Retail 2015 Perspective: Microsoft Dynamics AX aligns with retailers' need to boost customer, operational insight

Microsoft typically heads to the NRF BIG Show with a handful of partners that offer different retail specializations. As we reported last week, enterprise partners like Sitecore, Toshiba, and Avanade highlighted their embrace of Microsoft technology at the 2015 event, including Dynamics AX and the "Dynamics for Retail" brand.

Microsoft also had support at the show from other retail-focused Dynamics AX partners that helped staff the Microsoft expo presence, talking to attendees about Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Dynamics for Retail, and their own vertically focused AX-based solutions.

Sunrise Technologies, a Dynamics AX partner that just released a new version of their AX-based footwear and apparel solution, was on hand talking ERP and BI (they are also a MicroStrategy partner) at last week's event. According to Sunrise's BI practice manager, Dynamics AX MVP, and blogger Brandon George, this year's event demonstrated that retailers are establishing their own perspective on what it takes to be competitive in the market.

"Omnichannel is still a nice buzzword to describe what you're trying to do, but what we're seeing not just from ERP, but also from the analytics side is that it goes beyond focus on channels," says George. "Retailers are starting to ask more questions [about] how to make the connections between channels, not a specific channel focus. The theme is helping retailers in footwear, fashion, and other retail areas blur the lines between the channels and drive toward customer engagement and brand loyalty."

More than in past years, retailers at last week's event understood that software should ...