6 Building Blocks to General Trade Development
Feb 2003
General Trade Academy--Asia
What is General Trade? To define GT, we need to define Modern
Trade….
MT are self-service stores which primarily sell to
direct consumers on retail
Usually, with at least 3 check-out counters Includes Supermarkets, Hypermarts and Big Groceries
General Trade Academy--Asia
Any point of purchase that does not fall under this definition is part of General Trade!
General Trade Academy--Asia
What is General Trade? General Trade includes... Mom and pop stores, drug stores, wholesalers, street stalls, kiosks, cigarette stands, cash and carry stores, hawkers, ambulant vendors, public markets Stores in big numbers and wide reach
General Trade Academy--Asia
General Trade Academy--Asia
Reasons for buying in MT stores Self-service Wider variety/More choices Cheaper than traditional stores Located in business districts Presence of other stores another forms of
entertainment Comfort Image Special promotions
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Reasons for buying in GT stores Near homes, convenient Well acquainted with shop owner Buys on credit Small item / amount of purchase break-cases or individual units Emergency purchases Impulse purchase
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Who shops in GT stores? People who want convenience People who buy very frequently People with shoe-string budgets People who need individual units or small packs People in places where there are no MT stores People who buy impulse products People who need emergency items THEREFORE…for certain shopping occasions,
Everybody still buys from General Trade!
General Trade Academy--Asia
6 Building Blocks of GT Development Training towards Field Execution
Outlet Leadership
Extensive, Effective Coverage Reach
Supportive Sales Systems and Structures
Mutually Beneficial Distribution Partnership
Consumer and Customer Understanding
Consumer, Shopper and Customer Understanding Consumer Understanding translated to relevant products and
promotions Who are the consumers who shop in these stores? What are their needs? How do they buy? How often? At what price? How can you talk to them? Media that reach them? What products appeal to them? Competition? GT Shopper research Continuous Updating of Understanding and continuous Innovation to meet the changing needs
General Trade Academy--Asia
Consumer and Customer Understanding
Customer understanding translated to effective channel
strategies What are different types of trade channels, from the shopper’s point of view? What are each one’s unique shopper value proposition? Why do consumers shop in this channel? What shopping occasion does each serve? What are current and future trends on trade development? What are the needs of each trade channel? Pricing practices? Merchandising and Promotions for each channel?
General Trade Academy--Asia
Consumer and Customer Understanding
Customer understanding based on final customer
where consumers buy, not on Unilever strategy Flow of goods
Distributor and Coverage Models based on
relevance to trade environment
How can each trade channel be reached?
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Extensive, Effective Coverage Reach
Fixed salesmen’s schedule/PJP/Beat plan each outlet covered same day, same time every week Maximize direct coverage reach Direct coverage reach stores covered regularly in a disciplined and controlled mode
Coverage Model for each trade channel Coverage Model for Urban and Rural
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Business Potential
Channel Coverage Strategy Modern OPPORTUNITY!
Trade Direct Accounts Regular Distributor Outlets
OPPORTUNITY!!!
Wholesaler-covered Accessibility (costs, distance, transport available…) General Trade Academy--Asia
Cost and Potential Viability of Coverage
POTENTIAL
COST
Law of Diminishing Returns
As one goes further into coverage, costs increase while rate of return decreases.
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Coverage Models
Potential
HP/LA 1. Distributor -Low cost teams 2. Sub-distributor
HP/HA Distributor -Pre-selling teams -Split Teams
LP/LA Wholesaler
LP/HA 1.Small Distributor 2.Sub-distributor
Accessibility General Trade Academy--Asia
Extensive, Effective Coverage Reach
Need to develop critical mass to expand reach,
especially in rural
Do we have a viable portfolio?
Lines sold per call do not increase as portfolio
increases (Average: 10-15 lines)
Ideal portfolio at 70-80 lines per team Split Teams beyond 80 lines
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Some Facts Average Lines per call: Pre-selling----18-35 Ready-Stock--10-14 Average no. of SKUs In-stock
(Single team, F4) Pre-selling----66-85 Ready-stock--49-68
(Single Team, F2) 36-52 18-34
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Mutually Beneficial Distribution Partnership
Because of the goal to maximize direct coverage
reach, we need partners
Distributors, Agents, Sub-distributors, etc.
