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P&G Uses Downstream Data to Boost On-Shelf Availability

6/20/2012
Focusing on store-level data for large retailers enables consumer goods (CG) companies to maintain a competitive foothold on the foundational capabilities needed to win in modern retail. One such CG giant that is leveraging downstream data to build more effective retailer partnerships is the Procter & Gamble Company (P&G).

On June 19, 2012, during a CGT web event, Michelle M. Tower, associate director, Global Store & Shopper Based Solutions, Global Business Services for P&G, revealed how the company is leveraging downstream data to:

•Focus on out-of-stock scenarios through better detection techniques and address these incidents with alerts;
•Identify trends within out of stocks and fix the problem at the root with the retailer; and
•Measure on-shelf availability with a ~2 percent improvement from better execution in store.

The following are some more highlights from the web event:

-- As a member of P&G’s Retailer Connect Program, part of the Global Business Services Business Unit pillar, Michelle Tower discussed how on-shelf availability is a well-known industry issue for both retailers and manufacturers. “Ensuring we have the right product on the shelf at the right times is becoming a greater challenge to manage in a world of more events and complex supply chains,” she said. Tower shared how P&G is working with its retail partners to help improve one of those capabilities — the shelf replenishment process — by using POS data to identify out of stock/zero sales incidents and then act in store to fix those opportunities and drive sales. Tower closed by exploring a couple of case studies in which P&G has leveraged downstream data to drive better execution in store and grow its business.

--Jon Golovin, chairman and CEO at Retail Solutions, Inc., was also on hand to share his perspective on the future of downstream data and how it can support better and faster decision-making across the entire organization. “What we have seen over time is that the downstream data market has matured,” said Golovin. He also shared how the leaders have moved from tactical “team-centric” practices to strategic utilization. For example, some manufacturers are proactively bringing insights and new capabilities to retailers to become a strategic partner. Strategic utilization requires “an enterprise solution for retailer interaction, a complete solution versus software only, and treatment as a strategic program,” said Golovin. He closed by predicting the future of downstream data and the key questions companies should ask when choosing a solution.

Click here to listen to a recording of the event.

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