What to Monitor in Large Scale Visual Merchandising Execution?

Leading a large Visual Merchandising field team ? Facing issues in monitoring them on real time ? Confused in prioritizing the parameters to monitor ?

Generally, VM managers are overloaded with the reports & information which is being shared with them every day & focusing on the most important attributes is critical yet complex.

So, here are details on some key points to monitor which will help you in keeping your VM activity on a continuous improvement track.

Quality of Deployment:

Every VM activity efforts around brand visibility enhancement only & quality of deployment could be the best measure of the same. Deployment of a PoSM at desired location is must to increase the visibility. A poster deployed inside a retail store which is not visible to walk-ins easily will not help in increasing the visibility of the brand. Same is the case with dangler which is deployed above 12 feet.

Companies incur a lot over auditing the brand visibility through different measures. However, we can classify those in below mentioned two categories which can be applied basis different market scenarios. Details are mentioned hereunder:

• Field Audits: City wise or region wise field audits should be done to capture quality of deployment at a sample basis. Auditor should have a checklist or a questionnaire to appraise all possible points regarding quality. Field audits are the best & most effective measurement tool of as it can enable brands in checking the specifications of material deployed as well along with guideline adherence of deployment but should be utilized wisely as it eats out the marketing budgets as well.

• Deployment Photographs Audit: Another method of measurement of quality of VM execution on ground is auditing through sample or 100% photographs received from ground. This is a cost effective way of auditing the deployment as per guidelines but cannot be used for checking the PoSM specifications, thus should be implemented accordingly.

Productivity: Every VM man-day spent in market is a cost to the company thus increasing productivity should be the target of the brand to deliver maximum visits within minimum possible man-days. It can be measured by the number of outlets covered per day per manpower & thus should be monitored rigorously in a large VM execution program.

Day Time Spent: Sometimes just achieving the target productivity is not enough & it is possible that a VM can cover target outlets in a lesser time than his office working hours. It happens due to higher density of outlets in one’s territory & thus enabling him in covering the target productivity in a much lesser time. If monitored properly day time spent analysis can act as a key to productivity increment at an average. This can be measured basis in house developed world class tool provided by Channelplay which is named as 1Channel. For more details, you can contact them through contact us page of Channelplay limited.

Outlet Time Spent: Quality time devoted to a target retail outlet is very important & enabling a VM to spend such time was a challenge till now. But thanks to technology now a day which can measure time spent by a VM in retail outlets as well. This can enable management to prepare a list of tasks accordingly which will drive the behavior of a VM in outlet inducing him to spend quality time in the retail outlet & checking the same on periodic intervals will ensure adherence of the same.

Deployment Grid Adherence: Deployment grid refers to the guideline on count of individual PoSM to be deployed in an outlet. It can differ basis outlet type/territory/region basis brand’s preference. Measurement of deployment grid adherence enables brands to check the actual consumption of PoSM in market which can ensure that right quantity of PoSM is deployed at right type of outlet. For instance, 2 danglers at a retails shop in spite of 8 as per guideline will not suffice the visibility terms.

PJP Adherence:  Permanent journey plan or pre journey plan adherence helps managing the basis compliance of the VM execution at large scale. It should be measured meticulously to ensure that retail outlets are visited as per plan only.

Remarks in case of Non-Deployment: Field execution will always have issues in it & resolving the same within stipulated time is key for the improvement for the next phase of deployment. Thus capturing reasons for the exceptional cases will enable the management categorizing the issues & taking informed decisions which may lessened such issues in future. Few of such recurring cases & decisions are given mentioned below:

• Outlet Found Close: Upcoming visit can be alternatively planned on any other day to save the loss of visit.
• Outlet Not Allowed: Such cases can be taken up with management & stake holders to sort out the issues.
• Product Not Available: Such cases can be taken up with the SCM or concerned team to ensure that related issues can be sorted before next visit.

In case you wanted to have a deep dive study & understanding on how all this works you can request for a VM Execution management approach & work flow from us. Please go through our Contact us page for the same.