Accelerate Sales with the best performance enhancer
An interview with RPM’s Partners, Mark Duss and Chris Booth, as it appeared in the July issue of MMR.
Q: What is Retail Performance Management?
A: RPM is a retail management and consulting organization designed to help manufacturers succeed at store level. Our goal is to provide turn-key solutions that allow manufacturers to place an enhanced focus on improving their selling conditions at retail and their compliance levels as well.
Q: What is the compelling idea that drives RPM?
A: RPM was built on the premise of making retail ``come alive.'' We are committed to creating genuine excitement for establishing retail excellence. We strive to help manufacturers enhance their perceptions of retail execution, and to better identify and optimize its value. The process for achieving success is often viewed as a tedious, cumbersome journey that is difficult to manage and tangibly measure. Many see it as an expense rather than a contributing factor to success. There are numerous capable and qualified field organizations available to manufacturers, so it is really a matter of how well they work with those organizations and guide them toward their goals. We offer our clients the products and services to successfully facilitate the process.
Q: Who can best utilize the services you provide?
A: Our current clients and many prospective partners seem to maintain a specific profile. First, they all recognize that in-store representation can add value. Next, although each is unique in its needs, they all have a reason for utilizing retail services. Some are disenchanted with the service that they are currently getting and others are new to the pursuit and unsure of just how to get started. Most importantly, they often acknowledge that they do not have the time, manpower, or expertise to manage the process effectively.
Q: How do RPM's services and expertise deal with these issues?
A: We have built our services around the key areas that drive successful retail performance. These include experience, focus, command and control. As principal partners of RPM we have over 32 years of combined experience in sales and retail management. This includes involvement as a manufacturer, service provider and retailer. Our solid understanding of the ultimate goals of the manufacturer, coupled with our history of working for and with retail service organizations, helps us bring the two parties closer together and makes each more successful. Functioning as an extension of the manufacturer allows RPM to provide the focus and flexibility required to deliver success at retail. In turn, this also allows the manufacturer to maintain its focus on achieving sales goals. Ultimately, we tailor solutions that allow manufacturers to take control of their retail-management operation.
Q: What types of services have been requested most often?
A: Our clients all utilize our services a bit differently. Some employ us to become their outsourced retail management team. In those cases they ask us to assume complete control over managing their retail initiatives. This includes strategy development, selection of service providers, contract negotiation, implementation and performance evaluation. Others ask us to play more of a consultative role in which we help them to assess their current go-to-market strategy and/or provide a focus on a specific aspect of the retail-management process. Along with that, many of our clients currently benefit from an array of services/products such as our Gap Map tm, a tool that analyzes the quality of distribution; Product Availability Reporting, or PAR tm; Market Audits; Retail Presence Scorecards; and Speed-to-Market programs for new-item launches and promotional-compliance projects. RPM prides itself on being able to help its clients improve in many facets of their business. Our network of qualified partners extends into areas well beyond retail execution. For example, our affiliation with CMS Consulting Inc. supplies our clients with access to share-group participation, sales training and sales-research tools.
Q: What would you like RPM to be known for?
A: Two things. First, we would like RPM to be recognized as the company that took the industry to the next level of performance in retail management. Second, we would like to be viewed as a “turn-key” solution for improving our clients’ approach to managing their merchandising efforts. We are confident that we can help make the investment in retail service a rewarding endeavor, and believe RPM can have a lasting and favorable impact on their business. That is why we urge companies “to call RPM before they do anything at retail.”