AI and Data at JCPenney: CIO Sharms Bala on Customer-Centric Innovation and Retail Transformation

December 12, 2024

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About the Guest

Sharmeelee Bala

Chief Information Officer and Head of Product Management at JCPenney

Sharmeelee Bala is the Chief Information Officer and Head of Product Management at JCPenney. With nearly three years in this role, she oversees the company's technology operations, including security, e-commerce, and product management, while driving its digital transformation. Previously, she held leadership roles at Walmart and Gap, bringing extensive experience in retail technology innovation. Passionate about enhancing customer experiences, Sharmeelee combines data-driven decision-making with cutting-edge technology to create value for both the business and its customers.

Episode Overview

932: Customer loyalty is a key metric for success in retail, prompting companies to leverage AI to optimize customer engagement. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Sharmeelee Bala, Chief Information Officer and Head of Product Management at JCPenney, to explore how she is enhancing customer engagement and the transformative role AI plays in this process.

Highlights include:

Customer-Centric Innovation: Sharmeelee discusses how JCPenney creates seamless experiences tailored to customer preferences.
AI and Data Strategy: She explains the role of clean, consolidated data in improving decision-making and how AI augments both employee productivity and customer insights.
Next-Gen POS Systems: Learn about JCPenney’s mobile-first POS systems pilot, designed to enhance in-store shopping experiences.
Loyalty Program Relaunch: The revamped rewards program strengthens customer engagement with benefits like “Cash Passes.”
Retail from the Customer Perspective: Sharmeelee shares how her personal experience as a customer informs her leadership in retail innovation.

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