Microsoft aims for growth in the Indian retail sector with demand for its sector-focused offerings as industry looks for automation and higher adoption of AI to drive growth, said Samik Roy, Executive Director - Corporate, Medium, and Small Businesses, Microsoft India.

“We aim to maximise solutions for existing customers while introducing advanced technology to facilitate their growth. It aims to target a vast segment of organisations in the retail sector, looking to automate, which represents a significant part of the economy,” Roy told businessline. 

Leveraging success in various retail verticals such as jewelry, online retail, food, pharmacies, and more, they plan to expand this success across a broader spectrum, recognizing the immense potential in automating processes within the retail sector.

The Microsoft Dynamics 365 — an ERP, CRM, distribution, supply chain, dealer management system and retail automation — portfolio is seeing maximum number of engagements with the retail business. Roy said Indian retail companies like Arvind and Senco have recently signed deals with Microsoft, expanding their usage from ERP to CRM, analytics, and now artificial intelligence. Myntra, Dabur, and Wellness Forever among others are some of its other customers. 

Further, the benefits of AI has lured companies to adopt to the offerings. Roy said, “The world recognised the significance of AI in driving rapid growth. AI’s potential to boost productivity and offer more precise solutions to customers surpassed other automation methods. Azure, both independently and in collaboration with OpenAI, significantly contributed to this advancement.”

Microsoft sees headroom for growth in the retail sector. Roy notes that the retail industry ranks as the world’s fourth largest and holds immense potential for growth. Automation has been initiated at higher levels and is anticipated to spread throughout the sector. Retail constitutes a significant portion of the economy, including numerous Indian organisations. 

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