BUSN660

Business Analytic

Name: Juliana Harris

Institution: American Military University

Course: BUSN660

Date: February 5, 2021

How might business analytic’s help the supermarket?

Business analytic’s refers to the process of using statistical data from the past and analyzing so that new insights are developed for making better decisions based on the analysis in the future (Maisel & Cokins, 2013). In this scenario, business analytics will help the supermarket management to explore the past challenges of long queues experienced during some hours in peak periods of the day. The management can use the analysis to reschedule the number of workers at different sections to cash registers. The supermarket management will then develop new strategies designed to improve business performance based on analysis of the data obtained. The supermarket will be able to predict the demands of the customers during these peak periods and then determine the appropriate number of checkout counters required to fully serve the available customers at different times of the day and ensure no cash registers are idle during the peak hours.

What data would be needed to facilitate good decisions?

The type of data needed to facilitate good decisions making will be historical data. This will provide insight into the persistent problem of long lines experienced in some peak hours of some days of the week. Descriptive analysis will then be used to examine all the historical data obtained on the flow of customers at different periods (Maisel & Cokins, 2013). The data on customer flow will be categorized according to the different hours of each day of the week and monthly flow. The data will enable the analysts to come up with a model to predict the demands of customers at different hours of the peak days. The supermarket can then use the prediction model to forecast the demand of their customers and determine the number of checkout cash registers required to be open at different times. This will ensure that the customers in the long queues are served with the minimal wait time as possible. This will maximize customer satisfaction who will be happy in the future to visit the supermarket again because of efficiency in service delivery and customer satisfaction at the checkout counters. 

Reference

Maisel, L., & Cokins, G. (2013). Predictive business analytics: Forward-looking capabilities to improve business performance. John Wiley & Sons.