Digital in FMCG Route to Market is Much More than an Online Ordering Platform
Ross Marié
Supplies ?????????????????? ?????????????? Promotional Products ● Drives Brand Awareness ● RtM Strategy, Sales & Distribution Expert ● 25 yrs+ Global Success ● For BAT, Diageo, Danone, Spectrum Brands, Glanbia, Heineken+
This is such an important issue, and over the last number of weeks, I have been asked about it frequently.
Digital and online ordering has played a key role in many markets for some time in RtM strategy and execution. In many cases its applicability to RtM strategy depended on the overall penetration of online ordering in the marketplace.
With COVID we are seeing a big shift to online globally and a huge increase in the application and acceleration of Digital in many sectors.
With RtM, it is important to note that Digital is much more than an online ordering platform.
As part of the 20 Steps to Route to Market Excellence, at Enchange we use the 4D Approach to RtM Strategy – Distribution, Display, Dialogue and Digital.
Online ordering is a channel of distribution, that has certain characteristics and needs to be understood and managed. An online offer in RtM is part of a Digital RtM approach and strategy. However, Digital in RtM requires integration across every step and element of your RtM strategy and execution.
As such you need to consider end-to-end digital RtM integration, including, for example:
- Impact on other channels throughout the RtM
- Points of digital integration in the RtM and who gets effected
- Field force, steps of the call, vehicle tracking, dynamic route optimisation, including the use of CRMs and handheld devices
- Financial implications, including digital cost to serve models vs traditional
- Digital integration between customer facing and back office staff, including telesales
- Integration, management, and analysis of data, RtM Analytics, including customer data integration
- Specific tools we currently use and will possibly need in the future
- Digital tool kits, including customised and targeted promotions, communications, upselling, suggested ordering, pricing, brand positioning, surveys, push messaging, customer and consumer engagement, etc.
- In store activities including, for example, digital image recognition and computing for self-auditing in-store merchandise, planograms and key account agreements
- Digital payment methods and impact on cash markets and channels
- Digital outlet classification, methods, consequences and what it means
- Digital RtM training, eLearning and eCoaching
- B2B vs B2C, and dual options, and understanding what they both mean
- Supply chain, manufacturing, logistics, the digital integration within the supply chain, including inventory, demand planning, forecasting, SKU’s, pack formats, prioritised orders, delivery routes, etc.
- Levels of customer interaction with any eCommerce platform
- Competition, including potentially with your current customers, including distributors, and its impact
- Organisation wide understanding and buy in
Digital has and will continue to play a key role in RtM strategy and execution. However, we need to consider and understand its impact and applicability at every level of the RtM.
It is not just online ordering.
Now is the time to be doing this analysis and understanding. The 2021 winners in your market are doing this now. If you need help, please reach out to me directly.
Sales Manager South Africa and Africa TELTONIKA
3 年Love learning from your posts! From a CRM perspective, I would seek ways to make the on line process less 'cold', so a system that has close human interaction experience.
Supply Chain & Route to Market Expert
4 年Ross examined Total Cost to Serve (TCTS) in a recent blog. As I mentioned in a previous comment and post, TCTS at its most effective delivers powerful insights that can have profound impact on company costs, margins and performance. I like the way that you have brought this to life with a great case study. Thank you Ross.
Enterprise Software Sales Management
4 年Good efforts to share fruitful thoughts. Appreciate
Strategic and Result-driven Commercial Manager
4 年Nice article you've put up here Ross Marié . I'm happy I read it!!!
BSc. Honours at University Zimbabwe
4 年Hi Ross, Spot on and clearly laid out. However, if the traditional RtM elements are not in place digital RtM can and may become a nightmare. End-2-End digital RtM sits on an updated and Automated Customer data base - This acts as the Substrate, and requires both hardware and software elements that have capacity and flexibility to incorporate routing, tracking etc. These require capital and in Africa, budgets usually limit the extend of uptake and implementation. Ross I like your approach in that it goes all the way to digitalise the field force activities of Customer dialogue and what the displays of In-store Success will look like for either self auditing or auditing by third parties... That is indeed End-to-end digital integration. Once again, Ross, well done.