By Ramotalahi Aderoju, ERS Retail Analyst Intern

My name is Ramotalahi Aderoju, and I am a student at the University of Florida. I happily serve as a Retail Analyst Intern for Enhanced Retail Solutions (ERS) this Spring. My internship experience provides me with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience as a Data Analyst before graduating and transitioning into full-time work. A particularly invaluable aspect of my internship has been the opportunity to receive close mentorship and observe the company’s team in action. An experience rarely afforded in traditional internship programs.

The Fear of AI?

Over the past four years, my academic interests have increasingly gravitated toward the field of Artificial Intelligence. I frequently found myself engaged in discussions with peers about whether AI would eventually “take over” humans, its relevance as a growing trend, and the rise of academic dishonesty through applications like ChatGPT. The latter concern initially made me hesitant to explore AI more deeply. I believed I should acquire enough knowledge to avoid reliance on the rapidly expanding landscape of AI platforms. However, this fear of being perceived as dependent on AI prevented me from fully recognizing its advantages. My perspective was too narrow—until I came to appreciate the profound impact AI has in automating and streamlining processes with remarkable efficiency.

RetailNarrative AI

One of the most impactful AI systems ERS has implemented in its retail and wholesale inventory planning processes is RetailNarrative 3.0. Launched nearly a decade ago, this solution reads, analyzes and interprets a client’s POS data, highlighting actionable opportunities and liabilities. These summaries are presented inside interactive dashboards along with the data needed to act. A standout feature is its ability to generate a “state of the business” along with concise, bulleted recommendations for retail buyers- a task that would typically take hours to compile manually. By doing so, it highlights the necessity and value of ERS Consulting’s services.

Example of summary provided by Retail Narrative. The more data it has, the more useful it can be.

Clients, including large brands that sell many retailers, collect large amounts of data but struggle to synthesize and visualize how these data points correlate with their inventory planning management and overall business health. Thus, RetailNarrative simplifies this process, allowing clients to focus on managing their core operations while enabling ERS to uncover opportunities and liabilities that may otherwise go undetected.

Teamwork

Meeting the ERS team has also provided me with valuable insight into the company’s culture and its approach to workplace flexibility. The team consists of professionals who have collaborated for years, and responsibilities are assigned based on individual expertise and roles. Each team member understands their responsibilities clearly, and their contributions align seamlessly with the company’s broader goals.

Finally, the work I have been involved in has given me valuable insight into the critical role of data analytics in the retail industry. While I previously understood the importance of tracking sales data, I hadn’t fully grasped the complexity of managing vast amounts of transaction data. Without proper analysis, it can be challenging for companies to pinpoint the key products driving their profits or identify underperforming inventory. This further exemplifies the value of ERS’s consulting services. A significant part of its role is inventory management for clients and developing customized visualizations to meet their specific needs. These reports and dashboards transform raw data into actionable insights, conveying the client’s data to provide recommendations for delivering high ROI inventory solutions and help the business make informed decisions.

Through this experience, I’ve practiced enhancing the company’s digital presence through content editing and gained hands-on exposure to how retailers and wholesalers plan their inventory, track sales and react to trends. Overall, this internship has been incredibly insightful, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from the ERS team.