Most in-store marketing teams are challenged with managing highly complex campaigns and are handicapped by tools like Excel to manage these programs. For this reason, any tool that can deliver some efficiency is embraced by these teams. In-store marketing teams rely on home grown or supplier developed tools to help address these discrete pain-points. However, these tools are inadequate to solve the end-to-end problem of automating the entire in-store marketing process and delivering significant efficiencies through the entire process.
An Enterprise In-Store Marketing Platform automates the planning and execution of the campaigns and also integrates the reordering process. Below are four reasons why in-store teams transition from a tool based approach to an enterprise platform.
1. Fully Integrated End-to-End Process
Having a platform that addresses the full process from the creation of a campaign all the way to informing your stores when to remove the in-store marketing collateral allows the team to address the entire process manage all their work in one platform. Additionally, a single end-to-end solution provides tracking and saves significant time with entering or uploading data across multiple systems. Finally having a single system where data transitions from one section of the platform to the next eliminates the possibility of human error or flaws in synchronization over multiple systems.
2. Flexibility In Partnering With One Or Several Suppliers
Typically one supplier cannot fulfill the production, kitting and shipment needs of a large enterprise requiring multiple suppliers to participate in the process. A system that is agnostic and works with one or multiple suppliers makes it easy to scale and diversify as needed.
3. Innovation Focused Software Partner
An enterprise in-store marketing platform is developed, maintained and supported by a software solution provider. Unlike building a tool internally or with a supplier, a software platform provider constantly invests in innovating their solution. The software platform provider’s livelihood and core competencies are aligned with innovating the solution. This ensures you’re always getting the latest version constantly improving your process and delivering efficiencies. Internally built or supplier developed tools remain static for several years as there is no investment in improvement forcing teams to operate the ancient way.
4. Key Learnings & Best Practices From Similar Enterprises
Internally built tools try to solve a problem the way you operate while supplier developed tools only address a pain-point within your process. Enterprise in-store marketing platforms on the other hand have been engineered considering a variety of workflows and best practices. The experience and exposure to solving multiple pain-points for several enterprises delivers unmatched experience and a platform that’s highly diverse, flexible and open to accommodating an optimal workflow for your business.
As in-store marketing teams experience challenges and inefficiencies through their processes they realize they need solutions to address these pain-points. Home grown or supplier developed tools are not a solution as they tend to propagate the issues down-stream by solving them partially. Enterprise in-store marketing platforms address the process holistically delivering an end-to-end streamlined process.
To understand more about how CrossCap’s Enterprise In-Store Marketing Platform helps streamline and automate your end-to-end process, request a demo.
