The post Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud: The Ultimate Guide for Consumer Goods Businesses appeared first on Cynoteck.

Digitalization is changing the way customers shop – all thanks to the revolutionary technology that makes it easier to shop with many options – however, the power of traditional retail channels cannot be overlooked. This highlights the importance of focusing on the consumers. Hence several companies are now adopting new ways to improve retail execution and build stronger relationships with consumers throughout the value chain.  

Salesforce, a pioneer in customer relationship management (CRM) software, has increased the scope of its products with the launch of the Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud. This all-inclusive cloud solution is made to help companies in managing consumer items efficiently, streamlining retail planning, optimizing store visits, improving in-store productivity, and eventually increasing sales

We will look at the characteristics of the Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud and the many benefits it offers in this blog post. So, let us get right into it:

To understand everything about the new Salesforce consumer cloud, the very first thing to thoroughly understand is the concept of the Salesforce consumer goods cloud.

What is Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud?

Constructed on the Salesforce Platform, Consumer Goods Cloud by Salesforce is a comprehensive set of cloud-based software solutions to cater to the unique needs of the consumer goods sector.

It facilitates easy communication and collaboration among retailers, distributors, and customers, empowering brands, and retailers to streamline operations, enhance customer interactions, and boost revenue.

This innovative solution integrates the attractive features of Salesforce CRM with industry-specific capabilities to address challenges encountered by consumer-packaged goods companies. It expedites growth, streamlines operations, and enhances productivity across the entire organization, spanning from customer service to supply chain management.

Top 6 Benefits of Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud

1. Mobile Order Capture for Enhanced In-store Sales:  
   In-store sales have transformed the retail industry, boosting profitability and customer satisfaction. Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud improves sales to the next level, offering a mobile-friendly platform for sales professionals to capture orders efficiently and provide product recommendations. This user-friendly solution ensures smooth order management with accurate pricing, promotions, and discounts.  
2.  Improved Store Planning Capabilities:  
   Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud offers consumer goods companies an advanced solution for efficient planning and execution. This innovative platform equips sales managers with a comprehensive overview of sales targets, orders, discounts, and promotions, empowering them to make well-informed decisions.
   It ensures the smooth and efficient operation of all retail activities. Salesforce stands as a reliable software in the consumer goods industry, assisting in operational streamlining and achieving sales success.  
3. Optimized Store Layout Design:  
   In the realm of retail, inventory organization can differ from one store to another. Salesforce CG Cloud presents a solution for personalized templates based on specific store categories. This customization enhances productivity and efficiency throughout the shopping experience, from check-in to check-out. With Salesforce, businesses can refine their operations and provide a seamless, tailored shopping experience for customers.  
4. Accurate Shelf Auditing:  
   Managing store shelves and inventory becomes effortless with Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud. This robust solution improves inventory management, optimizes planogram creation, and ensures visual merchandising consistency.
   Utilizing features like Einstein Vision, businesses can scan shelves, monitor inventory, and identify out-of-stock products. Consumer Goods Cloud furthermore provides easy access to vital information on products, pricing, quantities, promotions, and discounts via mobile devices.
   It empowers businesses to personalize templates based on store categories, enhancing productivity, and delivering a seamless shopping experience.  
5. Efficient Store Visit Navigation:  
   Consumer Goods Cloud empowers field sales representatives, enhancing the efficiency of their activities and shop visits. For instance, sales representatives can effortlessly track each store visit, accessing details such as store name, location, visit duration, expected visit time, and any previous visits.
   With the Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud, this valuable information is readily available, enabling sales representatives to work effectively and access essential data quickly.
   This retail management software enhances retailer productivity, ensuring seamless operations and infusing a human touch into the sales process.  
6. Comprehensive Surveying for Valuable Insights:  
   Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud revolutionizes retail management by facilitating real-time promotions and seamless team collaboration.
   Businesses can make informed decisions and strategies with all their data consolidated on one platform. The platform also facilitates feedback gathering through surveys, enhancing customer understanding.   

