Title: Real-Time Sales Planning and Performance Management (SPPM) – A Collaborative Cloud Solution for Multi-Level Distribution Channels
Motivation: With increasing globalization, manufacturers rely on distribution channels – comprising national sales organizations, independent distributors and retailers – to sell their products on local markets. However, the costs of these distribution channels are high, and sales activities are often not systematically managed and coordinated. The current way of working can be substantially improved through increasing transparency and measurability in the sales process.
Project Objectives: This project conceptualizes an innovative real-time sales planning and performance management approach for multi-level distribution channels (business innovation), which is implemented as a collaborative cloud solution and takes advantage of in-memory and mobile technologies (technology innovation).
Business innovation: As a proactive approach, SPPM relies on process-oriented KPI to assess sales performance, instead of result or revenue-oriented KPIs. It aligns top-down and bottom-up performance management, thereby coordinating key sales activities and targets of the different stakeholders at retail, wholesale and manufacturer level. SPPM covers the complete performance management cycle:
- Plan (and set targets)
- Act (and measure)
- Monitor (and visualize)
- Review (and correct)
Technology innovation: In this project, we are looking into cloud and mobile technologies, as well as in-memory computing in order to provide an easy-to-use tool for real-time sales planning and performance management to sales employees and managers. As a collaborative cloud solution, SPPM supports the different levels and roles in the sales channels with role-specific mobile or Web frontends to plan and manage their sales performance in real-time.
Project approach: The first year focusses on the automotive industry, whereas we will extend the concept to other industries.
Funding: The Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI)
Duration: 24 months (April 2014 – March 2016)
Team: Christine Legner, Thomas Boillat, Andrea Giessmann
Partner: proaxia consulting group, CMT