Dear Retail Friends, Customers, and Prospects,
Happy New Year
An advantage to One Step has always been the ability to look many years down the road to ensure that we are ready to provide the technology retailers need when they need it. Each year I like to evaluate the company's direction and make adjustments based on market shifts and ensuring we meet the demands of our clients. In order to better understand our current vision and direction, I need to digress a bit. One Step started out as a computer hardware supplier, then I saw the likes of DELL, HP and other hardware companies invading the space, so I knew a change was needed. I fell into Retail Pro while selling a computer to a Beverly Hills retailer and so it all began… One Step became a VAR. A VAR is a Value Added Reseller, put more simply meaning a technology company that sells both computer hardware and software, bundles them together and provides a useful end product to consumers. Being a VAR served us well for a long time, but there has been a definite shift in how retailing is conducted and we needed to change along with that shift.
In 2009, an official, technology reset ushered in the iPad / Apps / Cloud and Software as a Service revolution. Apple showed the world how to run a retail operation with mobile devices and hardware demands shifted to these new lighter technologies at the store fronts. One Step was there and ready to provide these newer technologies.
The Cloud has solutions that are easier for the end user but much more complicated at the technology level. Seamlessly integrating all of the Cloud systems is difficult and requires highly skilled engineers, which we have on staff. This past year we introduced our new managed IT services to help retailers with maintaining and staying ahead of all this complicated technology. We have options to manage or co-manage these systems to make the job easier for our retail clients.
Based on what I am seeing now, it has become clear that brick and mortar is under attack with the Amazon effect. Retailers are going to need to invest heavily in e-commerce while the brick and mortar portion of retail is reinvented. In the meantime, One Step is ready to continue to introduce new services to retailers while things continue to shake out. All in all, rest assured that One Step will be here ready to provide the retail technology that retailers
All in all, rest assured that One Step will be here ready to provide the retail technology that retailers need when they need it. I wish all of you a healthy and prosperous new year!
Scott Kreisberg
CEO, One Step Retail Solutions