Also, read: Salesforce B2C Commerce Cloud Implementation Guide

Impact of Salesforce Consumer Cloud on the retail sector

In the retail industry, the success of physical stores is pivotal for driving sales. Retailers need to prioritize effective store management, strategic product placement, and promotional approaches to grow and succeed. Enter Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud, a transformative solution reshaping store management services and assisting brands in cultivating robust customer relationships.  

Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud serves as a reliable solution, contributing to revenue generation and maximizing return on investment (ROI) by elevating retail execution capabilities. Powered by advanced analytics powered by Einstein AI, this cloud-based solution delivers valuable business intelligence to tackle intricate challenges.  

A notable impact of Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud is its empowerment of field representatives. They play a vital role in ensuring well-stocked store shelves with accurate pricing and promotions. Furthermore, sales executives can establish strong bond with retail channel partners, fostering collaboration and accelerating business growth.  

Retail companies can confidently turn to Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud to reach their objectives and gain a competitive edge. By harnessing the platform’s capabilities, they can streamline store operations, enrich customer experiences, and drive their business forward.  

Also, read: Salesforce for Property Management: Unveiling the Top 10 CRM Solutions

What features does Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud have?

Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud offers a variety of features to enhance the capabilities of sales representatives:  

1. Improved Visit Planning:  

• Field representatives gain access to a prioritized list of assigned store visits, along with suggested activities and in-app mapping for efficient routing.  
• Progress status across stores can be easily analyzed.  

2. Optimized Visit Execution:  

• Customizable templates for different store or segment types streamline various processes.  
• Covers planogram, inventory, return order processing, and surveys.  
• Mobile accessibility ensures consistent meetings of store-specific needs.  

3. Einstein AI Integration:  

• Leverages Einstein AI for improved compliance and product placements.  
• Utilizes Einstein Vision for Consumer Goods Cloud, providing object detection and image recognition.  
• Facilitates planogram checks, accessible inventory monitoring, and merchandising compliance.  

4. Effortless Orders and Data Capture:

• Enables representatives to capture orders seamlessly during store visits.  
• Records crucial information such as product details, quantities, and pricing using mobile devices.  

5. Time Management:

• Frees up field representatives’ time for relationship-building by minimizing manual auditing.  
• Allows reps to capture a shelf image for instant setup verification, eliminating the need for manual counting and data updates.  

6. Task Management System:

• Ensures completion of daily tasks by field representatives.  
• Provides accurate reporting and offers executives a comprehensive view of each visit.  

Also, read: How Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud Is Revolutionizing the Industry

Why adopt Consumer Goods Cloud?

There are several reasons to opt for the Consumer Goods Cloud. And following list of points will help you:  

1.  Business Scalability: 

In the competitive landscape of retail and consumer goods, many companies face challenges in finding comprehensive tools and data to maintain industry-leading standards and stay ahead of their customer base.

Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud (CGC) addresses this gap by providing actionable insights, empowering both large and niche consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies.   

The platform equips businesses with the information needed to make decisions that drive operational and strategic growth.

For instance, we collaborated with a client to streamline their sales processes using CGC, resulting in increased efficiency for front-end sales reps during store visits, informed restocking decisions for merchandisers, and optimized delivery routes for reps.  

2.  Future-Ready Preparation:

Salesforce CGC acts as an enabling tool, often unlocking differentiators for businesses by enhancing efficiency and freeing up time for strategic activities. It allows companies to standardize processes, reducing manual efforts for front-line teams and supervisors.   

For example, in-store reps can easily identify required retail activities, and managers can track visit productivity.  

With the introduction of Salesforce’s trade promotion management (TPM), CGC’s data model supports features like sales volume forecasting and promotion planning. This empowers companies to focus on strategic value-added activities and stay prepared for the future.  

