Through these tools, consumer goods distributors are expected to gain automated, on-demand access to bottom line profit results at the customer level in a matter of seconds, said Apprise Software. The improved visibility reportedly helps distributors better understand and manage business performance drivers.
According to the company, the user-defined tools provide broad and granular margin analysis to help distributors understand the real impact of doing business with mass merchants and independent stores. Users can compare profit results of different stores, entire chains, departments within a store, etc. A trend view allows distributors to monitor and track profit results for any individual customer entity or grouping over time.
Also included in the tools are visual alerts that automatically highlight positive and negative data trends when they rise above or fall below predetermined thresholds set by the distributor.
Jeff Broadhurst, president of Apprise Software, said: Retailer chargebacks, allowances, freight, royalties and other costs have a significant impact on a distributor’s bottom line. To remain profitable, consumer goods distributors must be able to quickly analyze and respond to the impact of these and other costs of doing business. Our new profitability analysis tools automate the process and provide the margin numbers distributors need, with a few clicks of a mouse.