Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies in need of onsite mobile retail execution technology is one of the fastest growing customer segments for the Pitcher platform. Why? Well, global CPG companies need to empower field reps to perform a variety of tasks in-store that ensure promotions are executed, inventory is displayed correctly, orders are taken and merchandising audits completed. All of these processes are configured and codified based on the unique needs of the organization and the rep’s process to give the field team everything they need at their fingertips, in real-time, regardless of connectivity.
We recently attended the Path 2 Purchase Expo in Chicago from September 20 through 22, along with 3,500 marketing, brand manufacturing, and retail professionals, to observe the trends and see where and how we could add product features to best help our CPG friends get the most out of their field teams. Extra bonus: we were recognized by Shopper Marketing Magazine for the Editors’ Choice Award!
While in “the field,” so to speak, with those in the know, we observed four key ways that implementing best-in-class mobile retail execution can improve productivity that validated our understanding and approach to the market:
1. Real-time Access and Tasks for In-store Audits and Compliance
Checking product placements, promotional execution, inventory placement and more is essential to ensuring your retail partners’ shelves are stocked with inventory and in the optimal way to make your brand fly off the shelves. Your field team of merchandisers needs to be able to access what was agreed and ensure it is in place. With access to integrated data capture, photography, and historical data on the account, all available on any mobile device, regardless of connectivity, organizations can increase compliance and fix any issues on-site.
2. Detailed Analytics Provide Tangible, Actionable Insight
Since your field reps make updates in real-time, managers and marketers that support the field team can get up-to-the-minute reporting and analytics on the status of inventory, merchandising activities, revenue projections and more. Pitcher allows you to take control of your field operations so you can analyze productivity and profitability to see what steps can be made to improve any and all processes.
3. Retail Planograms for Improved Merchandising
Planograms are essentially visual diagrams that provide detail about where every product in a retail store should be placed. They can take traditional audits a step further in helping to research what really drives sales most and offers substantial insights to retailers. Product placement and improved sales are just two reasons a retailer should be implementing planograms in their stores. They provide many other benefits including better related product positioning, tighter inventory control, reduction of out-of-stocks and much more. Pitcher chooses the correct planogram for field reps making comparison a one-second task.
4. Customized Content and Tangible ROI for One-on-One Meetings
Pitcher offers field teams the ability to make slide presentations and embed dynamic content based on the audit being conducted at that minute. The use of rich graphics, personalized information, and even mathematical calculations that show lost profit, potentials and more to a store manager translates to engaging and productive one-on-one meetings that build relationships and ensure ongoing commitment.
Brand managers and sales leads know that field reps need the right content and tasks in order to do the right job at each store they visit. Mobile retail execution solutions are the optimal way to help them do the job efficiently – and help you see what is going on in real time.
Download the Aragon Research Report to find out why Pitcher is leading the way in mobile sales and marketing technology.