3.  Building on Existing Suites: 

Common aspirations for CPG and retail companies include a 360-degree view of retail activities, effective customer segmentation, and increased field reps’ efficiency. Before Salesforce CGC, many relied on Field Service Lightning (FSL) for these needs. However, with evolving business goals, FSL alone may fall short.   

For example, we assisted a client in migrating direct store delivery (DSD) capabilities to CG Cloud, achieving a unified Salesforce architecture. The success story demonstrates how CGC and FSL seamlessly integrate, providing an integrated solution to meet evolving business goals.  

Also, read: Salesforce for Small Business: How it can be helpful

What to consider when getting started with Consumer Goods Cloud?

Evaluating Workforce and Systems:  

Historically, a gap exists between business and IT within many organizations. While business leaders may prioritize metrics, the challenge lies in locating the data. It is essential for IT to synthesize and deliver the necessary data for business success.   

At the enterprise level, understanding how data flows and systems interact is crucial. Companies need to assess their organizational skills to strike the right balance between understanding business and technology needs before embarking on a successful CGC transformation.  

Understanding Business Requirements:  

From a Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) perspective, it is crucial to identify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), metrics, and data necessary to enhance processes and drive positive change.   

By recognizing these business needs and prioritizing relevant KPIs, companies can effectively leverage core aspects of the Consumer Goods Cloud (CGC), such as retail execution and planogram checks, to achieve desired outcomes and ensure success.  

Assessing Data Architecture:  

The value of CGC is fully realized when the right data is accessible and integrated into daily-use systems for business leaders and decision-makers. The Salesforce platform, equipped with necessary connectors, facilitates Master Data Management (MDM) benefits.   

The seamless integration of Salesforce and CGC with external systems, like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERPs) and data warehouses, ensures data consistency and accuracy across various aspects such as accounts, products, pricing, and discounts.  

Considering Change Management:  

Introducing new processes or technology requires careful consideration of change management. Whether transitioning to cloud-based solutions or adopting Salesforce for the first time, companies need to assess the needs of current and future users. Recognizing that users might expect a recreation of their previous processes, it is essential to address changes early on.   

Consumer Goods Cloud’s success lies in its robust data model, offering an opportunity to improve and redefine existing processes, empowering users to gain efficiencies and insights. It is crucial to communicate early on how processes have improved with the introduction of Salesforce CGC.  

Also, read: Salesforce Lightning vs Classic: A Comparative Analysis

For better assistance: 

Cynoteck guides businesses through the implementation process, as a Salesforce Gold Partner with its expertise in Salesforce, they facilitate a seamless transition by configuring features and tailoring CGC to specific needs. Their proficiency extends to customizing CGC, integrating it with existing systems, and ensuring a smooth data flow for consistency. The company provides thorough training sessions, empowering users to maximize CGC’s benefits, coupled with ongoing support for uninterrupted operations. 

Conducting assessments of current data architecture, Cynoteck optimizes data management within CGC, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for informed decision-making. Leveraging years of experience, the company helps businesses in strategic planning, aligning CGC usage with overarching goals.

Cynoteck’s commitment to continuous improvement ensures businesses stay updated on evolving CGC features, deriving sustained value from the platform. Cynoteck furthermore emerges as a valuable partner, guiding businesses to successfully implement, customize, and optimize Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud, fostering enhanced efficiency and growth.  

Conclusion   

When initiating the implementation of Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud (CGC), thoughtful planning is essential for success. Organizations should evaluate their internal processes, technology stack, and existing data structure before diving in.   

And equally important is the need to establish clear business goals and identify the metrics essential for achieving them. Together, these elements serve as the guiding star and roadmap for a company to thrive with Salesforce CGC. Positioned on a platform with ever-expanding capabilities, companies that lead with CGC are poised to maintain market leadership among their peers by utilizing its evolving features and growing capabilities.  

Also, read: The Complete Guide to Salesforce Outsourcing: Streamlining Success

 Frequently Asked Questions:  

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