I recently got a call from a concerned customer of a certain competing mobile data collection software solution that was recently acquired. This customer had spent over two years working with this provider to collect valuable information. Now, the distributor was forced to make significant concessions and risked losing all they’d built.

When it comes to data tracking and asset management, the market has many software solutions that promise to save time and money. It's easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer number of options when deciding on the right approach for your business. If you're looking for a simple overview to outline the most popular solutions' features and benefits, you've come to the right place.

Many will hear the term "Compliance Management" and immediately think of a function completed by the legal department. In today's world, compliance management is no longer just for legal. While there are some things related to legal compliance, there are many more related to general distribution and retail operations you as a company needs to be aware of to be successful today.

Wherever you spend your money, big data isn’t far behind. The big data industry is projected to be worth $77 billion by 2023, and for good reason: a whopping 79% of enterprise executives say that not embracing big data puts companies at risk for extinction. Data and analytics are increasingly critical to your bottom line. But how exactly can do analytics turn into tangible dollars?

Imagine the following scenario. While running your daily operations, you maintain your inventory shelves neatly stocked. As is common practice, you order materials periodically from the same provider in hopes these sell-through.

Jim Collins states in his book Good to Great that execution is key to the success of any company. While you can have a great strategy, strategy alone will not overcome poor execution. He also talks about how the use of technology helps good companies to execute better. But note that technology will never save a company that is already in trouble. So how does this relate to the world of retail, distribution, and the business world we live in today?

Whether are you the manager of a large corporation or a small business owner, introducing and conducting retail audits can benefit your company. From the highest to lowest ends of the chain of command, retail audits keep your business goals in mind, as well as your field teams more organized and up-to-date.

Although some have been forewarning against the “retail apocalypse” for some time now, brick-and-mortar stores still exist; and while they seem to be evolving, retail is not going away. However, in order to compete with their ubiquitous online counterparts, retailers face increasing pressure to execute flawlessly.

How big of a problem are Out of Stocks? According to CNBC, retailers lost $634.1 Billion in 2015, and that number is continuing to grow every year. As of 2018, that number has grown up to be $984 Billion, according to IHL Group. So how prevalent is the issue? 1 in 3 shoppers finds at least one item out of stock when they go to the store.

The world faces an uncertain and challenging time with the rise of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Companies are closing locations indefinitely, restaurants and bars are closing to dine-in patrons, and all schools are closed in over 20 states. With circumstances changing as quickly as you can create policy and directives, your field teams need ways to give you information directly from the field. Mobile data collection tools like EasyCheck give you an edge on the competition by knowing firsthand your operations' state. EasyCheck also gives you the peace of mind to see where you need to focus your attention and not waste time on meaningless tasks.

EasyCheck has decided to cancel our participation in the WSWA Conference 2020 in Las Vegas due to numerous concerns related to the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. We have spent a considerable amount of time looking at options and feel this is the best option due to this outbreak's progression.

According to David Stokes, the owner of Grey Eagle Distributors in St. Louis, who was quoted in a recent article in the Wall St. Journal, “Wholesalers are wrestling with a decision right now.” He goes on to say “Do you continue to invest behind Bud Light and make a little bit less money right now to build for the long term, or do you cut costs to try to maintain the health of the bottom line?”

In the beverage distribution industry, it is widely understood that compliance to brand and legal standards is not only scarce, but also costly. These mistakes hamper your execution and often result in fines, losses, or outright damage to your gross sales profit. Nevertheless, software technologies can easily alleviate the gaping wounds by auditing your warehouses or field operations.

Data and its corresponding metrics drive almost every industry in the modern economy. It does not matter if the business is real estate, financial, medical, politics, technology, or food & beverage. Data collected from a myriad of sources influences every decision made in business, and the art and science of data collection, interpretation, and application will only continue to evolve.

One of the biggest nightmares for retailers, distributors and even the end customer is an out-of-stock item. After all, when a customer enters your store looking to buy a particular product, and it's out of stock, you lose a sale. These may even turn things worse since your customer may think that when they need to buy something in the future, they may choose to not go to your store. After all, they left empty-handed the last time they tried to buy from you.

Imagine that your business just underwent a new hire. As is often the case with new team members, they will need training in order to be educated about proper compliance and business processes. Within their first few days, they might require some time-consuming oversight to ensure proper execution. Nevertheless, failure to adhere to these guidelines, even for reasons as banal as a new hire, could result in customer complaints, subpar delivery, or worse…

In the competitive landscape of retail, price checking has emerged as a critical strategy for businesses to increase their profits. As consumers become more price-conscious, businesses need to stay ahead by being aware of their competitors' pricing. Regular price checking allows businesses to adjust their product pricing strategies promptly, predict market trends, and be proactive in their marketing efforts. It also leads to more efficient pricing strategies by providing insights into competitors' pricing behaviors. Furthermore, consistent price checking gives businesses a competitive edge by enabling them to respond quickly to price changes in the market. Tools like EasyCheck can facilitate this process by providing real-time data gathering and efficient data aggregation.

We typically bring you informational content on software solutions, but this week we are feeling festive and patriotic. As such, we want to wish America a happy (late) birthday by showcasing our favorite beers that give back to this country's military. By consuming these brews, you will not only please your taste buds, but you can also feel comfortable knowing that your purchase money funded a charitable organization.

SaaS or software as a service is a distribution model for software where vendors are hosting an application and are made available to customers over the internet. SaaS solution providers give their clients network-based access to a single copy of an application that was created specifically for SaaS distribution.

Up until the latter part of the 20th century, an intelligent and definitive way to harvest and interpret data for the on-premises consumption of alcohol simply did not exist. Manufacturers and suppliers had to depend upon the “gut instinct” and experience of their respective field teams to provide them with the data that would allow to better market their products.