FMCG and retail companies need a good boost through distribution processes to increase sales and sustain in the long run. That is why, the use of distribution management software (DMS) solutions like Sokrio enhance the business processes of their clients and customers.
Having a plethora of features and functionalities, Sokrio DMS contributes to the bottom line, or profit, of its customers’ businesses.
But how does the DMS do that? How does it ensure successful sales of its customers?
Here, we will dig deep into the features of Sokrio DMS that help retail and FMCG clients sell smarter and sell more.
Features of Sokrio that Boost Smart Selling
Sokrio comes packed with tools and features that help sales teams navigate and manage sales reports and processes. From tracking of sales orders to generating real-time reports, nothing beats Sokrio’s features that make you sell more.
Its major features include:
Real-Time Management Dashboard
Sales Team Route Planning
Attendance Monitoring
Stocks, and Inventory Management
Streamline Order & Sales Process
Customized Reports
Learn the Features of Sokrio to get the maximum benefits.
Streamlining the Sales Supervisors
Sales supervisors play a vital role in ensuring sales teams operate efficiently, meet targets, and maintain strong customer relationships. However, they often face significant challenges, particularly when relying on manual processes to monitor inventory and manage sales teams.
These challenges include high communication costs, poor market visibility, and the risk of sudden Sales Representative (SR) turnover, which can disrupt operations and affect sales performance.
Distribution Management Software (DMS) offers powerful solutions to these problems by automating key processes, providing real-time data, and improving overall market visibility. Let’s explore how DMS addresses these challenges that boost the selling of products more smartly:
Automating Inventory Tracking
Manual inventory tracking is time-consuming, prone to errors, and often leads to overstocking or stockouts. For sales supervisors, these issues can disrupt sales, delay deliveries, and negatively impact customer satisfaction. DMS automates inventory tracking, offering several key benefits.
Automated tracking eliminates the errors associated with manual data entry, ensuring that inventory records are always accurate. This leads to better inventory management, where supervisors can trust the data and make informed decisions quickly.
Providing Real-Time Data
Access to real-time data is crucial for making informed decisions, particularly in fast-moving consumer markets. Sales supervisors need to know exactly what’s happening in the field to respond to issues promptly and effectively. DMS offers comprehensive real-time data, which includes:
- Sales Performance: Supervisors can track how well products are selling in different regions, identify trends, and adjust strategies to maximize sales. For example, if a product is underperforming in a specific area, the supervisor can quickly intervene with targeted promotions or adjustments.
- Inventory Levels: Real-time data on inventory helps ensure that the right products are always available in the right quantities, reducing the likelihood of stockouts or overstock situations.
- Customer Behavior: Understanding customer preferences and buying patterns allows for more personalized marketing efforts, improving customer satisfaction and driving repeat sales.
Improving Market Visibility
One of the significant challenges sales supervisors face is poor market visibility. Without a distinct understanding of market conditions, it’s difficult to make informed decisions about product placement, pricing, and promotions. DMS enhances market visibility in several ways:
- The DMS collects and analyzes data from various sources, providing supervisors with a holistic view of the market. This includes data on competitors, customer preferences, and regional sales trends.
- By integrating with GPS and other location-based technologies, DMS enables sales supervisors to see where demand is highest and target those areas more effectively. This is particularly useful in FMCG, where market conditions can vary widely between regions.
Ensuring Continuity of Service
Sales Representative (SR) turnover is a common challenge that disrupts operations and hurts sales performance. When an SR leaves, it often leads to gaps in service, lost customer relationships, and a decline in sales in the affected territory. DMS helps ensure continuity of service even in the face of sudden turnover:
- Automated Records and Processes: DMS maintains detailed records of all customer interactions, sales histories, and territory information. If an SR leaves, the new representative can quickly access all relevant information and continue servicing customers without disruption.
Training and Onboarding: With DMS, training new SRs becomes more efficient. The software can guide new hires through processes, providing them with the data and tools they need to get up to speed quickly.
Reducing Manual Sales Reporting
Manual sales reporting is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors and delays. Sales supervisors often struggle with incomplete or inaccurate reports, which can hinder decision-making and slow down operations. DMS automates sales reporting, offering:
- Accuracy and Consistency: Automated reporting ensures that sales data is accurate, consistent, and available in real-time. This allows supervisors to make decisions based on reliable data.
- Time Savings: By eliminating the need for manual data entry and report generation, DMS frees up time for supervisors and SRs to focus on more strategic activities, such as developing sales strategies and engaging with customers.
Sales Team Performance Tracking
Tracking the performance of sales teams is mandatory for identifying top performers, areas for improvement, and overall sales effectiveness. DMS provides robust tools for performance tracking:
KPI Monitoring: Supervisors can set and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for their teams, such as sales volume, customer acquisition, and retention rates. This data helps in evaluating individual and team performance objectively.
Real-Time Location Tracking
Knowing the real-time location of sales representatives can significantly enhance operational efficiency and customer service. You can track the whereabouts of your sales personnel and identify possible defaulters.
