 April 2010 |
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BRUCE NAGLE, CEO It was great to glean some industry perspectives through discussions at our recent EPG event. It seems our aim to deliver best-in-class solutions and tools to the CPG industry aligns seamlessly with a shifting focus in the marketplace. As reported by McKinsey in October, “the new normal” includes a more informed consumer who is demanding a better value proposition at retail. This mounting pressure from retailer’s own brands and rising pressure on inventory dollars is creating more in-stock challenges or increasing out-of-stocks. There is no question that the need to attend to the shelf has steadily increased and as McKinsey points out, is critical to future success of CPG suppliers. The execution gap is widening between suppliers that view in-store execution as strategic versus those who see it solely as added cost. It now takes several years in most cases to build the internal skill sets to move from average to best-in-class, due primarily to the depth of execution available to those who embrace it. New technology is proliferating, making better and more cost effective tools readily available at different entry points, but the business processes have been refined to achieve higher benefits and take time to integrate effectively into your organization. If you find yourself needing help navigating this “new normal,” we are happy to help!
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 RW3 Website |
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EPG 2010 RecapOur 10th annual Executive Peer Group was a roaring success in Austin last month. Attended by 40 CPG executives and RW3 team members, the presentations by Kevin Little, VP Retail, ConAgra; Mike Norville, Director, Nestlé NROC; and Graham Purdy, VP Sales & Trade Marketing, National Tobacco Company, generated a lot of discussion and interaction. A fourth presentation by Mark Gruetzner, Senior Director of Development at RW3, highlighted some of the latest and greatest mobility platforms being incorporated into RW3’s systems.
With retail execution regaining serious focus from the industry, this event provided RW3
customers and prospects a chance to come together in an intimate setting, to discuss current challenges and opportunities, as well as go-to-market strategies. Along with the presentations and a panel discussion, attendees networked with one another, sharing best practices and perspectives on what has and has not worked in their own companies and supply chain
initiatives, as well as tactics for improving overall ROI. Attendees unanimously rated this
year’s EPG the most successful yet!
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“RW3 is not just a software provider – they take an active role - Graham Purdy |
Employee Spotlight: Shawna Fisher Shawna Fisher began her career in the Air Force, where she traveled extensively and gained a strong work ethic and drive for success. After 8 years with the USAF, Shawna was hired by RW3 in 2002 as a Customer Support representative. She spent two years in Customer Support, gaining invaluable experience working with RW3 customers, actually becoming ConAgra’s first Customer Support contact within RW3. In 2004, Shawna’s skills were tapped for RW3’s emerging Report Services team, where she dedicated her time to working as a Report Analyst. Shawna is credited for designing and developing the first “reports” for ConAgra, Kellogg’s USA, Kellogg’s Canada and Jennie-O Turkey Store. She was also instrumental in the initial development of Energizer’s data import process & reporting. .... Read more Back to Top _________________________________________________________________________
Apple's iPad and Retail Computing First it was the iPhone, and now the iPad. Apple has made quite a splash with both of these revolutionary gadgets. As of April 2010, Apple has sold over 50 million iPhones, and after the first week of availability, over 500,000 iPads were sold. If you are involved with retail execution, you are probably aware of the wide availability of devices that can facilitate excellence at the shelf; and with all the hype around the iPhone and iPad, have likely already considered whether or not one of these devices is the next big thing when it comes to In-Store execution tools. Like most decisions, there are no easy answers. If it is your job to determine whether or not the iPhone or iPad is the right fit for your retail organization, then a good approach is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each, in the context of how you intend to use them. To help with this analysis, we have taken a look at how RW3 customers currently use their existing device solutions to facilitate retail execution. We then looked at what features the iPhone and the iPad bring to the table, and how the various choices serve different needs in the marketplace. ... Read more Back to Top
Movin' On Up at RW3 Congratulations to Dan Byer on his recent promotion to Account Manager. Since 2000, Dan has worked his way through RW3 - from his initial position as “night support” where he oversaw system maintenance and assisted customers with software issues during off-hours, to a regular position in Customer Support. As RW3 began evolving its reporting services, Dan was asked to join the newly formed InSight Group as a Report Analyst and Project Manager. .... Read more Back to Top Business on the Road It has been a busy winter dodging raindrops, and connecting with many of our clients and prospects. Bruce Nagle, CEO, attended FMI Mid-Winter in January in Orlando, where he networked with industry peers. FMI MidWinter focuses on educational sessions highlighting cutting-edge trends, as well as major challenges and opportunities in the industry. Back to Top RW3... Insights. Innovation. Real World Solutions. Upcoming
Events FMI Show – Las Vegas, NV (May 11-13, 2010) NEW! Join us on |