itim Consulting has launched with a focused offer for retailers that need to improve profitability, reduce unnecessary cost and modernise how they operate.
The business says it can help retailers increase EBITDA by 5% through a three-step strategy covering IT spend, head office efficiency and omni-channel transformation. Its message is direct: many retailers are not suffering only from weak market conditions, but from operating models that are too costly, too complex and no longer fit for the way customers shop.
The first target is IT cost. itim Consulting says retailers should be able to reduce total IT costs to below 1.5% of revenue. Many retailers are currently running at 2% to 3%, which creates a clear opportunity to recover value. Technology is essential, but excessive or poorly structured IT spend can hold back profitability and reduce flexibility.
The second target is head office headcount. itim Consulting is aiming for a 30% reduction through process re-engineering, organisational redesign and AI-driven automation. This is not just about removing cost. It is about changing how work gets done, reducing duplication and using automation where manual processes no longer make commercial sense. A leaner head office can improve decision-making and make the business more responsive.
The third part of the strategy is to deliver an omni-channel and customer-centric transformation. The aim is to increase sales and margins while optimising stock. This matters because retail performance is not improved by cost reduction alone. Retailers also need better stock control, stronger customer execution and channels that work together rather than compete with one another.
itim Consulting says 85% of UK retailers are operating below 5% net profit. Its view is that this is a model problem, not simply a market problem.
itim Group plc (LON:ITIM) is a SaaS-based technology company that enables store-based retailers to optimise their businesses to improve financial performance and effectively compete with online competitors. Itim adds retail value by helping multi-channel retailers optimise their business and their stores to improve financial performance and compete more effectively with the “Amazons”.
