the Ateneo de Manila University, and his Masters in Business Administration from the University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business.

Mr. Cesar Jose Jesena

Mr. Cesar Jose “CJ” C. Jesena is currently the Head - Tenant Management Division of Shangri-La Plaza Corporation.

He is a seasoned brand marketing & retail industry leader. Prior to his return to the Shangri-La Plaza Corporation, he has served over the past 30 years in various senior executive and leadership roles in an International FMCG brand (Coca-Cola), a Leading Local Retailer (Metro Retail Stores Group Inc) and Premier Shopping malls Developers (Shangri-la Plaza, Ayala Malls, and Megaworld Malls).

Mr. Jesena has been an active member of the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) in many capacities, from Judge of the Outstanding Filipino Retailer (OFR) Awards, moderator of Virtual Learning Series webinars (VLS), podcast host of Let’s Talk Retail, and annual convention committee member of the National Retail Conference & Expo (NRCE).

Ms. Anamaria Mercado

Ms. Anamaria “Bim” Mercado has several years of experience in the fields of business development and management, process improvement, and training & development. Her corporate life included 12 years in a multinational company where she started as a Marketing Analyst and later became a Group Manager for Sales and Marketing. Over those years, she worked with various types of customers (direct end-users and corporate accounts) and a mix of trade partners including distributors, dealers and retailers. She began her professional training and consulting work as Country Manager in an international consulting firm where she provided training and coaching services to companies across multiple industries.

Currently, she co-manages a research company specializing in measuring customer experiences, and co-owns two franchise companies. She is the Program Director for Service Excellence and Six Sigma Programs in the Ateneo Center for Continuing Education and a faculty member of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

Ms. Mercado has a Bachelors degree in Business Economics and post-graduate units in Professional Education from the University of the Philippines. She also has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

Ms. Clarissa Cabral

Ms. Clarissa Cabral is the Head of Logistics for Shopee Philippines, and works as a Management Consultant for Concepcion Industrial Corporation, and Mercato Centrale Philippines.

She has experience in growing local brands in the retail - services sector in various industries such as food, beauty, and education. Apart from retail, she is very much familiar with how retail works with the e-commerce industry with her exposure in e-Commerce.

She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines - Diliman. 5 years later, she took her International Master of Business Administration in Antai College of Economics and Management in Shanghai Jiaotong University, with specialization in Strategic Management, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship under the Sauder School of Business in University of British Columbia. She graduated as the Class Valedictorian with Highest Distinction.

Occasionally, she helps conduct seminars for DTI Go-Negosyo to help out aspiring entrepreneurs. She also works with start ups to help them kickstart, grow, and scale their business.

Mr. Harvey Ong

Mr. Harvey Ong is the Chief Operating Officer of Alfamart Trading Philippines, a joint venture between Alfamart Indonesia and SM Investment Corporation.

Prior to joining Alfamart, he served as: Chief Mechandising and Marketing Officer at Metro Retails Stores Group; Vice-President for Marketing at Jolibee; Marketing Director at Fonterra Brands Philippines; Marketing Director at Diageo Taiwan; and Regional Marketing Director at Procter & Gamble.