By: Emily Stanton
The retail industry has undergone a radical transformation, largely driven by technological advancements. In 2020, the sector witnessed a significant inflow of investments, approximately US$40.2 billion, into retail technology across various segments. The global retail digital transformation was valued at $143.55 billion in 2020 and is anticipated to soar to $388.51 billion by 2026. This growth is propelled by technologies like digital payments, which recorded a global transaction value of $5.204 billion in 2020, and innovations such as social commerce, which are expected to exceed $36 billion in the U.S. by the end of 2021.
Technologies like augmented reality (AR) are also revolutionizing retail, with Shopify reporting a 94% higher conversion rate for products with AR content. Smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home are increasingly used for shopping, with 20% of owners utilizing them for purchases and expected to rise to 52% over the next four years. Voice shopping is predicted to account for $40 billion in consumer spending in the U.S. by 2022, and by 2023, over 70% of chatbot conversations in retail are expected to be AI-powered.
Behind the scenes of such technological revolutions in retail, engineers like Shivendra Srivastava played a critical role. By 2015, over 1,500,000 Engineers working offshore from Indian companies supported U.S companies in retail, banking, and telecommunications to name a few. During Shivendra’s tenure at Walgreens between 2008 and 2012, when the company’s revenue reached $71 billion, engineers like Shivendra and their technical expertise were crucial for the evolution and growth of Walgreens’s photo business. At a time when an estimated 10 billion 4-by-6 photos were printed in 2012, with Walgreens getting to its peak in photo printing, Shivendra’s work at TCS for Walgreens Photo and the NEXT GEN POS (Point of Sale) systems was crucial to get the organization to that level.
Shivendra served as a key member in the full software development cycle for these projects, including maintenance post-deployment. He was deeply involved in various aspects, from requirement gathering and technical discussions to designing and coding using Java/J2EE and implementing utilities for NextGen POS. A NextGen point of sale (POS) can help retailers capture sales that might have been lost due to customer line abandonment. Store associates can use a mobile POS throughout the sales floor, meeting with customers who are ready to checkout to deliver improved convenience to customers. His work also included coding automated email systems for CEFT and stress testing the point-of-sale registers. Given that 40% of Walgreens’ photo orders came from mobile phones, Shivendra’s contributions were integral to enhancing the robustness of Walgreens’ payment architecture and digital transaction capabilities.
“In the rapidly evolving world of retail, where every transaction counts, I focused on creating systems that not only processed sales efficiently but also enhanced the customer’s shopping experience. It was about building a bridge between technology and consumer satisfaction.” shared Shivendra about his experience.
After Walgreens, his brief stint as a Java Developer at U.S. Foods further underscored his technical proficiency. Here, he developed web applications for rebate and promotion tracking programs, coding extensively using Java Design patterns and supporting User Acceptance Testing, Production deployment, and support. His technical acumen was evident in his meticulous approach to application development, ensuring both functionality and user-friendliness.
He then moved to another retail giant – OfficeMax. Shivendra’s role as an eCommerce Developer involved working on projects like Multiple Coupons, Behavioral Recommendations, and Report Generation for officemax.com. His responsibilities span the full software development lifecycle, from requirement gathering to maintaining the code in the production environment. His efforts contributed significantly to the digital transformation of OfficeMax, enhancing the online shopping experience.
Transitioning to Tech Leadership: Microsoft and AWS
Shivendra’s retail experience laid a solid foundation for his subsequent leadership roles at Microsoft and AWS. At Microsoft, he oversaw the product strategy, design, and roadmap for a secrets management platform, which was critical for safeguarding sensitive data across 58 regions, benefiting over 2000 teams. His initiatives improved customer satisfaction from 2.3 to 4.2 out of 5 and streamlined security processes across the organization.
At AWS, Shivendra continues to lead in a field where technology and retail intersect, focusing on serverless computing capabilities and setting KPIs to ensure excellence in services like AWS Lambda. His journey from enhancing point-of-sale systems in retail to leading complex technical projects at Microsoft and AWS showcases a remarkable evolution from a skilled developer to a visionary tech leader.
“Leading technology projects at giants like Microsoft and AWS taught me the value of innovation intertwined with responsibility. It’s about steering teams towards creating not just powerful solutions but also secure and user-friendly platforms that resonate with millions globally.“
Shivendra Srivastava’s journey, blending technical prowess with insightful leadership, mirrors the evolution of the retail industry itself. His career stands as a testament to the power of technology in transforming not just businesses but the way we interact with the world around us.
