While we have all been fearing e-commerce to gulp down traditional retail, that remains a remote possibility. The reality is quite contrary. Physical retail is here for the long haul and that is evident in Amazon’s recent move to acquire Whole Foods for USD 14 billion, in addition to the brick-and-mortar bookshops Amazon has opened in the US.
The physical channels of retail are here to stay and are bound to grow proportionally. If that is so, why do brands continue to maintain their retailers at an arm’s length, interacting with them through intermediaries, channel partners, and sales reps?
Since retailers are the face of any brand for the customer and the manufacturer or distributor are behind a curtain, we maintain that a lot of avenues for growth are hidden in this multiple-layered communication.
Making the Case for a Distributor Management System Software
What impact could we have on a business if the brand talked directly to their retailers for, say:
● Conveying information about products
● Detailing training and promotion activities
● Laying out discounts and offers
● Accepting orders
● Inviting feedback
● Addressing queries and concerns
...and more, in real-time?
Retailers placed in direct contact with a brand can mean a lot of benefits to businesses and brands.
Let’s explore how you stand to gain with a direct retailer engagement powered by a distributor management system software.
Enabling Direct Retailer Connection with a Mobile App
Manage a wide variety of retailers and establish direct contact with them for improved business efficiency, enhanced visibility, and shorter time to market.
● Ensure availability quickly - Instead of going through multiple layers of communication where the message gets diluted, garner a quick response from retailers about the availability of products, product visibility, and POS merchandising compliances. Accelerate processes with the use of image recognition tech which can detect compliances by analyzing product images.
● Eliminate the need for a field force - Service major retailers in your geography including grocery stores, large supermarkets, and convenience stores, etc., without taking up a lot of hassle. A retailer app developed by a reliable mobile app development company can help you enable direct ordering for your retailers, eliminating the need for a large field force.
● Retailer loyalty - Run retailer specific discounts and offers. Establish and maintain brand presence by running targeted promotional campaigns across all retailers. Enable hierarchical loyalty programs with in-app rewards and redemptions. These programs encourage retailers to prioritize your brand and take efforts to maximize sales.
● Optimize product launches - A majority of new product launches fail when you have to navigate to and fro between retailers, mediators, and sales reps. Optimize product launches with maximized outreach and market your new products across retail stores to increase the chances of product success.
Establishing a direct line of communication with your retailers can improve your efficiency as a brand and give you an opportunity to streamline key processes. Improve collaboration and dramatically improve customer service. This can improve your bottom line and help you slash costs and increase market share.