FMCG companies invest millions of dollars in trade promotional funds each year in order to generate budget sales. This is the largest single cost area for the business after wages and salaries and is the most significant cost in marketing products to consumers.

This powerful software will:

• Control your Trade Spend
• Improve your promotions
• Reduce clerical effort/error
• Improve your forecasting
• Streamline production & logistics
• Tailored for your organisation
• Fully compatible with FMS

In many companies the controls on this expenditure have become inadequate in an increasingly competitive business environment and a sector which is already the world's most concentrated and getting more so. By improving the speed and quality of feedback on promotions and by enabling Account Managers to model the impact of alternative strategies, better decisions can be made and better results achieved.

Account Managers use the system to do the following:

• Enter the 6-12 month promotional program for each grocery account / distribution channel.
• Model the impact of the promotional program on achievements of budgets.
• Dynamically modify the current promotional program.
• Track status of claims against the promotional program.
• Approve payments to retailers.
• Monitor promotional profitability - costs vs incremental sales ex-factory and store.
• Ensure strategies are being adhered to.

Marketing Managers and Product Managers use the system to do the following:

• See the promotional strategies in play for brands - and to see if these are consistent with agreed promotional guidelines to support brand strategies.
• See the chief impacts on marketing contribution as a result of strategies used.
• Model the impact of brand specific promotional strategies on costs and sales.

Finance people use the system as follows:

• To see the detailed build-up behind accrued commitments.
• See the projected investment position to the end of financial periods.
• Check the status of claims received.
• Provide more meaningful reports.
• Get more directly involved in assisting sales people with adhoc analysis and value added activities such as reviewing impact of changes to trading terms.