Smooth Operator

Expanding its product lines helped Dick's Sporting Goods grow from a mid-market player to one of the country's premier athletic retailers. But first it had to become more nimble in the ways it managed and tracked its offerings.

In 2003, the national retailer deployed business intelligence software to improve operations by better analzying the way it sold and stored items across its stores. Since then, the company's annual operating margins have bested the average of its top competitors.