Interview: Anshu Bhardwaj's Path to Building a Thriving Enterprise Within the World's Largest Retailer
July 17, 2024 | 3 Min. Read | Blog
Starting a new venture is not easy. Founders must have a clear vision, inspire others to join their vision, pivot quickly in the face of challenges all while embodying grit, perseverance and a touch of humor. Anshu Bhardwaj embodies a founder’s mindset. She’s held a variety of roles across her career at Walmart including strategy, mergers & acquisitions and product. She now serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Walmart Global Technology and is the founder of Walmart Commerce Technologies.
She’s played a pivotal role in the launch of Walmart Commerce Technologies, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business focused on making Walmart’s proven technologies available to all businesses, enabling retailers and brands with tools to thrive in a digital world.
In a recent interview with Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga on Omni Talk Retail, Anshu talks about the early days of Walmart Commerce Technologies and how technology continues to reshape retail.
In this interview you will learn:
1. Becoming a Founder – From Idea to Reality
Recognizing the pivotal role technology plays within Walmart, Anshu recounts the moment she realized there was an opportunity to help retailers better serve their customers with Walmart's technology.
2. The Journey – Walmart's Culture Empowering Anshu’s Vision:
Anshu highlights the crucial support she received from other Walmart leaders during her entrepreneurial journey along with the initial days of building a team and identifying the right product market fit.
3. Why Walmart Commerce Technologies Made Sense for Walmart
As a retailer familiar with the obstacles and challenges faced by others in the industry, Walmart is well-positioned to offer retail focused solutions that meet industry challenges. The decision to launch Walmart Commerce Technologies is rooted in our customer-centric DNA, our commitment to enhancing stakeholder value – including the businesses that support the retail community – our culture of innovation and risk-taking, and our strategic investment in technology to improve our operations and support other retailers.
4. The Walmart Commerce Technologies’ Product Portfolio
Anshu offers a perspective on two flagship products – Store Assist and Route Optimization. These solutions help transform a retailer’s supply chain by turning stores into micro-fulfillment centers and optimizing middle mile efficiency. By leveraging these technologies, retailers can provide convenient shopping experiences, ensure timely inventory deliveries, and reduce carbon footprints.
5. A Look Ahead - Trends Redefining Retail
As commerce becomes increasingly fragmented, with customers shopping across various channels and platforms, retailers have a unique opportunity to harness technology to create more personalized and seamless shopping experiences. For Walmart, this means implementing 'adaptive retail' - an approach that offers a unified retail experience that seamlessly blends the best aspects of online and in-store shopping. Anshu highlights the significance of AI in this realm, providing several compelling examples that demonstrate its transformative potential.
At Walmart Commerce Technologies, we offer the technologies Walmart has designed and built for retail as white-label, SaaS solutions to other retailers and brands. Our technologies allow retailers to focus on serving their customers while owning the customer experience. If you’d like to connect and learn more, get in touch with us here.
You can watch Anshu's full interview on Omni Talk Retail!
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