The Role of Industry Cloud in Retail: Driving Omnichannel Innovation and Customer Experience

Retail is in the midst of a profound transformation. Consumer expectations are evolving rapidly, shaped by digital-first experiences, seamless omnichannel journeys, and personalized engagement at every touchpoint. To keep pace, retailers must reimagine their business models, operations, and customer experiences. At the heart of this transformation is the industry cloud—a powerful enabler for innovation, agility, and growth.

Publicis Sapient stands at the forefront of this shift, helping retailers harness the full potential of industry cloud services to drive omnichannel innovation and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Our leadership in retail cloud transformation is recognized by leading industry analysts, including IDC MarketScape and HFS Research, underscoring our commitment to delivering measurable business outcomes for our clients.

Today’s consumers expect more than just products—they demand seamless, personalized experiences across digital and physical channels. Meeting these expectations requires retailers to:

• Integrate data from every touchpoint
• Enable real-time insights and decision-making
• Deliver consistent, engaging experiences across web, mobile, in-store, and emerging channels

Publicis Sapient’s industry cloud solutions empower retailers to unify their data, modernize their technology stacks, and orchestrate customer journeys that are both frictionless and highly relevant. Our SPEED capabilities—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI—ensure that every transformation is rooted in deep industry knowledge and a relentless focus on customer value.

Omnichannel commerce is no longer optional—it’s essential. Retailers must seamlessly connect online and offline experiences, enabling customers to browse, buy, and engage on their terms. Publicis Sapient’s cloud-native platforms provide the foundation for:

• Unified commerce platforms that integrate e-commerce, point-of-sale (POS), and order management
• Real-time inventory visibility and fulfillment optimization
• Personalized promotions and loyalty programs powered by advanced analytics

Our expertise in retail commerce and POS modernization has been recognized by the IDC MarketScape, which named Publicis Sapient a Leader in both Worldwide Retail Commerce Platform Service Providers and Retail Point of Sale Service Providers. These recognitions reflect our ability to deliver end-to-end solutions that drive valuable outcomes for retailers, from increased operational efficiency to enhanced customer satisfaction.

The pace of retail innovation is accelerating, driven by the need to respond quickly to market changes and consumer trends. Cloud-native platforms are essential for enabling this agility, allowing retailers to:

• Rapidly deploy new features and services
• Scale operations to meet demand spikes
• Integrate emerging technologies such as AI, generative AI, and retail media networks

Publicis Sapient’s investment in all major hyperscalers and our advisory-led approach ensure that retailers can confidently adopt and operationalize cloud-native transformation. Our partnerships with technology leaders, such as Google Cloud, further enhance our ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions in areas like retail media networks, content supply chain, and data monetization.

Data is the lifeblood of modern retail. The ability to collect, analyze, and act on data in real time enables retailers to:

• Understand customer preferences and behaviors
• Deliver hyper-personalized experiences
• Optimize marketing, merchandising, and supply chain decisions

Publicis Sapient’s leadership in data modernization and AI-driven transformation has been recognized by both HFS Research and IDC MarketScape. Our solutions help retailers move beyond legacy data models, unlocking actionable insights that drive both top-line growth and operational efficiency. Whether it’s building customer data platforms, enabling real-time analytics, or deploying generative AI for content and campaign optimization, we empower retailers to turn data into a strategic asset.

Our track record of success is reflected in the outcomes we deliver for leading retailers worldwide. For example, we have:

• Enabled a leading UK supermarket to launch a new e-commerce business and platform, accelerating time-to-market for brand launches and automating key processes for significant cost savings.
• Supported global brands in unifying their commerce platforms, increasing release velocity and reducing migration times, resulting in greater agility and scalability.
• Helped retailers modernize their POS systems, enabling seamless, personalized customer experiences and supporting omnichannel growth.

Publicis Sapient’s leadership in retail cloud services is consistently validated by independent analysts:

• IDC MarketScape has named Publicis Sapient a Leader in Worldwide Professional Services for Retailers, Retail Commerce Platform Service Providers, and Retail Point of Sale Service Providers, highlighting our deep industry expertise and ability to deliver transformative solutions.
• HFS Research has recognized Publicis Sapient as a Market Leader in Industry Cloud Services, citing our advisory-led approach, investment in cloud platforms, and proven ability to solve complex customer engagement and data challenges.

These recognitions reflect our commitment to helping retailers navigate a rapidly evolving market, harness the power of technology, and achieve sustainable growth.

As retail continues to evolve, the industry cloud will remain a critical enabler of innovation, agility, and customer-centricity. Publicis Sapient is dedicated to partnering with retailers at every stage of their transformation journey, delivering the strategy, technology, and expertise needed to thrive in the digital age.

By leveraging cloud-native platforms, advanced data and AI capabilities, and a relentless focus on customer experience, we help retailers unlock new sources of value, drive omnichannel innovation, and deliver the personalized experiences that today’s consumers demand.

Ready to transform your retail business? Discover how Publicis Sapient’s industry cloud services can help you lead in the era of digital retail.

Relevant Links

• Publicis Sapient is Named a 2024 Market Leader in Industry Cloud Services by HFS Research
• Publicis Sapient is Named a 2024 Market Leader in Industry Cloud Services by HFS Research
• Industry Cloud Transformation in Financial Services: Unlocking Value with Data & AI
• Liderazgo en Transformación Digital: Reconocimientos Globales y su Relevancia para América Latina (LATAM)
• L’expérience client réinventée à l’ère de la transformation digitale en Europe (Europe)