CJ Contact Solutions launches innovative FMCG distribution service
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CJ Contact Solutions, a specialist division of leading in-store marketing company CJ Services, today confirmed the launch of an innovative new service developed specifically to help FMCG marketers close gaps in distribution across symbol group convenience retailers nationally. Over 40 leading FMCG brands including Muller, GSK, Weetabix and Redbull have already signed up to the new service.
The official launch of the company’s new VOICE service – developed under an exclusive partnership agreement with Silverstone based retail data specialist SalesOut – follows several months of successful ‘live’ brand trials for within three of the UK’s leading symbol groups, Nisa, CostCutter and Londis.
CJ Contact Solutions chosen name for its new service is reflective of the unique approach it takes to its store contact Field Marketing activity, using call centre expertise to follow up targeted direct marketing and up-sell brands’ products by highlighting volume opportunities, selling in promotions, supporting new line launches and closing gaps in core ranges to targeted symbol group convenience retailers.
Howard Becker, divisional director of CJ Contact Solutions said: “This is not only an important launch for CJ Contact Solutions, but a first for the industry. It’s a highly cost-effective new route to market for FMCG marketers and account managers, providing an opportunity to close key distribution points in over 4,000 Symbol Convenience Stores by directly and consistently engaging with key decisions makers on a localised store level.”
Becker believes that through its VOICE solution, CJ Contact Solutions will give participating FMCG brands a real point of difference where localised competition over range selection decisions is fierce.
The support service works by sending bespoke branded direct mail to stores, targeted according to historical sales and ordering data. This is then followed by call centre activity to influence individual store managers’ purchase decisions by outlining details of products and offers, and up-selling other products in the range that meet a store’s specific range profile. FMCG brands will be able to monitor activity online, as well as receiving detailed activity reports at weekly intervals – providing in-depth sales data on reorders, retained distribution and decay.
“At last there is someone in the marketplace that can say, with confidence spend £1 and get £4 back 6 weeks later at the GP level” says Becker. “Our weekly tracking gives brand owners and sales managers complete visibility on their brand retention, repeat sales and ROI. Given the economic pressures globally, everyone is rightly looking at all aspects of cost, this new service gives the brand and sales teams the reasons to invest with us to drive their share of category.”
Although primarily developed to support the needs of the brands, the launch of VOICE is sure to bring secondary benefits to individual store managers – enabling them to more effectively manage volume, range and availability opportunities in-store.
