Too many small and medium sized (SMB) CPG’s seem to think that the “TPM software” is the panacea that will be the answer to their problems. Therefore, they send out their RFP and call in the usual solution providers in the TPM space for “demos” of the solution. And so it kicks off the next “rush to the demo” on the part of the providers anxious to display their fancy approach to clearing a deduction and how few clicks it takes to perform a particular function.
But this approach can be very misleading because maximizing trade promotion effectiveness (TPE) requires much more than just the software. It’s also about the approach, the partnership with the provider, and the ability to tap into a community of other SMB CPG’s for perspective and benchmarking. Continue reading
Does searching for and implementing a Trade Promotion Management solution have to be long, hard, painful and costly?
Not today. Years ago it used to be.
Then the TPM solutions from major software providers were all customized, costly, long processes that were also not that effective. Now the better TPM solutions can be implemented often within 12- 16 weeks or less since the product already exists in the cloud and your users just log in. All you have to do is add your data and configure it to your hierarchies for the retailers and products. TPM solutions are created with the ability to integrate to all of the ERP systems.
This isn’t as scary as it sounds and it’s done at every company so you are not unique. Then the set-up costs and monthly subscriptions are really very reasonable in both the absolute, and particularly when you view them as a very small percentage of the millions of dollars you spend on trade promotions to ensure they are controlled and effective.Continue reading