A business framework for the Omnichannel era: The Customer Machine.

Porter's Value-Chain - 1985 (wikipedia)

In 1985, Michael Porter popularized the now-famous concept of a business "value-chain".  This quickly became the 'go to' framework for strategic planning, org design, and process improvement.  The term has since contributed to the development of revolutionary approaches to process improvement including value stream mapping and 'lean' methodology.   Quite extraordinary really.  Again, 1985....

Ok great. But...

Macy's 2012 annual report released. "Omnichannel" mentioned 30 times!

Macy's recently released their 2012 Annual Report.  What's most exciting is *not* the double digit Earnings Per Share (EPS) growth that we've now come to expect from them; nor is it the exceptional performance in same store sales, up 3.7% vs. the 3.5% expectation.  It's not the 10% increase in operating income; nor is it the increase in online sales of 41% (although this is quite exceptional!)  What's most exciting to me, is how committed Macy's is to the notion of building an "omnichannel culture."

For starters, they just announced the appointment of their first ever (and perhaps the industry's first ever) Chief Omnichannel Officer (COO), Robert B. Harrison.