DMS integrates real-time location tracking features, offering several benefits:
- Efficient Route Planning: Supervisors can monitor the locations of their sales team in real-time and optimize routes to minimize travel time and costs. This is particularly valuable in territories with high travel demands.
- Quick Response to Issues: If a customer needs urgent attention or a sales opportunity arises suddenly, supervisors can quickly identify the nearest SR and direct them to the outlet, ensuring prompt service and maximizing sales opportunities.
Accessibility from Any Mobile Device
The ability to access critical information and manage operations from any device is a game-changer. DMS solutions are designed to be mobile-friendly, providing access to data and tools from smartphones, tablets, or laptops:
- On-the-Go Decision-Making: Supervisors can make informed decisions, even when they are away from the office. Whether they’re in the field, at a client meeting, or traveling, they have access to all the necessary data.
- Increased Flexibility: Mobile accessibility allows for greater flexibility in managing the sales team. Supervisors can monitor performance, communicate with the team, and adjust strategies in real time, no matter where they are. Through SMS tracking, supervisors can instantly know what is happening on the field.
Empowering Sales Representatives
On the flip side, Sales Representatives (SRs) are on the front lines of every retail and FMCG operation, directly interacting with retailers and ensuring that products reach the market efficiently. However, SRs often face challenges that can hinder their performance, such as collecting accurate orders from retailers, managing their time effectively, and maximizing sales opportunities.
Sokrio Distribution Management Software (DMS) can turn these challenges into strengths by streamlining processes, reducing errors, and enhancing sales capabilities. Here’s how DMS can assist Sales Representatives to achieve better results:
Decreasing Faulty Order Collection
A major challenge for SRs is collecting accurate orders from retailers. Manual order collection methods are prone to errors, such as incorrect quantities, miscommunication, or incomplete orders. These errors can lead to dissatisfied customers, lost sales, and inefficiencies in the supply chain.
Sokrio DMS addresses these issues by allowing SRs to enter orders directly into the system using a mobile device. This eliminates the need for handwritten notes or manual data entry, significantly reducing the likelihood of errors.
Also, the software can automatically validate orders before submission, flagging any inconsistencies or missing information. This ensures that orders are accurate and complete, minimizing the risk of faulty deliveries.
Saving of Time and Money
Time management is critical for SRs, as the more efficiently they can work, the more retailers they can visit, and the more sales they can generate. An automated DMS helps SRs save time and reduce costs by automating order entry and reducing the need for manual paperwork,
Also, with GPS tracking and optimized route planning, SRs can minimize travel time and expenses, visiting more retailers in less time and covering their territory more efficiently.
Improve Sales Opportunities
To maximize sales, SRs need to identify and capitalize on opportunities quickly. An automated DMS like Sokrio provides the tools necessary to enhance sales efforts and improve outcomes.
With real-time access to sales history and customer preferences, SRs can tailor their pitches and promotions to meet the specific needs of each retailer. This personalized approach increases the likelihood of closing sales and upselling additional products.
In addition, Sokrio DMS can alert SRs to ongoing promotions, discounts, or new product launches, enabling them to pitch these opportunities to retailers at the right time, boosting sales.
Reducing POS Visit Time
Point of Sale (POS) or outlet visits are essential for maintaining retailer relationships, but they can also be time-consuming. Sokrio DMS helps SRs reduce the time spent at each POS without compromising service quality.
With features like proximity-based check-in and real-time order tracking, SRs can quickly complete necessary tasks at each POS. This includes checking inventory levels, confirming deliveries, and processing new orders.
DMS automates the collection of sales data, inventory updates, and retailer feedback, allowing SRs to complete their visits more efficiently and move on to the next retailer faster.
Automated Sales Data Reconciliation
Sokrio simplifies and streamlines the reconciliation of sales data which is often a tedious and time-consuming process.
Sales data is automatically synced with the central database as orders are placed, reducing the need for manual data entry and minimizing errors. The dashboard offers sufficient and advanced information to view and collect, helping improve decision-making through accurate data.
The DMS can also generate accurate, real-time sales reports that reflect the latest data, allowing for easier reconciliation and quicker decision-making. Visual reports can be created, helping the teams learn about the sales more graphically.
Real-Time Order Tracking
Real-time order tracking ensures the management of customer expectations and ensures timely deliveries. Sokrio’s automated DMS allows SRs to check the status of their orders in real time, providing retailers with accurate delivery timelines and updates. This transparency builds trust and strengthens relationships with retailers.
Moreover, if there’s a delay or issue with an order, SRs can quickly access the information and take corrective action, preventing disruptions and maintaining customer satisfaction.
To Sum Up
Sokrio Distribution Management Software (DMS) offers a comprehensive suite of tools and features that enhance the way retail and FMCG businesses manage their sales teams. By streamlining processes, reducing errors, and empowering sales representatives, Sokrio DMS drives efficiency, increases productivity, and boosts sales.
With its advanced capabilities and user-friendly interface, Sokrio DMS is the ideal solution for businesses looking to optimize their sales operations and stay competitive in today’s fast-paced market.
You can contact Sokrio for more understanding of the software and purchase it to sell smarter and sell more!
