Cisco Blogs  Cisco Blog > Enterprise Networks  How can a retail
store manager make business decisions driven by IT?  During the
2008 year-end post Christmas shutdown, as we checked out the
Great Mall of the Bay Area, I wasn’t really expecting a lot of
shoppers given the state of the economy. I was pleasantly
surprised and a bit annoyed at finding the parking lots full,
and having to circle the mall quite a few times before I could
finally park, complimenting my quicker set of reflexes as
another middle-aged man was trying to get the same spot from the
opposite direction. Walking in, I saw that most of the shops did
have fairly lengthy lines, especially those that were offering
huge discounts. On closer look, some of these long lines were at
the returns counters, where customers were either exchanging
gifts they’d received for the holiday season, or in some cases,
returning them back. Whether the lines are for purchasing
products, or for returning them, the efficiency with which the
store is able to service th