Dylan Telford, the Head of Order Operations at Aries Solutions, breaks down the essential strategies for peak retail readiness. Drawing from over 20 years of hands-on experience in retail operations and strategy, Dylan explains why preparing for the holiday rush is a year-round commitment rather than a last-minute scramble.

The conversation explores the critical need for cross-functional ownership and the power of using real-time data to drive decisions. Dylan shares innovative approaches to staffing, such as on-call models and neurodiverse hiring, while highlighting the hidden costs of returns and the dangers of confusing promotional strategies during high-traffic events like Black Friday.

• Why peak preparedness requires a dedicated leader and a continuous, year-round feedback loop.
• The importance of real-time inventory management and testing order routing rules to balance cost with customer expectations.
• Strategic staffing solutions for distribution centers, including dynamic on-call models that increase worker reliability.
• How to manage the "margin-eroding" impact of returns through proactive initiatives and resell opportunities.
• Using KIBO to automate complex routing rules and protect store staff from being overwhelmed by omnichannel fulfillment.
• A cautionary peak season "horror story" about the risks of inconsistent pricing between online and in-store channels.

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