Despite the growth of modern trade in many African countries, traditional trade continues to represent a significant opportunity, as long as these duka’s or spaza’s continue to serve their shoppers’ needs.

Traditional trade in emerging markets creates an essential element of local livelihoods, provides employment, maintains a social hub for communities, and can be a valuable source of knowledge about micro-markets. To compound the importance, based on the sheer size of the market, even a small market share within this space could have a major impact on the top line.

Remaining Competitive

In order to remain competitive, Consumer Packaged Goods value chains must place greater emphasis on building consumer demand, route to market efficiency and sales empowerment. Enabling the same rights, engagement and access to inventory is crucial to supporting the community through troubled times.

There is no doubt that the pandemic has changed the way we operate, accelerating many digital transformation projects across all industries and functions. As we adapt and transform, we need to embrace the role of technology in ‘the new normal’. So how does the supply chain adapt? Mobile technology implementations offer a solution that not only addresses these challenges but also adds significant value to improve efficiency and line of sight throughout the value chain.

Mobile Technology

Furthermore, B2B buyers have more power than ever before. A preference for self-service and eCommerce — accelerated by social distancing — is also changing the nature of buyer-vendor engagement.

The prevalence of smarter devices with cheaper data in everyday life, is making it possible to launch apps in trade at faster rates with lower training and enablement requirements.

Empowering main market retailers and spazas to generate their own orders through a technology platform is an important step that will significantly benefit your business while providing your customers’ the autonomy and ability to manage their requirements.

Enable Merchants

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits to a B2B eCommerce app that enable self-service sales, such as STOREApp.

1. Reduce the number of Calls in Trade

Through enabling self-service sales, the business is able to reduce the number of calls a sales rep or trade marketer must make on a client. This is particularly important during current social distancing and other health and safety protocols. Reps can be shifted to key account manager focused on relationship and loyalty instead of order taking. In optimizing call cycles, reps are also able to call on larger territories previously not reach due to capacity.

2. Always on Sales

Unlike a rep, an eCommerce app does not check off work, take leave or have down time. Customers are able to make order when and wherever. A fully responsive sales force powered by technology makes for greater customer satisfaction – resulting in more sales at a lower overhead.

3. Self Service Track and Trace

Line if sight goes both ways. From the buyer’s perspective, a self-service platform provides the open, connected, and immediate experience. It creates trust and transparency. More importantly, it provides the ability to keep track of stock levels, order history, promotions and pricing. From the vendor’s perspective, a sales app integrated directly into RTM distribution aids anticipation, planning, and adapting to the changing climate and patterns.

The Solution

STOREApp for FIELDForce is a modularised mobile B2B self-service sales app that offers your merchants within your Route to Market the ability to order direct at their own convenience. The backend system is fully integrated into your existing FIELDForce sales and distribution platform allowing business to run an entire distribution supply chain, keeping track of stock and sales. Enable your Trade Marketers, Sales and Field Force to shift to account managers focused on relationships and loyalty rather than simple order takers.