Terms of partnership in a contract Clear Roles and Responsibilities Expectations from each KPIs
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ROLES
Role of Company
Brand Owner and
Manufacturer Pricing, Advertising and Promo Product Innovation based on consumer understanding Designs Distributor Network Designs policies, systems and standards Monitors distributor performance
Brand Owner and Strategy Provider
Role of Distributor
Provides manpower,
finance and other resources Services outlets Implements merchandising plans and promotions Provides credit judiciously Breaks bulk Builds trade relationship Provides UL customer feedback and market info Service Provider and Implementer
What’s in it for the Partners? Benefits to Unilever
Benefits to Distributor
Expanded reach to more
Business that gives fair
customers Point of purchase merchandising Local market presence Cost Savings Market Development Reach with less risk Availability, Visibility in more stores
return Enhanced business image and clout Business knowledge Business that grows every year Long-term business that can be passed on
Growth and an Attractive Return on Investment
Syndicate Work Given the roles and responsibilities of both
parties in the distributor partnership,
What roles and specific tasks should Unilever Sales Executives do, to ensure both parties deliver on their roles? What KPIs should each partner work on to make the partnership effective?
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Profitable Exclusive Distributors
All aspects of Distributor’s business are
supervised and controlled by Unilever
Coverage Plan Field Operations Merchandising strategy Pricing and Trading Terms Inventory Management/ Order-Booking Reports and Systems Costs and Financial Management
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Mutually Beneficial Distribution Partnership
Working towards mutual goals Relationship that builds long-term partnership Joint business planning and regular performance review
The need to monitor Distributor Profitability Low-cost, Efficient operations that deliver coverage requirements Different models for different market situations
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Mutually Beneficial Distribution Partnership
Business gives partner a fair return on
investment and time
The need to monitor Distributor Profitability ROI of at least 2X the regular bank rate Absolute profit is based on level of happiness and distributor profile Minimize Working Capital, Minimize Fixed Assets to reduce investment
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Supportive Sales Systems and Structures
Effective Market Price Control specific margins for specific trade channels consumer price levels are similar across channels Transparent Pricing Scheme Supply Chain should be able to service
distributors at highest frequency to allow distributors to reduce inventory levels
VMI/ Automatic Replenishment as best practice Customer service based on needs
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Supportive Sales Systems and Structures
Business Building Programs that support channel
strategies Field-activation programs, that address local needs, especially rural e.g. Rural Promotions Vans
Performance-linked reward systems for sales
people
Based on Secondary Sales; Never on primary sales
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What is the Last Mile?
Factory
Last Mile
{ CDC
Distributor
Stores
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Company Standards Up to the Last Mile Because distributors are means for customer and
consumer reach, Unilever standards need to be enforced up to the time products reach consumers Customer Service Warehousing and Logistics, to preserve quality Pricing Trading terms
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Outlet Leadership
How do we win the consumer at each point of
purchase?
Relevant products at a pricing level that appeal to shoppers Product Visibility and Brand Development Trade loyalty through relationship-building and offering customer service
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Outlet Leadership
Consumer understanding translated to relevant
product development
Not just small packs of premium products but products that “talk” to low-income consumers GT-focused marketing mix
Merchandising and Promotions that develop the
market and ensure steady growth Best customer service and trade relations that build loyalty Products that meet needs of shoppers for each trade channel
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Factors that affect Distribution Coverage Frequency Coverage Team Type Monitoring/Controlling measures Number of lines required for distribution Clear category/brand/channel strategies What lines are worth pushing across channels? One sales team to handle 60-80 SKU; Beyond 80 skus and a volume base, split!
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Training towards Excellent Field Execution
Training conducted at all levels of organization,
addressing needs of the organization Field activities executed at the manner it was intended through regular performance monitoring Field coaching as an important tool for continuous development Distributor HR policies that retain and reward people based on performance
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Our Focus for the Next 2 Days...
Training towards Field Execution
Dominating POS with Relevant SKUs
Extensive, Effective Coverage Reach
Supportive Sales Systems and Structures
Profitable Exclusive Distributors
Consumer and Customer Understanding
General Trade Academy--Asia
Syndicate Work 2 Within 30 minutes... For each block, determine the following: What current practices, systems or policies contribute to the delivery of the activities under this block? What are the opportunities for each block? What activities, practices, or policies should be implemented to address these opportunities?
General Trade Academy--Asia