STORES Magazine - August 2008 - (Page 56)

WORTH WATCHING / MOBILE TECHNOLOGY O4 Scores a 9 Behind-the-scenes help for the bottom line BY FRED MINNICK more effective when they go into the store. They know what they need to do and can give the right feedback in real time to headquarters. We know folks aren’t wasting their time because they’re focused on the right items in the right place at the right time.” etailers may not have direct contact with O4 Corp., but their profit margins may be improved by the company whose name stands for “out of office operations.” R Easy to use Another client told Fogel that one of his merchandisers was not very techsavvy: When the company introduced O4’s in-store execution solution via PDA, he didn’t want it, saying it was just A software company that provides soone more computer he didn’t know how lutions for product sales reps, merchanto use. Now, according to the client, disers, drivers and others in the field, they’d have to pry the Motorola MC35 out of his hands. O4’s clients are stocking retail stores That merchandiser said the around the world, and its solusolution is easy and makes tions are making a difference him more productive. He rein everybody’s bottom lines. ports having the ability to eat “When a merchandiser dinner with his family for the walks into Wal-Mart 123 on first time in three years and Anywhere Street, his PDA has not have to work weekends all the information about that compiling recaps. “Everyparticular store,” says O4 presthing’s done automatically,” ident Harris Fogel. But even Fogel says. more important, he will know What does a happy, producwhat needs to be done in the store today, such as what protive rep mean for the compamotions are about to break. ny? “It means the person is He knows what the sales histomore motivated,” Fogel says. ry is and will probably use a “The data is real time, where suggested ordering algorithm before this rep was probably to ensure the right quantity is spending hours at night sendordered and that the shelf is ing e-mail and Excel spreadReal-time information helps the corporation properly stocked.” sheets to somebody who then determine where it should be redeploying Several manufacturers are tabulated it and put it into anand refocusing resources based on opportunities taking direct feeds from POS other spreadsheet and then in the marketplace systems, Fogel says, and reps did something else with it. can observe each store in real time. dented lines of communication that enNow, everything automatically goes When a stock problem occurs, they can able faster, more accurate sales execuinto a database, gets reported and away correct it immediately. “We focus on tion on a daily basis,” says TrueDemand you go.” helping retailers ensure that they’ve got CEO Eric Peters. The result is that the retail information the right product availability so that During project review calls and quarhelps the corporation determine where consumers can buy the products when terly status updates, clients give Fogel an it should be redeploying and refocusing they have come in to buy,” he says. earful — of appreciation. One said that, resources based on opportunities in the That focus got a big boost in March, from a field merchandiser’s perspective, marketplace. “This process is sped up to when TrueDemand Software, a “‘on a scale of one to 10, [with] one where they can react within hours as opStORES provider of solutions that lift sales at the being disaster and 10 being euphoria, posed to days,” Fogel says. shelf, partnered with O4. Industry anayour company is a nine,’” he recalls. Fred Minnick is a professional writer lysts were enthused at the prospect of “They’re not going to rate anybody a based in Louisville, Ky. He covers a TrueDemand’s software-as-a-service 10 because they don’t believe in euphobroad range of business topics. suite — which provides valuable data of ria, but our solution is helping them be 56 STORES / AUGUST 2008 WWW.STORES.ORG demand and delivery for store-level issues — being integrated with the software on O4’s PDA-style devices. According to both companies, this partnership provides a “closed loop” system that prioritizes activities and reduces wasted manpower, while providing actionable data to the account team. “By directly linking retail account teams with their field merchandising workforce, we have opened up unprece- http://WWW.STORES.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of STORES Magazine - August 2008

STORES Magazine - August 2008 Contents Executive Editor's Page President's Page The Lure of Free Shipping Walmart’s New Look What Shoppers Think Will Widgets Work for Wheat Bread and Wasabi? 10 Things You May Have Missed Numbers Worth Counting Full Price/Markdown Retail People Store Design Industry Economics Hot 100 Retailers Concept2Watch Mobile Technology Small Store Technology Website Optimization Site Selection Mobile Payments Recycling Merchandising: Cool Sells Merchandising: Merchandising in Mexico Store Construction & Development Human Resources Loyalty Programs Mobile Marketing Loeb Retail Letter Arts Update Point of View NRF News Retail Crossword Retail Industry Calendar Last Laugh

STORES Magazine - August 2008

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