Counterpoint Podcast

In the last episode we did a breakdown of typical supply chain problems and how they are all linked to the practice of manufacturing as per forecasts. In this episode we propose a solution by going back to the basics of inventory management. This simple solution can ensure that the right product is available at the right place at the right time. Then, the company does not have to lose a single cus...

Try to visualize this - a phone manufactured in China must reach an Indian retailer just before a consumer walks in demanding that make and model. If it arrives too late, it’s a lost sale. If it arrives too early, it adds to the inventory carrying cost of the retailer. Is it possible to ensure that no customer is ever disappointed, while also keeping your retailers happy? If we understand what pre...

In the last episode we discussed how to win long-term loyalty of retailers. However, in many product categories there can be other influencers for a purchase- it could be architects/ carpenters for furniture, masons/engineers for construction products, mechanics for automobiles and so on. These influencers can strongly and positively sway the end customers towards a specific brand.   So, as we pro...

Most companies try hard to win retailer loyalty through various temporary offers and schemes. However, these standard, time bound, volume-slab wise, schemes do not promote any real loyalty (retailers opportunistically shift between different schemes to secure the best possible deal); these schemes exclude small retailers almost completely (as they cannot pick up enough volume to qualify); and ofte...

In the first episode, we present to you the ubiquitous Month-End Skew in sales. In distribution companies the usual sales pattern is 10:20:30:40 over the four weeks of a month. This sales pattern is popularly described as the “Hockey Stick” sales syndrome and is accepted as a normal industry phenomenon. It is not often realized that this hockey stick does huge damage in terms of lost sales and pre...

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