El Corte Inglés signs Accenture for an adjustment plan

What: El Cortes Inglés has entrusted Accenture with a strategic plan to reduce structural costs with the aim of improving efficiency and margins and automating tasks in the areas of logistics and customer service.

Why it is important: With the new plan, the group of department stores, which expects to register "robust" sales at Christmas, aims to reduce costs and avoid transferring higher prices to the end customer. Between Black Friday and the Christmas campaign, the company gambles 50% of its operating profit.

The plan includes robotizing certain tasks carried out by people, specifically in the areas of logistics and customer service, does not contemplate cutting the workforce, although it does include the closure of some unprofitable centres and the restructure of its territorial zones, eliminating one of the two areas into which the Community of Madrid was divided, and which generates 35% of all business.

Accenture has already been working on this line for a few months with general directors of the company since last March, although in recent weeks the plan has accelerated due to price increases and the increase in prices. interest rates, which has particularly affected El Corte Inglés since it finances close to 40% of its sales on credit.