Sales & Distribution

Project Details (Pre & Post Mid)

The project will have two parts, the pre-mid part will have the field visit part , where I will expect you people to make at least a couple of market visits to see for yourself the operations of a channel partner.

Second, based on your visit you have to think through a specific issue which the group would want to investigate further. I will give a list of suggestive topics.

Submission deadlines are also given,

Field Visit Part of SDM Project (Pre-Mid)

The basic purpose of this part of the project is go and see for yourself the retail and distribution network of at least one firm. I am not looking at big numbers so even if the group were to do 3-4 retailers It is fine with me, but try to get into more depth with each of your interactions.

I will give you some pointers on what all should you look for in your field visits, 

I have taken the example of Parle Biscuits, 

Distributor Part

First the group needs to locate one of the distributors in the city and fix up an appointment with him and understand his operations, 

Number of companies he deals with.

Number of employees, turnover, infrastructure.

Market coverage (ex- number of retailers, wholesalers, routes 

His monthly targets, incentives.

The monthly schemes that he gets & is he happy with it.

Margin structure and credit terms.

How is vending machine business handled by him 

What about institutional orders and Organized retail

Use of technology at his end.

How long has been with Parle and his general experience with the company

What challenges does he face on a day-to-day basis.

The group needs make a one page Submission on the same

Small Shop Perspective

Visit a few Grocery Stores (try to have a variation: a few small ones, a larger one)

Observe - Display and space that he has.

Has he got any organized display ( try to get the money he is paid for)

Observe any POPs of TATA Tea / Dispensers

Ask him what sort of promotions he gets From Parle, margin

Any issues in terms of distributor not reaching him, or not being regular (which day of the week does he visit him)

Has any Tata tea executive ever visited him

Cash versus credit purchase

Does he ever buy from wholesaler, if yes which one?

Towards the end extend the discussion to general issues In distribution and his own operations 

Try and identify the challenges he typically faces in reaching out to distributors

General observations from a distribution Managers end in terms of what needs to be done to leverage the small retailer in terms of displays, schemes 

You could ask him to tell you about companies which he is most happy with and one he is most dissatisfied and reasons

The group needs make a one page Submission on the same

Wholesaler (Optional)

Lastly, try and visit a wholesaler

More of observation again, in terms of who buys from him, his credit terms,. Display and other challenges.

The most important part of the project other than the observations would be the group comments on the observations and where they think the distribution could improve. 

Output for Pre-mid

1. Three page report on Distributor observations Retailer observations +Group comments

2. One page proposed concept note on Post-mid part on the topic which you would want to further study.

SDM Project (Post-Mid)

I will expect that thru your pre-mid submission you will be able to identify a pertinent issue to study further.

1. Say a group were to decide to study the Maruti’s network then an extension could be further investigate the Nexa channel.

2. Groups studying Asian Paints could decide to study the various channel options that they started in recent time in further details.

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