The Wholesale Company (TWC) has launched a modular, cloud-based, platform that is said to help wholesalers get to know their customers through the identification and managing of growth opportunities and route-to-market chains.
Last year, the company released Alchemy WholeView, a digital platform that will allow suppliers to centralise and analyse wholesaler data via an analytics dashboard, with chief executive Tanya Pepin, explaining that this new product’s technology is ground-breaking in that it provides a digital solution to an historic industry challenge.
Read more: TWC launches wholesale digital platform
“Having ‘the right’ products listed and stocked/available right through the value chain, from wholesaler to retailer, is critical for the ongoing success of independent retailers and breaches in compliance are estimated to run to many millions of pounds each year in lost opportunity,” she added.
Alchemy Element comprises five different modules, which can be mobilised individually or collectively:
LEARN is the Alchemy’ insight dashboard which reports sales performance and shows year-on-year trends, delivering vital information and identifying opportunity. Easily digestible reports can be accessed by supplier/brand/SKU or by individual customer.
SHARE includes the revolutionary Snap Share/(Picture Portal) technology, which is leading a step change in how compliance is approached, reported and managed and delivers a cost-effective digital solution to one of the biggest challenges in retail. Snap Share is a cost-effective way to scale up compliance checks in-depot and in-store, and deliver intelligent reporting.
Users simply take and share images of execution in quick time to prove compliance, which allows stakeholders to see and verify exactly what is happening in store or in depot.
Snap Share also has a significant implication for suppliers in the approach to compliance – sending dozens of field sales representatives into depots or convenience stores is obviously time-consuming and costly. Snap Share removes this need, enabling resources to be devoted to front line growth and development.
ENGAGE is Alchemy’s module for facilitating tailor-made, targeted messaging to customers, through specially-developed customer’ apps. It is ideal for wholesalers or retailer groups, wishing to reach individual retailers, or retailers who wish to reach the end consumer. Technology allows for information from LEARN to be imbedded to deliver highly personalised communications and incentives to recipients – messages that are relevant and compelling based on prior sales legend.
REWARD – Alchemy Reward can be used by wholesalers to reach retailers – or by retailers to reward consumers, whether for NPD trials, sales promotion or loyalty building. Based on personalised algorithms, Alchemy Rewards can identify customers with a higher propensity to purchase and then incentivise them accordingly. This may mean encouraging them to trial a new product, purchase within a new product category, or respond to a promotion. Vouchers can be paper-based, till-based, or simple e-vouchers redeemable through a variety of formats. Take up is measurable enabling clear ROI versus investment.
PERFORM is a sales app for field sales personnel to use when calling on stores, increasing their efficiency, optimising their time and making it easy. It provides retailer purchase history, store profile, highlights specific growth opportunities, makes recommendations for ranging and is an aid in helping individual stores develop. This powerful customer relationship management tool is underpinned by Alchemy LEARN, giving intelligent tailored capability to show opportunity, report against targets and measure compliance.
Read more: Data: should wholesalers be sharing with suppliers?
