Cegid integrates generative AI into retail solutions

Cegid has announced the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into its Cegid Retail solutions. This development was showcased during the company's user conference, Cegid Connections Retail, held in Rome on 19th and 20th June 2024. Cegid Pulse, a new set of intelligent agents, aims to transform retail operations by enabling users to interact with management solutions using natural language.

Generative AI is set to significantly impact how brands and retailers operate, especially during times of increased costs and decreased consumer spending. The technology promises to optimise various processes, including procurement, store management, and customer experience personalisation.

Cegid Pulse is integrated into three of the company's flagship solutions: Cegid Retail Live Store, Cegid Retail Store Excellence, and Cegid Retail Intelligence. These intelligent agents provide real-time recommendations to in-store customers, streamline internal collaboration, and allow better data analysis for business insights. This integration marks the beginning of a series of investments in generative AI by Cegid.

In terms of customer engagement, Cegid Retail Live Store leverages the Cegid Retail unified commerce platform to offer a seamless omnichannel shopping experience. The technology runs on various devices and operating systems, including Windows, Android, and iOS. This flexibility allows retailers to streamline in-store customer journeys effectively.

One of the initial use cases for Cegid Pulse within Cegid Retail Live Store is instant translation, which aids sales assistants in tourist-heavy areas by translating conversations in real time. Another use case involves synthesising customer data to provide a hyper-personalised shopping experience based on purchase history and preferences. Additionally, Cegid Pulse can offer in-store recommendations in real time by analysing voice exchanges between the customer and sales assistant.

Cegid Retail Store Excellence focuses on managing store operations more efficiently. The platform improves communication between head office and stores and manages field operations. Cegid Pulse assists in this by creating engaging content for store employees and translating it instantly into multiple languages.

Cegid Retail Intelligence aims to help store managers and head office staff make informed business decisions using intuitive mobile tools. Cegid Pulse can answer questions about sales, return rates, and promotions in natural language, providing instant responses in various formats. The AI also facilitates advanced data analysis, such as sales forecasting and trend analysis.

Nathalie Echinard, Director of the Retail Business Unit at Cegid, elaborated on the company's commitment to generative AI. "These first use cases, dedicated to the retail market, are concrete proof of Cegid's commitment and willingness to make long-term investments in the field of generative artificial intelligence, in order to help our customers elevate the retail experience."

"We're only at the very beginning of a long and beautiful story with Cegid Pulse, with more use cases to come. Our aim is to continue our efforts to provide our customers with concrete answers, so that they can easily and serenely embrace the latest, most innovative and useful technological developments in their businesses," Echinard continued.

"In an increasingly globalised market, it is essential to support brands and retailers to help them promote the innovative products and services that will keep them competitive and set them apart," she stated.