Sep 16, 2019   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

Salesforce Launches Consumer Goods Cloud--Transforming Retail Execution and Creating Closer Relationships Between the Field Rep and the Store

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the global leader in CRM, today announced Consumer Goods Cloud, a new industry product that enables consumer goods companies to drive revenue growth and maximize ROI through improved retail execution capabilities. Retail execution--the act of getting the right products to the right stores at the right times--is vital to the success of consumer goods companies, as 95% of fast moving consumer goods products are sold in physical stores((1)). Consumer Goods Cloud enables reps to use AI to optimize key tasks, drive higher revenues through better promotion execution and order management and elevate the in-store experience for the end consumer.

Consumer goods field reps are responsible for delivering product and driving brand awareness in stores. However, they often rely upon outdated systems, spreadsheets and paper-based reports to determine their daily travel route, where their products should be placed in the store, and to share real-time business insights and opportunities with both their executive team and store owners. In fact, U.S. consumer goods companies spend about $200 billion every year for in-store merchandising and marketing((2)), but consumer goods leaders say that 52% of their merchandising and marketing plans aren't executed as intended in stores((3)), which means more than $100 billion in annual trade spend is not optimized.

"Retail execution remains one of the most important pieces of a consumer goods brand's strategy, but so much opportunity is wasted if the field rep doesn't have the data and technology needed to make smart decisions," said John Strain, GM and SVP, Retail and Consumer Goods at Salesforce. "Consumer Goods Cloud provides these field reps with the tools they need to be successful on the ground, while helping build both business opportunities and stronger relationships with their retail partners."

Introducing Consumer Goods Cloud
Consumer Goods Cloud, the latest industry product from Salesforce, will help consumer goods companies transform their business by giving a powerful and intelligent solution to field reps, streamlining operations and elevating in-store experiences for the end consumer. Now field reps can ensure that shelves are always in stock, pricing and promotions are aligned to expectations while spending less time on operational activities and more time building relationships and driving sales with retail channel partners.

Consumer Goods Cloud enables field reps to:

    --  Improve visit planning. Field reps will have access to a list of
        prioritized and assigned store visits for the day with required and
        suggested activities, with in-app map functionality to intelligently
        manage routing. In addition, reps can analyze the health of their
        business across stores while surfacing new opportunities for their
        products.
    --  Optimize visit execution. Once at the store, reps have access to
        customizable templates based on store or segment types to help ensure
        that specific store needs are met every time, from inventory and
        planogram checks to return order processing and surveys, all from a
        mobile device.
    --  Harness Einstein AI to optimize compliance and product placements.
        Einstein Vision for Consumer Goods Cloud delivers an image recognition
        and object detection solution that enables easy inventory, planogram and
        merchandising compliance checks, allowing field reps to spend less time
        on auditing activities and more time building relationships with
        customers. For example, a rep can take a picture of a shelf and
        immediately understand if it is set up correctly without having to
        manually count and input the data into their system.
    --  Easily capture orders and data. Through mobile order capturing
        capabilities, a rep can capture orders during a store visit, collect
        important data such as, product, quantity and pricing. This ensures
        they've completed all their assigned tasks and reported them correctly
        while providing executives with a complete view of the visit.

Consumer Goods Cloud is part of the Salesforce Customer 360 Platform for all types of fast moving consumer goods companies--including food and beverage, personal care, health and beauty, and more--helping them to unlock the value chain with a unified platform. With Salesforce, consumer goods companies across the globe can digitally transform their entire business, including driving stronger customer engagement in both B2B and B2C commerce. In addition, Einstein Analytics for Consumer Goods delivers an intelligent experience for consumer goods companies by giving reps out-of-the-box KPIs, such as inventory stock outs or percent orders increase per store visit, as well as AI-powered insights and recommendations specifically tailored for their customers.

Salesforce Partners Extend Capabilities of Consumer Goods Cloud
Salesforce has a robust ecosystem of partners that will help extend the power of Consumer Goods Cloud. Key consulting partners will power digital transformation for customers in the retail industry with expertise and unique capabilities, including:

    --  Accenture: As a pilot partner, Accenture provided deep retail industry
        expertise to the development of Consumer Goods Cloud, which complements
        Accenture's own Cloud TPM Salesforce based solution and helps clients
        unlock data silos across sales, trade and consumer marketing for
        improved execution in retail channels.
    --  PwC: As a pilot partner for Consumer Goods Cloud, PwC developed the
        Connected Digital Front Office solution, built on Consumer Goods Cloud,
        which leverages AI-driven analytics and solution accelerators to enable
        increased productivity and drive profitable growth for companies across
        B2B and B2C on a single, omni-channel platform.

Comments on the news

    --  "Execution is everything," says Pam Brown, Chief Commercial Officer,
        Promotion Optimization Institute (POI). "Teams spend substantial time
        planning promotions with retailers, but many are not executed as
        planned. The 2019 POI State of the Industry Survey notes only 29% of
        survey respondents agree that they have the tools they need to make
        appropriate decisions, and only 38% of respondents state that they are
        satisfied with the ability to execute at store level. Salesforce
        Consumer Goods Cloud has engaged this opportunity with a platform and
        analytics to help manufacturers make informed decisions at the point of
        sale and 'sell more'."

Availability

    --  Consumer Goods Cloud will be generally available on October 15, 2019.
    --  Einstein Analytics for Consumer Goods will be generally available in
        February 2020.

Connect with Salesforce

    --  For more information on Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud, visit:
        https://consumergoodscloud.com
    --  For more information on Salesforce Consumer Goods, visit:
        https://www.salesforce.com/solutions/industries/consumer-goods/overview/
    --  For more information on Salesforce Einstein Analytics, visit:
        https://www.salesforce.com/products/einstein-analytics/overview/
    --  Like Salesforce on Facebook http://facebook.com/salesforce
    --  For a Behind The Scenes look at the development and launch of Consumer
        Goods Cloud:
        https://www.salesforce.com/company/news-press/stories/2019/09/091619-oii
        /
    --  For more on Salesforce's industries strategy, see here:
        https://www.salesforce.com/company/news-press/stories/2019/09/091619-yl/
    --  Follow @salesforce on Twitter

ABOUT SALESFORCE
Salesforce is the global leader in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), bringing companies closer to their customers in the digital age. Founded in 1999, Salesforce enables companies of every size and industry to take advantage of powerful technologies--cloud, mobile, social, internet of things, artificial intelligence, voice and blockchain--to create a 360-degree view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com.

((1)) "Omnichannel Fast Facts on the In-Store and Ecommerce Landscapes," Nielsen, October 2018
((2)) "Zero-Based Trade for CPG Leaders: Five Steps for Raising the Impact of Your Trade Promotions," PwC, March 2017
((3)) 2019 Salesforce Consumer Goods and the Battle for B2B & B2C Relationships Report

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SOURCE Salesforce