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