As you know, market conditions in the FMCG sector are changing rapidly, which means the situation requires equally fast – and effective – decision-making on behalf of companies operating within this sector. Following this train of thought, it also means that instant access to reliable data is now a must and that FMCG companies are now in need of tools that ensure a constant flow of high-quality business information. Having access to high-quality and relevant data coming from their business partners and external sources can provide manufacturers with a unique opportunity to develop a sound route-to-market strategy. Of course, access is one thing, but overcoming technological limitations is also a challenge. Therefore, today's manufacturers need advanced yet easy-to-use IT tools that will enable them to process data efficiently and with near-zero effort.
So, if you're a manufacturer, you most probably need something like a modern reporting & communication platform that automatically measures your daily sell-out (the amount of products sold by your distributors to the final points of sale) and provides you with up-to-date inventory data from each branch of any given wholesaler. By eliminating manual, unharmonized reporting, such a platform can help you develop advanced short and long-term strategies and make much better business decisions.
What other benefits can you gain from having such a comprehensive view of the market?
- First, by having easy access to daily and historical sell-out data, you can optimize your demand planning and production.
- Second, you can improve your sales and distribution strategy by making their key KPIs based on sell-out rather than sell-in data.
- Third, by being aware of the current inventory stocks at each branch of a given distributor, you can further optimize your logistics processes.
- Fourth, by avoiding the low stock/over-stock situations, you can optimize your trade spending and run more effective marketing campaigns.
- Fifth, once you have easy access to reliable data, you will be able to significantly improve your business communication – internally and with your partners and clients.
As you can see, there is a lot that comes with using a reporting & communication platform – and all the above is just the tip of the iceberg. The list of benefits actually goes on and on. Thus, the only "problem" is that you need to choose the right platform and IT provider to be able to obtain them.
When choosing a provider, you have to keep in mind that it's not just about how quickly information is collected from business partners. The quality and transparency of data are equally important – just as the services provided by the vendor and its experience in carrying out similar projects.
Thus, for example, you can decide to join forces with a company such as Comarch, a global software house whose Online Distribution platform automatically creates detailed stock and sell-out reports using data collected from distributors' sales systems. Once you partner up with Comarch, all the information, provided in the form of electronic messages, will be mapped, harmonized, and verified by Comarch consultants to produce the best results and help you make better business decisions.
As we already said in the beginning, there are many reporting & communication solutions available on the market. Thus, you need to find the one that meets your company's needs and expectations – after all, it may help you gain a competitive advantage.
Of course, this article is but a short piece on the benefits of automated sales reporting, so you may need more information on the subject before you decide if (and with whom) you want to improve your route to market processes. For that, you can check out a new White Paper based on real business cases that explores a wide range of business areas in which manufacturers usually indicate the need for a change. Click HERE to get your free copy.