The FMCG Industry: The Significance of A Route Management System

Finding a route to market excellence is of paramount importance to each supplier. The degree of complexities and challenges intertwined within the FMCG industry makes it relatively difficult for a producer to manage each minute element engaging within the supply chain. Moreover, over the past decade or so, the retail landscape has experienced a shift. This shift is largely due to a shift in consumer behavior and due to the departure from brick-and-mortar stores to an e-commerce experience.

To support this shift, the need for efficiency, optimal processes, and fine-tuned solutions is now the need of the hour. Each producer needs to push their boundaries, needs to consistently gain a competitive edge, and needs to present solutions beyond the expectations of a consumer. With the FMCG industry dealing with perishable snacks, producers need to adopt solutions that aren’t stagnant, as progressing with the progressing time is important.

The Need for A Route Management System

To trickle in widened revenue opportunities and to effectively manage the complications associated with inventory management, a business needs to choose from the variety of route management systems that are available at their disposal. With the FMCG industry operating on the framework of low unit cost and the high volume of goods, constantly innovating should be at the very core of each supplier’s vision for their sustainable future.

Through an ERP system, such as a route management system, a supplier can gain from the following benefits, to meet the emerging expectations of its consumers. That said, it is important to have a unique system suited to their unique requirements, as defining the needs and having an appropriate route management system developed, can work for their advantage.

• Accommodation of high turn items

• Optimal shelf-rotation management

• Information of manufacturing defects, broken bag seals, unsalables, and damaged goods.

• Management of movement and tracking of product

• Flexibility to cater to shifting requirements

• Accounts receivable

• Cash collections

• Information on business performance

• Real-time inventory management creating ease for their employees

• On-time delivery of goods

• Superior quality of service

• Mobile route management

• Accurate invoices

• Real-time invoicing

• Automation of manual tasks

• Easily schedule routes

• Monitoring of activities

• On-site stock and display survey

• Sending out critical updates in real time

• Optimization of distribution logistics

• Increasing worker productivity

• Reducing costs and errors in management

With the lifespan of goods being essential, it is important to set measures into place that support a supplier’s mission through and through. The FMCG industry is highly dynamic and rapidly experiences a shift. Owing to this, not just tending to a consumer’s current expectations is important, but also setting the blocks into place for the future is imperative. Delivering goods to various distributors scattered across the globe is a highly daunting and time-consuming process, due to which the combination of efficiency, efficacy, and automation is central to the success of a supplier.

Be it a supplier supplying juices, dairy items, snacks, or bakery items, by placing a route management system at the core of their business, they can integrate with other systems and can apply key metrics to grow and evolve.