Page 34 - HW February 2020

sales agents
MORE AND MORE DATA INTEGRATION
How are these operations coping with the retailers’ and merchants’ increasing pace and adoption of technology as they search for better ways to do better business?
Derek van der Vossen for one highlights greater integration of data between supplier and merchant as often being beneficial: “Bunnings has changed its system, for example, so that we can see a lot more data around sales and stock on hand so, when we’re making a purchasing decision, it’s based on a lot more data. That relies on the accuracy of the stock on hand but the processes themselves are very robust.”
Storelink’s Tony Puppyn agrees that integration of data is becoming a very powerful tool and can be a key advantage: “Our CRM systems can now be integrated with a lot of different data sources, through data providers like Nielsen or through a retailer. Putting the systems together becomes very powerful for the retailer, the client and for us as the agent.”
On the merchandising side, Angie Samuel says technology allows Storelink to gather a lot of valuable commercial data in
a call, enabling much more than task management. And she is quick to encourage the hardware channel to look at information sharing wherever possible without adding costs to suppliers and manufacturers.
“In the past year we’ve invested heavily improving the app and the front end [of our CRM system]. Today we use that tech for geocoding but also taking photos and making sure we can do our compliance tasks as well.
“While in the store, the merchandisers are able to do not only shelf replenishment but also look at what the competitor is doing, check price ticketing is up, promotional activities are in line with expectations, check any out-of-stocks and what action has been taken.”
Tony Puppyn explains that, in simplistic terms, CRM systems are about pushing real-time data to and from the field to shape activity: “One of the tools we’re working on right now is the ability to collect data around promotional compliance and
push that back to our partners, saying ‘you paid for this type of activity, this is the compliance that you got versus what you
were promised’. As these things become important in our clients’ world, we start developing these tools.”
But, as tech quickly evolves, there can be unexpected costs for sales agents in keeping up with in-store systems, as Tim McKibbin over at Strikeforce acknowledges: “We generally try to have a rolling update of our tools and maintain as modern a ‘fleet’ as we can. But what we’re seeing as we get more and more tasks shifted over to us is increasing pressure to provide and maintain a certain level of device that’s compatible with retailer systems and some of those devices are quite pricey.”
Tim is also very mindful of the integrity of data going into the Strikeforce system and its ongoing maintenance: “There’s more of an expectation that the data going in there is robust. We find we’re doing more and more on the compliance side of things
so the system can operate effectively. In large format stores, it’s crucial to get that info in there as accurately as possible.”
In terms of striking up new relationships, Tim McKibbin says the sooner a manufacturer or supplier engages with a sales agent, the better, so that they’ve got the clearest understanding of financials.
“We get a lot of enquiries from people who come to us after the fact when they realise the cost to them is going to be higher than what they thought as they hadn’t factored in third-party support.
“Once your products are ranged, it can be a rude shock to realise that the requirement for support can very quickly mean going from making whatever margin to a lot less.”
ONBOARDING NEW BUSINESS
Tony Puppyn reveals Storelink’s latest client in the hardware space is TCI NZ, an Auckland plastics manufacturer known for making plastic tables, chairs, storage bins and soon kitchenware. TCI also has plans for the grocery channel.
“Onboarding a new client is a matter of adapting to each other,” he explains. “It’s a collaborative approach with the retailer in mind. We picked up TCI’s sales business late in 2019 and have been planning a venture into hardware in early 2020.”
The launch is now imminent. “We’ve spent two to three
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32 NZHJ | FEBRUARY 2020
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