Tuesday, August 8, 2017

How To Ensure Distribution Network Optimization

By Christopher Brown


In business, you have to keep making changes to stay relevant. Some of these changes will involve the internal dynamics of the company, while others will focus more on your clientele. Either way, they should all lead to distribution network optimization. The process of widening your markets and reaching more clients may sound easy in theory, but when it comes to doing it practically, you will need to follow some of these pointers to succeed.

Things will occasionally go wrong, and it is your job to know what has happened at what time. This way, you can start working on how to fix it. To stay ahead of the problem, you need to know what is happening on the ground. This will mean regularly liaising with your distributors, and also occasionally talking directly to your clients.

To increase your distribution rate, in most cases, you have two options. You can change your target market or vary the products. The option you choose will depend on the information gathered in the field. In some cases simply rebranding the products will produce the desired effect.

Sometimes, you will notice that a particular sales person is not meeting the company set goals. By looking at how they work you will be able to tell what the problem is. However, before you immediately terminate their contract try moving them to a different department. Ideally, you should rotate your sales representatives at least yearly.

While looking at this whole process, you should include the input of other stakeholders. This way, nobody feels left out. You will also find that when you brainstorm with other people, it is easier to look at many scenarios and come up with different solutions. Avoid calling other people in during the last minute because this will just bring confusion. Instead, aim for their inclusion from the beginning.

The planning process will be bound to take some time, depending on the severity of the situation. However, you could start by implementing some short term solutions, while you work on some practical long term ones. Avoid taking shortcuts or making rash decisions, because this could further worsen the situation.

Although you have marketing and distribution experts in your employ, sometimes you need to outsource help. This will ensure that the decisions are unbiased. Additionally, when you hire a consultant, they will look at the situation with fresh eyes. They can, therefore, identify things you have overlooked while offering you solutions based on their experience.

While you might be willing to go to any lengths to save the company, do not consider forging the sales projections. By working with the real numbers, you could ask for more money to be directed to your department. This way, you can implement the changes you have planned enabling the business to recover its investment and then benefit from the profits.




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