In this series, we sit down with members of the GK Software team to learn more about their experience with the company.
Tell us a little about your career journey. How did you end up at GK Software?
I started my career right out of school, having graduated with a degree in electronics engineering. My first job after college was with a company called ICL Retail Systems, a UK-based company that introduced a revolutionary new POS solution, later acquired by Fujitsu. I spent the first couple of years implementing the solution in the field across Canada, visiting stores and speaking to store associates and managers.
After my time there I joined a company called Triversity. I traveled the world working with retailers and partners that included IBM and SAP to sell that solution and was quite successful. SAP then acquired Triversity and the POS solution became a part of the SAP portfolio.
I rejoined Fujitsu after seven years with SAP/Triversity and eventually became the director responsible for retail sales across Canada, working closely with Fujitsu hardware and software teams as well as their consulting organization.
In 2015, GK Software established a solution extension partner relationship with SAP and opened a North America office. I had a chance to look at the solutions that GK Software was providing to the industry and it was clear to me that it had superior technology to address the evolving need for omnichannel and frictionless customer engagement solutions. Furthermore, many of my previous colleagues worked for GK Software as well as SAP. The chance to help GK Software grow its presence in the Americas was very appealing to me. In 2016, I joined GK Software as a sales director and it felt like coming home again. Since then, the entire GK family has worked to establish GK Software USA as a leader in the industry.
What is your favorite part of working for GK?
My favorite parts of working for GK Software are the people and the solutions. The level of knowledge that exists at GK Software is staggering. This, combined with the passion of the employees to provide retailers with the highest quality solutions, make working here a pleasure.
Is there an implementation, tech advancement, or collaboration effort that you're most proud of during your time at GK?
I was recently involved in a sale to a large multi-national company with retail operations in the US. The company was very successful, however, the technology that was used in the retail locations was not meeting the demands of its client base, associates or the new realities around omnichannel retail. The SAP Omnichannel Point of Sale by GK solution allowed the company to meet its current demands as well as future requirements. It also provided the ability to completely leverage the investments it had made in SAP and e-commerce. The solution is in pilot, and the feedback has been tremendous - the store associates have commented on the speed and ease of use of the solution.
What do you think makes GK's offerings unique?
GK Software has a unique offering in that it is based on a very modern micro-service architecture, and although the solution is very modern it is also proven in the real world with many deployments globally. This has been recognized by leading analyst firms, including Gartner and IHL and Forrester. The GK architecture provides an unprecedented level of flexibility while simplifying the deployment and management of the solution. The other benefit is process orchestration which allows a retailer to leverage services that exist in other solutions and provide a seamless experience to customers and associates, regardless of channel.
The laser focus on innovation is another unique aspect of GK. We have one micro-services-based solution for self-service, BYOD self-service, mobile POS, self-scanning, fuel and hospitality. We are also investing heavily in AI via the GK Software AIR (Artificial Intelligence for Retail) solution, allowing personalization and dynamic pricing among other benefits. Innovation in payments and the ability to leverage retailer investments in payment terminals to provide enhanced consumer services is also unique to GK Software.
Lastly, what do you like to do in your free time?
My number one focus is my wonderful family. My fantastic wife and three children are very active and we love to explore nature and travel extensively. Personally, I love to mountain bike, kayak, and play hockey and volleyball. I also enjoy hobbies like home renovation and photography.
