Retail Execution with VisitBasis

Retail audit apps have revolutionized the way audits and inspections are performed at the point-of-sale. First of all, retail audit apps have eliminated the huge amount of paperwork that had to be transcribed, scanned, etc. Also, decision-making concerning issues that arise during audits on the part of brand and category managers, merchandisers, sales managers, among others, now has come down to sometimes a matter of minutes (if not, seconds) instead of the days it used to take for the information to flow from the field to the appropriate office. But when deciding on which retail audit app to choose for your business, what should you worry about? Here is a shortlist: Ease of set-up and use , ideally independent from IT departments and contractors. Ability to customize mobile forms to your business needs so you can get the exact information you need from your retail audits and inspections. Scalability of the retail audit app pla...

Visual merchandising is a well-know way to maximize marketing budgets for product manufacturers and retail businesses alike, since improving the visual display of products and services translates into a "silent-selling" technique. However, merchandising managers and directors often face issues with implementing their plans and displays , mostly because they need to rely on local employees - or even outsourced reps - to follow their instructions and those are, most of the times, thousands of miles away - sometimes with little or no supervision. Visual merchandising software can be an invaluable tool when it comes to effectively implementing merchandising plans. The dissemination of mobile and cloud technologies mean that visual merchandising software can be the "eyes" of merchandising designers and planners in the field, increasing compliance rates. Benefits of visual merchandising software include the abili...

It is no secret that retail-related businesses capture massive amounts of information through field reps using mobile data collection software. Mobile data collection software can help keep track of product and category availability, pricing, location, presentation, perception, and competition, among others. Therefore it is no surprise that this information is invaluable when it comes to planning and creating future marketing campaigns, and is proven to be decisive on a make-or-break scenario in an industry that deals with the slimmest of margins. Recent developments in mobile data collection software, moreover, have brought retail mobile data collection to a new, higher level, where all information is interconnected and automatically accessible. It is now possible for a category manager in, let's say, Cleveland, to know immediately that an out-of-stock of one of his/her products has been detected by a field rep in Paris, France....

Retail audit software has revolutionized the way retail audits are performed. Instead of having to deal with mounds of data to be input and analyzed, now retail operations can easily access and interpret the information coming from points-of-sale, with little concern over issues such as clerical errors and fraudulent check-ins. Choosing a retail audit software , though, can prove to be more complicated than expected, due mostly to the many options available on the market these days. To help with choosing a retail audit software, operations should take into consideration the following points: Budget Most retail audit software solutions on the market charge on a cost/user/month basis, but some charge an additional cost/location that can snowball and easily blow up any project budget. Size of retail operation Ideally, a retail audit software should be scalable and able to adjust to retail operations big and small, w...

Field sales management can become quite a daunting challenge: In addition to managing people, there is the complicating factor that the sales reps are scattered over a sometimes vast territory, and some do not even come to the sales office regularly. But technology has been making the life of field sales managers a lot easier these days, with f ield sales management software being the ideal solution for this chaotic scenario. By adopting a field sales management software solution , management is able to "be in the field" with the reps, not only allowing for a mere aggregation of data but also providing an opportunity for better communication and mentoring. VisitBasis field sales management software solution consists of a mobile app, which sales reps use to place in-store orders and returns; and a browser-based management interface, where field sales managers monitor field team activities in real time. VisitBasis ...

Field merchandising software can be an invaluable tool in unleashing brand growth and therefore increasing market share in consumer product goods (CPG). Through systematic retail audits done with the aid of field merchandising software, brand managers can have easy access to the specific aspects of their merchandising strategy and correct any deviations from a successful course of action. Therefore, it is paramount that field merchandising software come with the ability to customize input forms, so field reps can quickly enter data on important retail parameters, such as the following: Stock availability - No stock means no sale.  An out-of-stock also brings the risk of losing a customer and, with it, market share. Price - Another important factor on market share. If a product is priced out of the range of its competitors, it might send a wrong message (Cheaply made? Too expensive?). Field merchandising software allows brand owner...