Case Study - SalesLink Mobile Merchandising

In 2008, I T Link released its Merchandising Module to the market.

I T Link's strategy to expand our software was based on a number of trends within Grocery, Pharma, Oil and Convenience channels:

• The need for better access to information throughout the extended supply chain
• Hyper competiveness at the shelf-level in key retail sub-segments
• Compliance to in-store promotional activity
• Pressure on outsourced service providers from their brand principals

To date I T Link has implemented Merchandising to key sites in Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. Users per site vary, with over 200 at our largest customer.

Merchandisers complete a number of key tasks each day. Logging in each morning allows their supervisors and managers to get immediate certainty as to attendance. Journey plans are downloaded for each individual merchandiser and once in an outlet the key tasks for that site are then displayed on screen.

The merchandiser completes varying data collection requirements including stock weight, stock position, pricing, point of sale as well as competitor activity against the same criteria. Tracking product distribution and measuring promotional compliance are the key measures used by all of SalesLink’s merchandising customers.

For the users, calls not made by the planned date are flagged as overdue. In store, all sku’s marked as a ‘compulsory check item’ must be reported on before the merchandiser can move to their next task.

Messaging allows daily updates to be forwarded to users on an as needs basis – a message can be sent to various combinations including merchandisers servicing banner groups, merchandisers servicing geographic areas as well as merchandisers looking after a key brand.

“It works tremendously well for the merchandisers, their employers and their clients” said Danny Kinney from Coalface Marketing a New Zealand reseller of SalesLink Mobile. Coalface Marketing have successfully implemented SalesLink’s merchandising module into five organizations to date. “One of the key pluses has been the ability of the infield merchandiser to use SalesLink easily. These people are a real mix in terms of age, ethnicity and skill level when it comes to using a PDA device. At some of the training sessions you can sense resistance in moving away from a pen and paper. But SalesLink’s design allows a logical flow between screens and the simple tick box design puts the users at ease. The user uptake has been outstanding.”

Management response has been very favourable. SalesLink’s WebConnect allows parties to log in via a web browser and immediately view up to date in-store data. The log ins can be filtered based on each user’s position within an organization so that only relevant data to that user will be displayed. The database has an easy drill down feature such that management can get an instant snapshot of a key brand or a certain geographic territory, or using Google Earth, a drill down to a particular store and when it was last visited.

“A key insight has been the lack of coherency and transparency within the supply chain. Management has relied on scan data and manually sourced spreadsheets that at best were 3 to 4 weeks old” said David Barley a Director of I. T. Link. “Issues such as stock availability and adherence to promotional compliance should be a tick in the box. But a ‘just-in-time’ mentality from distribution centres as well as some retail chains lacking compliance discipline has created a real void in maximizing retail sales for brand owners. Management now has the ability to log in and get up to the second in store data -our software has created a push back effect up the supply chain. Whereas a brand principal was putting heat onto their merchandising contractor for lack of sales, they’re now looking at other touch points and asking the hard questions.”

Summary

The users in the field “get it.” The proliferation of cell phone use has crossed all boundaries. In New Zealand and Australia middle aged merchandisers, often working in remote territories on a part time basis have picked up the functionality really quickly. In Malaysia , entry level workers with limited English speaking skills are smart phone savvy and can complete their required daily checks with competence.

Management is reaping multiple benefits. For one customer their return on investment was achieved quickly – they employed six full time clerical staff to collate the data coming in manually from the field. They have been able to reduce their staff to two and believe that further efficiencies can be gained. Users to date are gaining a competitive advantage – they are achieving improved stocking on shelf, better promotional compliance standards and therefore increased sales as an outcome.

Rod Holmes, Director of Distribution and Logistics at Altman Sales & Distributors said that “SalesLink has allowed us to grow without putting on truckloads of admin staff.”