In 2002 I was on a panel at the Retail Systems Show in Chicago which was a technology showcase for the retail industry.  The panel was focused on analytics and my topic was the use of predictive analytics in real estate planning and site selection.  I had already been at the show for a couple of days and after speaking with many CIOs, CTOs, and merchandising executives it became apparent that there was little interaction between the real estate department and the other areas of the business.

I started my presentation by telling the audience that I had come to the conclusion that “everyone outside of the real estate department thinks that stores just magically appear.” Continue reading →