Is Technology a Strategic Advantage for Field Marketers?

One of the first new terms we come into contact with, when discussing tech and strategy, is SMACIT and it has nothing to do with hitting an annoying colleague. SMACIT stands for social, mobile, analytics and internet of things, personally we think it’s quite an ingenious acronym. The Harvard Business Review article, Why Nordstrom’s Digital Strategy Works (and Yours Doesn’t), discusses the importance of SMACIT and how important your process/planning is in using these technologies. With the advent of Cloud Computing, many of these technologies are now readily accessible, which means it can be challenging to gain a competitive advantage.

The article goes onto further iterate that “Only a small percentage of companies will gain competitive advantage from SMACIT technologies. Those that do will focus less on the individual technologies and more on how they rally all those technologies, in unison, to fulfil a distinctive purpose

When looking at SMACIT technologies one of the most important things to keep in mind is, for the most part, these technologies are no longer a point of difference.  They are more likely to be enablers in a newer ecosystem of cloud-based technologies. 

In reality, it is more important to first look at your existing advantages and strategies, then to consider how technology can assist in taking you to the next level. The HBR article further iterates, “Develop a strategy for succeeding in a digital economy- a purpose that leverages your unique capabilities and respond to market opportunities. Then grab every technology that takes you there.”    

Trade promotion management has come a long way since the days of juggling Excel spreadsheets. Software products like eLeader provide a wide range of features and functions for managing and monitoring trade promotion campaigns, but it seems organisations are failing to make the most of these - and it's the human factor that's to blame.

Technology doesn’t necessarily solve problems when it comes to trade promotion management. For consumer packaged goods companies, people and processes cannot be discounted in terms of achieving success. Without a plan to address these two areas, purchasing technology will not help you attain either effectiveness or efficiency; regardless of how user friendly and intuitive that user interface appears to be!"

It even went so far as to suggest that the use of a TPM system could be counterproductive, by amplifying inefficiencies: "Keep in mind that, if the people charged with trade spending are currently engaged in inefficient practices, TPM software will allow them to be inefficient a whole lot quicker. And, if your processes are marginal or poor, an application can definitely help you become more efficient at being ineffective."

Organisations that realise that the foundation of success is rooted in people, processes and technology are ultimately the ones that achieve success. ... Silver bullets don’t exist when it comes to TPM applications and, for that matter, with practically anything else associated with process of trade promotion."

ABC Retail Support Services & eLeader

ABC Retail Support Services embodies all the necessary features required to deliver industry 'best sales practise', ABC Retail Support Services sets the standard to allow different industries to consistently focus on, evolve and improve sales processes.

We know that field force management is more than PAYROLL . It’s about improving productivity, streamlining processes, containing costs, assuring compliance, changing behavior, and delivering a clear, measurable return on investment.

To find out more about ABC Retail Support Services mobile sales force management and trade promotions management solution https://www.eleader.biz/en/home & www.abcretailsupport.com