A.T. Kearney in the Media

In the News

Retailers brace for tougher times
14 June 2011 WWD
by Alexander Steigrad
Uneven comparable-store sales results for May served as another harbinger of the turbulence awaiting retailers in the second half, analysts said. According to Laura Gurski (Chicago), head of the retail practice at A.T. Kearney, the recession pushed luxury retailers to add lower-priced products to their mixes and implement more consumer-focused strategies. While this may have changed the face of luxury somewhat, it has also paid off for these chains, she said, explaining that for retailers to find success in the coming months, they'd better be flexible with their promotional strategies. more >

Summer chill for big chains? Stores' modest 4.9% sales growth in May has some industry watchers concerned that higher costs might crimp spending
3 June 2011 The Los Angeles Times
by Shan Li
Shoppers appeared to be more cautious last month in spending, raising some concerns about a possible slowdown in sales over the summer. “The back-to-school season will be heavily promoted and watched by retailers who view it as a good indicator of what's to come during the holidays,” said Laura Gurski (Chicago). “Very good retailers will start advertising early and try to stay out in front of the curve this fall,” Gurski said. more >

Japan's carmakers might lose 193,000 U.S. sales
18 May 2011 Bloomberg
by Craig Trudell
Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and other Japan-based automakers may lose as many as 193,000 U.S. vehicle sales to competitors this year because of parts shortages in their home country, an A.T. Kearney analyst said. Dan Cheng (Southfield) is quoted in this article. more >

Stores cautious: food, gas prices pinch shoppers
1 May 2011 WWD
by Alexandra Steigrad and Evan Clark
For consumers, 2011 has become a battle between the gas pump and the paycheck, leaving retailers' sales and profit margins shrouded in uncertainty. “Overall, the results are positive. They are better than expected but what was expected was a little low,” said A.T. Kearney retail consultant and partner Hana Ben-Shabat (New York), who explained that despite the sense of economic stability, “what we don't know is how long it's going to last.” more >

The true value of telematics
1 May 2011 Insurance Networking News
The fusing of analytics and location-based technologies offers many advantages for insurers. A merging of the words telecommunications and informatics, telematics describes the increasingly prevalent array of technologies that integrate analytics with mobility. For insurers, telematics is the technology that underlies pay-as-you go insurance policies. Insurance Networking News asked Joseph Reifel, at A.T. Kearney, about the challenges and benefits telematics present to the insurance industry. more >

External Articles

Outsourced call centers: friend or foe?
July 13 | Connected Planet
by Alex Liu (San Francisco), Rashid Ahmed (San Francisco), Raghu Viswanathan (Toronto)
Companies need to pull back and let call center suppliers run their businesses while ensuring that suppliers deliver high-quality service. more >

P&C insurers must move to a customer-centric operating model
June 24 | Insurance & Technology
by Joe Reifel (Chicago)
To capture the full benefits of a changing environment, insurers must create customer-focused models that shift away from their traditional channel or product focus. It's a daunting task, but there are several simple ways for insurers to succeed. more >

Cross-industry project management practices
May/June | Nuclear Energy World
by Kish Khemani (Chicago), Neal Walters (Toronto) and Patrick Haischer (New York)
Lessons can be learned from successes in large and complex projects outside the renewable energy industry. more >