For a decade, we've been setting a new merchandising standard

Client

Coca-Cola HBC is one of the world's most recognizable brands, with a presence in more than 200 markets. The company's portfolio is one of the strongest, broadest and most comprehensive in the beverage industry. It offers leading consumer brands in the categories of sodas, juices, water, energy drinks, ready-to-drink teas, coffee, adult sodas, beer and premium spirits. The company has been a trendsetter in the carbonated beverage industry for years and is constantly investing in developing sales strategies in various markets.

Challenge

The cooperation with Coca-Cola began in 2014, and has evolved over more than 10 years with the growing expectations of the client. The initial challenge was to unify sales processes closely linked to  optimize merchandising activities. Coca-Cola measured itself against:

• Lack of a consistent employee billing system,
• Limited control over the implementation of activities,
• High operating costs,
• Lack of tools to measure the effectiveness of merchandising and its impact on sales.

The main objective of undertaking the cooperation was to improve team management and professionalize product presentation at points of sale, while increasing the efficiency of operations and optimizing costs.

Solution

In order to meet Coca-Cola's challenges, Cursor implemented a comprehensive, structured effort in three stages to fully professionalize and optimize merchandising processes:

As part of this phase, we undertook the following activities:

• We developed support for the implementation of merchandising standards by creating detailed planograms, specifying the precise placement of products on the shelves. The result of these activities was to ensure a consistent and uniform presentation of the assortment at all points of sale, which is understood as a picture of success in the effective implementation of display strategies
• Monitoring the work of merchandisers: We have put in place systems that allow for the ongoing control of the implementation of visits (the ability to control whether visits are carried out according to plan, e.g., completion of the visit on the agreed date or indication of the reason for its absence, and the execution of quality tasks, such as product age verification (FEFO)
• Keeping employee turnover to a minimum: We ensured timely payment and access to training and professional development opportunities, which translated into increased commitment and team stability, effectively minimizing staff turnover.

These expectations included:

• Innovation - developing new products and introducing innovative marketing solutions to attract customers
• Effective promotional activities - providing marketing support, including promotions and activities to increase the visibility of products in the store
• High quality customer service - providing properly trained service, including after-sales service
• Customization of the assortment - possibility to use a wide range of flavors and accessories
•  Logistics cooperation - simplification of basic supplies and proper inventory management
• Responsiveness - the ability to adapt quickly to changing market trends and customer needs

At this stage, we set two main goals:

1. use of new technologies and analytical tools

As part of our merchandising tasks, we implemented the MerchMobiler tool, a state-of-the-art mobile application that enables:

• Ongoing monitoring of merchandiser visits,
• Photographic documentation of the exhibition,
• Quickly assess the quality of task performance,
• Instant communication with built-in chat.

MerchMobiler was additionally integrated with the Power BI platform, which enabled ongoing analysis of data and rapid response to any deviations from the established norms. As a result, it was possible to raise service standards and guarantee full transparency of implemented activities for the customer.

2. restructure the team and introduce mobile merchandisers

Data analysis identified the need for greater flexibility in field operations. The answer was the introduction of the service of a mobile merchandiser, whose competencies are analogous to the customer's sales representatives. The new work model was aimed at:

• Raising service standards,
• Immediate response in emergency situations,
• Quick action in response to comments from Coca-Cola sales representatives,
• Ability to replace or support representatives in sales activities.

This has made it possible to respond quickly to changing market needs, which has significantly improved the quality of service.

The main functionalities of MM Online are:

• Real-time labor monitoring: Enables tracking of employee activity for full transparency of operations.
• Automatic report generation: The system generates detailed visit reports to facilitate performance analysis and data-driven decision-making.
• Controlling the implementation of planograms: The application supports the enforcement of established display standards, which is crucial for a consistent brand image.
• Fast communication: With chat features and push notifications, it is possible to instantly share information and respond to current needs.

MM Online's integration with the Power BI platform allows for ongoing monitoring of results and quick strategy adjustments, which significantly increases the effectiveness of merchandising activities.

Effects of cooperation

Continuous improvement of the various elements that make up merchandising processes  has been the foundation of our partnership with Coca-Cola .

Thanks to the cooperation with Cursor, Coca-Cola has not only streamlined its processes, but also significantly improved the quality of sales service on the Polish market.

Currently, we have almost 600 outlets of the traditional market in continuous service, and in the modern market we have more than 300 including all hypermarket chains Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, Kaufland, Selgros. We make more than 600 visits every month.

We are hiring for the project on a permanent basis:

Our cooperation with Coca-Cola is an example of a partnership that is truly changing market standards. For over a decade, we have been jointly developing a merchandising model that today combines operational precision with flexibility and technology. Thanks to mobile teams, the MM Online application, and integration with Power BI, we provide our client not only with people, but also with data that matters. And we do it in real time.

Tomasz StaszczukGroup Account DirectorCursor