Do you help hundreds or thousands of businesses get the tools, materials, and products they need to serve their customers? Are you the link between manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers to improve relationships and keep the wheels of commerce spinning?
If so, then you’ve definitely experienced a few hiccups along the way—perhaps a breakdown in communication, supply chain issues, or a disruptive event (like COVID-19).
The good news? There are resources out there that can help distributors like yourself streamline operations and improve efficiency. Here’s how Wiser Solutions helps distributors in the retail space achieve their goals.
What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Distributor’?
First, it’s important that we get on the same page about what a distributor means in this context, as there are a few different types and definitions out there.
At Wiser, we define a distributor as a business that sells and services to retailers on behalf of a manufacturer. These services often include marketing, sales, and field operations, among other duties. In addition, distributors can also own the products in question and sell to both retailers and wholesalers. Some major distributors include US Foods and Performance Foodservice, among others.
Does this sound like you? Great! Let’s talk more about what Wiser can do for distributors.
How We Can Help Your Day-to-Day
So then, what can Wiser do for you? We offer a network of mystery shoppers across the U.S. and Canada, plus proprietary mobile apps that help you track and manage store execution, collaborate and communicate with partners, and capture and measure in-store data.
Through these tools, we can help you:
Improve Visibility into Store Conditions
Do you need better data on what’s happening on the ground? Using Wiser’s network of smartphone-enabled mystery shoppers, we can get images and feedback from the stores in your network. For example, you can see which retailers are selling which beverage brands, whether shelves are stocked, and which competitors are next to each other in the store.
This is helpful for distributors because it can help your internal teams better understand what’s happening, but also prioritize efforts where needed or measure the results of previous campaigns.
Capture More Robust Data and Insights
Limited by the scope of data you can collect today? Our proprietary data extraction tools can get you more insights when you need them, so you aren’t limited by what you can capture today. For instance, we find that many distributors want depletion data or shipment data to supplement other in-store insights, like on-shelf availability. This creates a more holistic picture of store conditions and next steps.
Wiser tools can give you that added confidence in your decisions and support your efforts with data and field team management.
Optimize Communication and Collaboration
As a distributor, you likely have a lot of conversations with wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, and other partners. As a result, communication is one of the most important aspects of the job. Using Wiser, our mobile app and configurable dashboards make it easier to share information, keep track of projects, and communicate. This will help you improve collaboration with suppliers and brands—share information, prioritize tasks, and manage field teams, all from one platform.
Enhance Reliability and Team Performance
Speaking of field teams, field team management is a core functionality of Wiser. For starters, our platform helps you monitor and manage team performance. You can track time in store, optimize routes, and create to-do lists. You can also use Wiser’s crowd to conduct retail audits to measure performance after the fact. Send our shoppers into the stores once your teams leave to check on conditions.
Overall, this is a great way to track your teams and enhance their overall performance by identifying blockers, fixing weaknesses, and capturing data to share with your partners.
The Support You Need to Excel
In the distributor world, you’re always in between other organizations, getting products into retailers from the manufacturers and providing crucial services to keep the business flowing. This can make it feel like you’re always on the go and rarely have time to pause and make sure you’re doing things the best way possible.
This is where Wiser can come in. Our tools can give you that added confidence in your decisions and support your efforts with data and field team management. Then, you’ll be able to execute better, report better, and sell better. This will keep your team happy, of course, but also any retailer, broker, manufacturer, or wholesaler you work with.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help make your life easier and more profitable!
