Due to the very nature of consumer goods, the competition in the FMCG market is always cut-throat. If your product is not available in the store, the customer will easily substitute it with an alternate brand. Ensuring product availability and accessibility to customers is, therefore, absolutely essential. Sales resources play a critical role in reaching out to retail stores, refilling stocks, and generating revenues for FMCG companies. A systematic sales and distribution network planning could go a long way in establishing a strong brand presence in the market.
Manual Sales Beat Planning: Although a lot of FMCG players are now automating mundane activities such as daily/weekly sales plans, some players still struggle with manual sales beat planning. Manual sales beat planning leads to inaccuracies in determining the right prime shelf space and the right time for stock replenishment in retail stores. This leads to inefficiency in sales visits to retailers.
Unorganized Distribution Networks: A key element to successful retail distribution is delivery planning and distribution networks and routes effectively. Many FMCG companies plan retail distribution volumes and frequencies just right, but often overlook the importance of planning the most optimal distribution routes. Unorganized network planning causes delays in distribution processes and unnecessary extra miles driven.
Ineffective Utilization of Sales Resources: Optimum utilization of sales resources is one of the most significant challenges FMCG companies face. The lack of proper sales beat plans and assigning duties to sales reps without considering factors such as local knowledge, historical information, language preferences, and preferred areas and hours of operation impacts sales performance and leads to underutilized potential of sales reps.
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India’s leading FMCG conglomerate dealing in over 20 product categories was facing similar challenges in their distribution supply chain and partnered with Locus to improve sales serviceability and utilize their on-ground resources better. Locus solutions were deployed in the FMCG player’s supply chain to bring more order in sales and distribution planning and simplify resource allocation and management.
Locus provided a comprehensive suite of solutions that helped them achieve better sales performance, manage sales efficiently, and automate periodic sales beat planning.
With the help of a proprietary analytics engine and keeping historical data into account, Locus provided insights such as Median Transaction Time and Median Revenue at each store to plan beats smarter. Locus’ geocoding capabilities further help logistics managers in planning distribution network routes automatically with greater accuracy.
Locus also provided a salesman scoring and reporting platform based on old sales beats, historical data such as experience, total revenue generated, an assortment of goods sold, and familiarity with retail stores for distribution. This allows the company to assign sales duties to the right staff in the right regions.
Locus FieldIQ: Locus’ smart permanent journey planner for optimal sales beat planning and higher sales productivity
Analytics & Insights: Historical data consideration and predictive analytics to improve logistics planning and resource utilization
Network Optimization: Tailor-made Network Optimization solutions for supply chain enterprises on the basis of flow, inventory, and location, and model.
Permanent Journey Plan: Smart and efficient permanent journey planner that takes into account business rules such as type, category, and classification of retail outlets.
Dynamic Distribution: On-demand retail distribution and secondary-mile fulfillment with due consideration of traffic hours, road constraints, and factors like retail outlet timings.
Smart Geocoder: Locus’ proprietary geocoding engine that can convert the fuzziest of the addresses into precise geographical coordinates
FMCG/CPG
Route Optimization and dispatch process automation, respecting real-life constraints to bring in efficiency, transparency, and consistency in fulfillment operations
Network Optimization and omnichannel distribution support including same-day doorstep deliveries to the customers
Real-time fleet tracking solutions with predictive alerts for logistics managers and customers
It enables in controlling business constraints around SKU bifurcation, outlet timings, regulatory constraints, etc. for the dynamic dispatch planning.
Intelligent sorting of shipments and optimal fleet mix to choose (one-time & daily dynamic) for efficient retail fulfillment
Intelligent ranking of salesmen on skills, experience, familiarity, and preference for a locality or region
Automated sales beat plans to ensure less on-road time and more in-store time spent by sales representatives to increase sales
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY
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