Sales Force Automation

4 Reasons FMCG Companies Need SFA (Sales Force Automation)

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In any business, customer service is an absolute must. Moreover, the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) business goes directly to individual targets. Service determines satisfaction and ultimately satisfaction fosters trust. How to build all that? The answer is an integrated strategy from production to sales, including how to handle and manage salespeople who deal with large, small, and other retailers on a daily basis. In the world of distribution known as Sales Force Automation (SFA) which is a system that automates and integrates all sales activities through a single software. PT Prathesis as one of the experienced distribution application developers supports the performance of the sales team through the development of Sales Force Automation (SFA) for sales targets. SFA will simplify the process of automating business functions such as sales processes, tracking customer interactions, and analyzing sales forecasts and performance to increase revenue and customer service.

In general, SFA contains three components, namely:

  • Contact management: Update contact list, share, make appointments, track tasks, manage time to create to-do lists.
  • Pipeline Management: Store all information about the sales cycle such as managing leads, forecasting sales, estimating potential to identifying prospects.
  • Sales Management: Associated with sales management reporting to an integrated system.

There are several things that make your FMCG company need an SFA, namely:

  1. Sales Team Becomes More Focused

By using SFA, the sales team will focus more on sales targets. In the field, they are not just selling products and providing services to customers. Furthermore, the sales team has already occupied a position above that, namely as a consultant for the product he brought. They are likened to the “face of the company” who understand their products more than retailers and consumers. With SFA, a lot of work is simplified, reports are real-time so it’s easier for the center to monitor the work of the sales team.

  1. SFA Helps Increase Sales

SFA makes all salesman activities more measurable. A more professional sales teamwork system will improve performance and ultimately increase productivity.

  1. More Efficient Sales Process

In systems that are still manual, more than half of the time and personnel of the sales team is spent on non-sales or administrative tasks. If this automation is not built, service to customers will be hampered which can affect sales. The use of SFA software will make the sales team more focused on their core task of increasing sales. The proportion of administrative work is reduced so the team can help think about what other strategies should be developed.

  1. Simplify Workflow

The use of SFA software will cut the sales team workflow process. The workflow becomes easier, so it is more focused. All teams will be able to work more effectively and efficiently. In the end, FMCG companies can go fast.

SFA software is absolutely necessary for FMCG companies. The use of this software is very helpful for the operations of the sales team. So, to improve your company’s performance, it’s time to use SFA software.

Route OptimizationPhoto by Craig Adderley from Pexels

Route Optimization, An Essential Strategy In FMCG Product Distribution.

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Route optimization is one of the essential strategies in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). If the route optimization happened to be performing correctly, it can raise the sales more optimal.

It has become a common thing if each FMCG company is looking for strategies toward decreasing Salesperson operational expenses. Nonetheless, the companies are still required to develop face-to-face intensity with the store owner or whoever is in charge. A sufficient number of communication intensity befitting one affecting indicator for leveraging store morale as a final distributor to selling principal commodities.

Unfortunately, there’s plenty of principal and distributor that hasn’t been yet discovered the efficient route run by the Salesperson. Even though if the distances, time, and other measure variants get optimized, the Salesperson can reach the store target according to the visit order as planned.

Within this digitalization era nowadays, route optimization is one of the apparatuses for business owners and distributors to increase their business growth. By optimizing the route, perks attained for business were :
● Ease to locate the most efficient dan cost-saving route for the Salesperson
● Lessen the time allocated for mapping any Salesperson route.
● Ensure Salesperson visits each store according to the visit order, within the most efficient time, utilizing the least cost spent.

Despite the aforementioned optimization route process looking simple, the fact is numerous methods and strategies are involved in the way. Several distributors tried to optimize the route manually. But it’s not yet maximal, because it depends on efficiency, scalability, accuracy, and Salesperson productivity.

 

Mapping Coverage Illustration

FMCG Companies Must Optimize Sales Coverage, Here’s Why!

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Sales coverage or Area Coverage is basically the most important part of Territory Management on FMCG which is applied with a mix of the marketing mix (Product, Place, Price & Promotion). With the existing coverage area, FMCG company salespersons must be able to increase effective calls (outlets visited and make transactions) to ensure product distribution (availability and visibility), education, promotion, and price stability.

Sales coverage is the area coverage grouped based on certain criteria such as location, store name, and store type. With this grouping, all shops will be visited regularly by salesperson FMCG company according to a predetermined schedule.

It is undeniable that sales coverage is one of the keys to smooth business at an FMCG company. Therefore, FMCG companies should design a strategy so that sales coverage impacts on company revenue What are the reasons? Here it is!

All shops are well monitored

With the implementation of sales coverage, salespersons can schedule periodic and measurable store visits. The more regularly the salesperson visits the customer, in this case, the store owner, the more neat and orderly the store will be in managing our products in the store.

Salesperson, It also functions as an intermediary, between the company and the shop owner. Regular visits will make communication between the two better, including discussing the obstacles that may be faced. This means that companies can provide solutions and meet customer needs, better.

If these stores are properly monitored, the company can map out which stores have high incomes and which stores have not maximized their income. So, companies can also help overcome the challenges they face which in turn helps increase sales.

Target and sales increase

One way to optimize sales coverage is to improve salesperson performance. Set determining indicators, for example, the minimum number of visits made in one day, the routine of visits, and the target of visits that must be carried out during a certain period. The salesperson must also be able to estimate the distance and travel time when visiting the customer’s premises, as well as adding new customers within the same area. With sales coverage, salespersons can also learn about the character of consumers in their area. This is very helpful in the decision-making process for which items will be sold more or which items are not too in demand so that sales optimization can be realized.

Budget more planned

If the salesperson’s performance is regular and clear, the company can manage the distribution budget more neatly. Companies can streamline the budget needed for salesperson visits to various customer stores. All budgets will be recorded based on salesperson routines. So, no more cost overruns for unnecessary things.

Improve customer service

Optimizing sales coverage by maximizing the work of the salesperson, also means improving service to these customers. With a salesperson who regularly monitors partner stores with a fixed schedule of visits, it means that the store can predict the amount of product inventory to sell. Customers will also find it easier to calculate product needs, make sales predictions, and do things that can increase sales. In the end, FMCG companies also helped in increasing revenue.

Products are easy to find.

Sales coverage well laid out, it will also make it easier for consumers to get company products. By using demographic data of the population in its “coverage area”, salespersons can manage product availability in each area. The amount may not be the same at every store or at every point, where each can be decided based on the number of items sold in each store. The salesperson can also focus sales to areas with high demand for goods so that turnover also grows. Meanwhile, areas with suboptimal demand can be considered for the next sales strategy.

Those are some of the reasons FMCG companies must optimize sales coverage. In the end, the income of shops and retailers will be followed by an increase in the income of the principal company.