Enterprise Performance Management | Master Data Management | Category Management | RFID | Sales Force Automation
| Unstructured Data | Trade Promotions Management
Enterprise Performance Management
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies can maximize the effectiveness of Supply Chain Performance Management (SCPM) by adopting a metrics framework-based approach. Our experts present a metrics... framework to monetize investments in business intelligence and analytics.
Given the limitations of people, infrastructure and budget, companies must classify and prioritize their business requests, which in turn, require them to implement a formal IT governance process.
... However, to prioritize Business Intelligence (BI) requests along specific criteria, they need a BI governance process. How is a BI governance process defined? Why should it go beyond the basics of approving and prioritizing initiatives?
Implementation of a self-service Business Intelligence platform is a daunting task. Its benefits, however, are substantial and influence the performance of everyone in the organization. Find out how a self-service Business Intelligence... platform can be enabled effectively.
Providing Business Intelligence capabilities to suppliers is imperative to enable C-Commerce across the value chain. However, access to information is not sufficient in itself. The key to a successful C-Commerce... relationship lies in strong Performance Management.
Effective business intelligence (BI) can help companies gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting their business, enabling them to make informed business decisions for the competitive edge. In order to
... achieve this, organizations use BI applications or technologies to analyze information from external and internal sources. This information can help companies get a better understanding of changing trends in the market, customer behavior and spending patterns, empowering managers to make informed business decisions for better results. However, while BI vendors have developed software tools to gather and analyze large quantities of data, it is difficult to obtain the correct business requirements that guide metric definition and analysis. This paper examines why this happens and shows how visual representation of requirements using clickable mock-ups can provide an effective way to overcome the problem.
Master Data Management
A comprehensive approach to ensure accuracy of item data helps realize benefits from global data synchronization. In addition, it provides a springboard for the success of initiatives related to RFID, micro-merchandizing, price optimization and multi-channel and vendor collaboration.
Category Management
Category management in manufacturing is challenged by an explosion of data sources, an increasingly complex retail environment and demanding consumers. While technology enables category management, Infosys' experts believe that
... an effective approach requires people with analytical skills, sound business processes and collaboration between retailers and manufacturers.
Collaboration in category management has become a business requirement. It provides retail and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies the agility to react quickly and effectively to rapid changes in consumer tastes and behavior.
Segmentation, an essential part of the category management process, helps organizations migrate from the one-size-fits-all approach to more targeted solutions.
... It helps drive both strategic plans and operational decisions. However, segmentation is not an end in itself. Very often, segmentation initiatives become the core solution, resulting in poor execution of the initiative.
The age-old question “Who is buying what, when, where and why, and what will they want tomorrow?” will always exist in the retail-distributor-manufacturer chain. The challenge is to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible, and
... as accurately as possible, and about consumers' shopping habits and to effect changes that will influence consumers to buy specific products within specific categories, shaping predictable demand patterns.
RFID
With large retailers adopting Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), there has been a knee-jerk response from Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) manufacturers under pressure to comply.... There is immense value to be derived from RFID through timely sharing of accurate information between trading partners. Value can be realized by understanding the nature of RFID information and sharing and quantifying its impact.
Sales Force Automation
Sales Force Automation (SFA) is a technology-led tool that enables and empowers Direct Store Delivery (DSD) sales teams to make accurate spot decisions. Learn more about the building blocks for a flexible and mature SFA framework.
Unstructured Data
Traditionally, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies have used structured data sources to calibrate brand performance. However, with technology-enabled new media vehicles... over 80% of consumer insights reside in unstructured data sources such as consumer complaints, emails, presentations and more recently, Internet blogs. Leveraging insights trapped in these sources is critical to strengthen brand loyalty and improve market share.
This thought paper discusses the business challenges of the CPG industry and assesses whether current solutions glean consumer insights from amalgamated unstructured data.
Trade Promotions Management
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) organizations must address the challenge of targeting shoppers with relevant promotions to induce them to buy more. Although trade promotions are a significant part of marketing expenditure, most... CPG companies are unable to improve the return on investment of these funds due to various issues. This paper outlines the 3 Is of success - Integration, Insight and Implementation - that will help CPG companies gain by creating win-win trade promotions.
Stockouts are a manifestation of the demand invisibility problems faced by retail and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies. Demand-Driven Supply Network (DDSN) addresses this business issue.... However, to effectively implement DDSN, CPG players must address their retail partners' demands with respect to collaboration and IT synchronization. How can CPG companies meet DDSN-related retailer expectations effectively?