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Cloud for Customer Retail Execution

May 6, 2014 | 1,181 Views |
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Hello everyone,

Over the time I have written several blogs about SAP Cloud for Customer topics. I have posted these on The Acorel Blog. To share the knowledge I thougt it would be a could idea to share these blogs in this community as well.

The blog posted here was written in September last year. As Cloud for Customer functionality is rapidly expanding and improving some of the information may already be outdated. This blog however gives you a good idea of the Retail Execution functionality in Cloud for Customer.

If you are interested in more Cloud for Customer blogs, please visit the Acorel Company Blog here, and read more about SAP Cloud for Customer and other SAP CRM related topics.

New in the August release

Last July the SAP Cloud for Customer upgrade to version 13.05 was released. This version has quite some new and enhanced functionality. Specifically marketing functionality was added. As of this release SAP Cloud for Customer offers tight integration with Marketo and campaign execution functions for example direct e-mail campaigns have been improved considerably.
In he latest August release (13.08) the cloud solution is improved even more. In this version SAP improved existing functionality and again added more. There are quite a lot of new and improved features in this release. If you are interested to receive a detailed overview with illustrations and examples please let me know and I will send you this overview.
In this blog I would like to focus on a new area in SAP Cloud for Customer. The CRM solution portfolio includes industry specific solutions like industry solutions for utilities, banking, media, healthcare etcetera. It only seems logical that we are beginning to see Cloud for Customer Industry solutions as well. In the latest release the first Industry cloud solution is introduced, SAP Cloud for Sales Retail Execution for the Consumer Products industry. It contains new functionality for creating store visit plans and surveys. I would like to explain the retail solution configuration and use with this little scenario.

Business scenario

Suppose we are in the home decoration paint business. As a sales rep you are responsible for the sales in retail outlets such as home decoration outlets and DIY stores. You visit these retail shops frequently to make sure your brand has an optimal display among all other competing brands and that the retailer has sufficient point of sales materials like inspirational brochures, paint samples and paint mixing facilities.
To support you in your daily business you prepare your visit, and make use of scheduled tasks and the use of checklists for a Retail Store Visit report. To make things easier you carry an iPad to enter all the information during the store visit.
Retail execution is a set of features that enables field sales personnel to plan and record site visits and activities while on site at the account. The following functionality is used:
Surveys: The system administrator can create surveys for sales representatives to complete during store visits. You use surveys as checklists, or to answer questions about the store and how your products are presented there.
Activity plans: Activity plans are lists of recommended or mandatory activities that the sales representative is tasked with while at a customer site.
Activity plan routing rules: Routing rules enable the administrator to automatically assign activity plans to different accounts, locations, or employees.
Once the administrator has set up the necessary surveys, activity plans, and routing rules, sales users can work in SAP Cloud for Customer for iPad to plan site visits and collect visit information while on site.

Creating a survey

The administrator is tasked with creating surveys. The survey is intended to be used as a Store Checklist. In this example I have created two simple checklists called Store check (DIY) and Store check (Professional). The idea behind this is that I have specific checklists for different retailers with a different set of questions. Depending on the sales region and responsible employee the correct survey(s) can be selected when the salesrep visits the store.

Preparations

    1. First of all when your Cloud for Customer Tenant is upgraded to 13.08 the new Workcenters needed for Retail Execution are not immediately available.
    2. Before you can add the specific Workcenters you have to extent the project scope of your implementation and include Visits, Activity Planner and Surveys in your project scope (see image below).
    3. Complete the steps and click on Finish.
    4. Next you can add the workcenters Activity Planner, Visits and Surveys to the business role you are using or assign them directly to the business user.
Editing the project scope
    1. When done go to the Surveys workcenter (as administrator) and create a new survey. Start by creating a new section after which you can add questions and answers. The type of questions could be single or multiple choice, an amount or quantity or just plain text. You can define the values for the answers yourself and control the question and answer sequence.
setting up the survey
    1. With the Preview button you can see the result of the survey as it is presented to the salesrep during the store visit. When you are satisfied choose Actions–>Activate to make the survey
      available.
      Survey preview

Activity Routing Rules

I would like to present the store visit survey for DIY retailers only when the salesrep visits  DIY outlets. Suppose that within a region you have two salesreps, each responsible for either DIY or in store outlets. Presenting the correct survey can be done by adding a routing rule, which contains two conditions. In this example I will create a rule, which is a combination of territory and user. The Account owner for DIY outlets in territory 74 (Region = Utrecht) only can select the DIY store survey.

Create Activity Plan

Go to Activity Planner→Plans. Here I have created an activity plan. The plan itself has a couple of tasks assigned. These tasks will guide the salesrep in preparing the store visit. One of the tasks has notes and a document attachment so the salesperson can use this for instructions or reference during the actual visit. The previously created Store Check DIY survey is assigned to this activity plan.

Tasks and survey assigned to the activity plan

Plan your store visits

In the previous steps the administrator has set up the surveys and the Activity plan. The activity plan contains relevant tasks to perform and the store visit survey that is to be completed during the visit. Now it is up to the salesrep to plan the store visits.This can be done on the browser, or on an iPad. The salesrep first checks which account he needs to visit. He has a nice overview in the Visit Planner. In the list view he can see which of his own accounts are due for visit, what the visit frequency is or when the last visit date was. There are default search queries to make a selection but of course you can create your own query.

Overview of scheduled visits

When a visit is created he can add tasks or surveys to the visit. You can add items to help you document your visit. These items are predefined in activity plans by the system administrator, and may include general checklists, industry-specific surveys, or recommended tasks to complete while you are onsite. To view these items and add the relevant ones, do the following:

    1. Under Visits, open one of your visits.
    2. To add standard tasks, choose Tasks–>Add
    3. A list of predefined tasks appears. Select the ones that are relevant for this visit.
    4. To add standard surveys or checklists, choose Surveys–>Add. A list of predefined surveys appears. Select the ones that are relevant for this visit.
Select pre defined task
Select pre defined survey


Record visit information

When all visits are planned the salesrep is good to go. During the store visit the salesrep uses an iPad to fill in the survey, take notes or pictures. During the store visit the following task are completed:

  1. Checking in captures the date and time and opens the visit for editing, allowing you to record information a bout this visit in the system.
  2. During your site visit, you can open each task, survey, or checklist and process it accordingly.
  3. Open the task or survey and complete the items it contains.
  4. Submit the survey
  5. Check out
On the iPad the sales rep can see the scheduled visits or plan new visits.
At first you might not see the Visits workcenter on the iPad. Just scroll the workcenter column a little to the top and there its is.
Open the planned visit to see the details. Once the planned visits aresynchronized the salesrep can access the visit, tasks and survey offline.
The proposed tasks and survey(s) can be selected on the iPad if not previously done in the browser version (PC or laptop). When you click on the Check in button the visit is ready to record the store visit.
The survey can be completed on or offline and photo’s can be attached to the visit.
Submit the survey when complete. Once you check out the visit is completed.

Wrap up

With the new retail execution solution in SAP Cloud for Customer salesreps are supported with enhanced retail functionality. SAP Cloud for Customer offers new standard reports to report on survey results.
Standard reports available to report on survey results
Retail execution is available with offline capability on iPad, and benefits not only Consumer Products companies but also any company with regular customer visits.
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5 Comments

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  2. Carolina Haas

    Hi, great info! Can you please confirm Retail Execution has no extra cost for customer?

    For example, if we sell C4C sales reatil execution doers not have any extra cost? Thanks!

    (0) 

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