BLOG

What companies expect of their field teams (and their retail execution technology) is quickly maturing. With more competition and fewer resources, companies are deciding that it’s no longer enough for field reps to just complete transactional activities in store. The focus is shifting fast on arming the field force with the tools to effectively sell more in the store.

Leading analyst firms like Gartner are recommending companies seek out sales force automation systems with sell more capabilities, especially those that can scale globally.

And let’s not forget the users themselves – global CG enterprises down to the small local CG businesses – are choosing what they buy, based on this same criteria. It makes commercial sense for them and helps their organizations stand out in the crowded CG marketplace.

Sales teams are more ‘valuable’ when they are driving maximum sales for the company and more margin for the retailer. In order to do this though, they must be able to “sell more” while in the store.

What to look for when equipping your retail field force
Here are some recommendations from a recent Gartner.

Here is a list from Gartner’s Market Guide for Retail Execution and Monitoring Solutions for the Consumer Goods Industry of recommended sell more capabilities that can give you sales growth and a return on your investment:

1. Start with guided selling. This integrates information like point-of-sale (POS) data, with current in-store
shelf condition, promotional and marketing information allowing your reps to give a customized presentation
to any store manager. They can showcase valuable information that could include:

a. Relative sales of products across other local stores in the chain,

b. Projected uplift in sales and margins (using built in interactive promotional calculators),

c. Sell more and up sell opportunities. Show high-performing displays and planograms, as well as
present substitution scenarios using POS data to demonstrate potential revenue lift from switching
out a competitor product for your own.

2. In-flight analytics (KPI’s). When your reps are able to see what effect their actions are having on their
performance and goals, they are motivated to achieve more and take immediate steps to improve results.

3. Retail activity optimization (RAO). It is essential that your reps know the most important things to do in
the store – the ones that will give the greatest return – and with simplified processes and automated routine
tasks they should be able to do them faster and more efficiently, achieving more within each store visit.

What’s next? Look for selling solutions that are mobile, global and endorsed by the analysts and voted best in class by the users. Look beyond a sales force only fulfilling your transactional requirements to one that is always selling more of your FMCG products each and every day.

_____________________________________________________________________

StayinFront has been recognized by Gartner as one of the most highly-configurable mobile retail execution and selling solutions to deploy globally. Our 20 years of experience in developing an industry-specific sales force automation solution and ensuring your sales teams are able to do more, know more and, most importantly, sell more.

Learn More About StayinFront Consumer Goods Solutions