Ways to manage two years of uncertainty
Here’s a shocker: I’m predicting that in the next two years the retailers who meet shoppers’ needs best will gain market share at the expense of those who lose focus. And there’s more. I believe the suppliers who best meet the needs of those retailers will have the largest share gains. Marketplace uncertainty is here […]
New suppliers are kept out by buyers but it should be an open invitation
How is it that Waitrose has captured the market in being approachable to new suppliers? It gets the true innovation to market first every time. Even though the big four desperately need to differentiate, getting a meeting with any one of them requires you to be a savvy experienced supplier. These established suppliers recycle the […]
The sales job has changed, but grocery always leads the way
I thought it was now accepted that relationship in selling is not as important as it was. But James Halliwell’s feature (‘Death of a salesman?’, 20 August, p28) revealed 75% disagree that a data-driven approach, rather than a relationship-based one, helps make you a better salesperson. I’m afraid it does, folks. The art of selling is alive […]
Planning a Cost Price Increase? Speak to us first…
With your customers wanting lower prices whilst at the same time your costs are going up we know that getting a cost price increase away is one of the most challenging commercial situations suppliers can face – with wide ranging implications for your business if it isn’t executed well. At Sentinel, Industry expert and commentator […]
Morrisons are not invisible to the Groceries Code Adjudicator
So something good DID come of the Tesco investigation. In my speech at last year’s GCA conference, I referenced unbalanced demands issued by Morrisons to its suppliers. Little did I know, around the same time (in June and July 2015) the GCA received evidence that Morrisons had requested lump sums to be paid – with […]
Sentinel now offer consumer marketing training workshops via our partnership with Geneva based company ‘Magnetic’
Consumer and Brand Marketing Training We have teamed up with Magnetic, a creative and strategic consumer marketing company. Magnetic have a unique approach to consumer and brand marketing training, coaching and mentoring. They show you how to make your marketing more insightful and your creative assets more impactful to help you get it right first […]
Suppliers must make the effort to walk the store, if nothing else
Account managers know they should do store visits, but once they are listed it’s the first routine they drop. Higher up the organisation it gets worse; sales directors are too important. Wandering around shops is job of the retail bosses, right? Yes, but that makes it your job, too. The point of purchase is the […]
Remove barriers to communication, but beware barking dogs
In selling, information is king and the best source of customer information is, of course, your customer. It’s a nice old-fashioned truism and with all the talk of collaboration these days we should dust off some of these pearls and cautiously lower our guard to try an open dialogue and ‘reset’ buyer rapport. Back in […]
The language might have changed, but the pressure is the same
Put your hands in the air and give me your money – this is a stick-up’. Or as it’s now said: ‘Hold hands and play fair, I request your partnership investment – this is an opportunity.’ It’s fascinating how retailer demands are now phrased to be code -compliant. ‘Investment’ not ‘support’, ‘request’ not ‘demand’. Asda […]
Asda is back in play – watertight ways to deal with desperation
After months of silence and reorganisation, Asda is now engaging with its suppliers on 2016 plans. It wants your money into cost of goods to bring down the everyday price, following Tesco beautifully. Sainsbury’s has also made a similar play for today’s market: it’s all about the COGs, not the lumps and bumps of support […]
