Global Partnerships in the Retail Industry Need a Single Source of Truth in Order to Thrive

Global partnerships have become a necessary function of growth and success in the retail industry, particularly in the face of a downward economy that's only now starting to trend upward. These partnerships are the linchpin to success in the modern retail world. However, in a digital-first landscape, these global partnerships have the capacity to trigger unforeseen data pitfalls. The reality is that disparate data sources are creating a myriad of complex challenges across the retail industry.

From syncing languages and currencies to contract agreements, globally interconnected day-to-day business operations are highly complex, and without a single source of data, misinterpretations, misunderstandings, delays, errors, lost revenue and strained relationships can easily unfold. As the retail industry proliferates and develops partnerships across the world, it will need to have effective language and currency synchronization for agreements to combat these challenges in communication and collaboration.

By aggregating all data for agreements into one central location, also known as a single source of truth (SSOT), retailers can ensure that all parties have access to accurate and consistent information. This single source of truth also allows for clear and concise contract terms and translations help to avoid ambiguity, reduce the risk of miscommunication, and foster stronger partnerships. It also enables the ability to overcome language barriers and facilitate seamless collaboration. In a digital, global economy, SSOTs are not simply helpful organizational tools — they’re mission-critical for success.

Streamlining Retail Contract Management With a Single Source of Truth

Since the retail industry involves partners from different countries with different currencies, languages and contract laws, these potentially costly barriers can be addressed with far more ease by standardizing data throughout their organization. Furthermore, instead of siloed data sets that create confusion between departments, SSOTs maintain up-to-date, relevant data for all stakeholders across all departments. In essence, agreement management will be far less complicated and time consuming.

Studies by McKinsey indicate that decision making is 70 percent faster and that there’s a 50 percent reduction in time spent on data-related activities when companies use SSOTs for data. Gartner also indicated that SSOTs can lead to a 25 percent reduction in data errors and inconsistencies, ensuring reliable and accurate information across the organization. Meanwhile, a survey conducted by Deloitte revealed that companies with a single source of truth for contracts and agreements reported a 30 percent increase in productivity due to streamlined processes and reduced time spent searching for information.

Why a Single Source of Truth Matters for Global Retailers

In terms of agreement management in a global partnership ecosystem, SSOTs matter for several reasons.

SSOTs enhance transparency and trust among all stakeholders — access to the same information minimizes discrepancies and promotes a shared understanding of contractual terms, obligations and expectations.

Additionally, SSOTs streamline processes, eliminate redundancies and increase efficiency. This allows for centralized agreement management, reducing the risk of duplicate or conflicting terms. This promotes consistency, saves time, and mitigates potential errors.

Furthermore, SSOTs enable effective compliance management, which ensures that all parties adhere to regulatory requirements and industry standards, minimizing legal and financial risks.

Buy-in from employees and leadership, maintaining high-quality data, data privacy, evaluation standards and universal accessibility can be the initial challenges in adopting SSOTs. However, businesses that prioritize and implement a single source of truth experience boost productivity, increase transparency, remove silos and duplicated data, and obtain a more thorough perspective on their business performance and strategies. The take home? Retailers will significantly improve global partnership management, boost efficiency, and strengthen partner relationships by streamlining their data into a single source of truth.

Stefan Hilger is co-founder and an executive board member of gicom AG, a global provider of agreement lifecycle management software solutions and consulting services for the retail, wholesale and consumer goods industries.