Supply Chains Can Protect the Environment and Your Interests

Infosys’ experts identify opportunities in the supply chain to reduce the carbon footprint of a consumer product and realize cost savings. They discuss how transportation and logistics provide opportunities to pursue sustainability initiatives and deliver measurable business results.

The Next Frontier for Trade Promotion Management

Consumer Packaged Goods companies can capitalize on outsourcing to transform Trade Promotion Management. Infosys' experts believe that IT solutions can help better serve consumers, reduce costs, forecast and reconcile spending more accurately.

Have You Spotted the Silos in Your Supply Chain?

Retailers must bridge internal departments to enable collaboration within the enterprise. Infosys believes that internal collaboration eliminates siloed behavior leading to huge savings in logistical costs.

Overhaul Lifecycle Process for Successful Product Launches

In order to ensure success of product launches, the product lifecycle process - from conceptualization to point of sale - must be overhauled, according to Michael J.P. Forhez, Senior Principal, Infosys. In an article published in GMA... Forum Magazine, Michael says companies need to embrace "coopetition" - partnering with each other in areas of mutual interest. They must adopt a consumer-centric model to accelerate innovation and implement mass customization and product lifecycle management.

Consumer Centricity: Serving the Complex, Sophisticated and Discerning Consumer

Consumer Packaged Goods manufacturers and retailers must first understand today's consumers and their behavior in order to become consumer-centric. Michael J.P. Forhez, Senior Principal, Infosys, says the modern consumer is ... complex, sophisticated and discerning. In an article published in GMA Forum Magazine, Michael discusses how consumers seek lower costs but at the same time are willing to pay a premium for aspirational or lifestyle products. He adds that companies must align their operations, technology and cost structure with the needs of consumers.

Does your RFID Application Boost Sales?

RFID Journal published a story on new product developments in radio frequency identification (RFID). It highlighted Infosys' proprietary algorithms that provide visibility into the movement of tagged goods through the supply chain.... "Infosys' New Product Introduction and Key Promotion software is designed to run on SAP's Auto-ID Infrastructure middleware. It generates alerts when, for example, read events indicate that a retail store hasn't received its first shipment of a new or promotional product on time or hasn't placed it on the sales floor on schedule. These alerts are sent to the manufacturer's brand promotions team so it can react quickly."

Does your Supply Chain Measure up to Metrics?

Supply Chain Performance Management (SCPM) helps Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies sustain their competitive advantage by unleashing the benefits of an agile, lean and customer-oriented supply chain.... To realize the benefits of collaborative initiatives, you must map processes and roles in the supply chain to metrics. In addition, you need to have a mechanism to review supply chain performance and redefine performance measures in the changing business context. In this article, Infosys experts help you define, build and leverage a 'metrics framework' to convert SCPM into a competitive advantage.

‘Increase Customer Focus for Higher Growth’

The GMA Forum Magazine conducted a Thought Leader Roundtable on growing the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) market. According to an expert from Infosys, who was a participant at the Roundtable, “Success requires executing smarter and better at the retail shelf.”... CPG companies must meet the needs of shoppers in the context of their shopping mission. They need to influence the shopper by having appropriate products at the right place and at the right time. Retailers must enhance customer experience by focusing on visibility into product performance, mining data to execute at the micro level and retail execution processes.

Vitamins for Customization

The GMA Forum Magazine conducted a Thought Leader Roundtable on the success of customization programs in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.... According to an Infosys expert who participated in the Roundtable, CPG companies must create the right environment to decide on the what, how much, for whom and the how of customization.

Losing Customers at the Point of Purchase?

The GMA Forum Magazine conducted a Thought Leader Roundtable on Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies shifting their focus from channel-specific marketing/ merchandizing to consumer shopping occasions.

DDSN – A Catalyst for Growth in CPG

The GMA Forum Magazine conducted a Thought Leader Roundtable on increasing Return On Investment (ROI) in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.... According to Infosys' participant at the Roundtable, Demand-Driven Supply Networks (DDSN) provide significant ROI benefits as they integrate demand, supply and product processes across supply chains and coordinate processes and technologies. In addition, they offer visibility to members of the CPG value chain, thereby creating a nimble network where all members react to demand and enhance service levels.

Strategies for Winning Trade Promotions

The GMA Forum Magazine conducted a Thought Leader Roundtable on leveraging analytics for trade promotions in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.... According to Infosys' expert at the Roundtable, integrating strategies, processes and people and undertaking execution based on insights ensure the success of a winning trade promotion strategy.

Is your Enterprise Aligned with Partners?

The GMA Forum Magazine conducted a Thought Leader Roundtable on the industry opportunities and problems that trading partners in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry must collaborate on.... According to an Infosys participant at the Roundtable, improving new product launches is an opportunity waiting to be tapped. However, it can be realized only by the joint efforts of retailers and CPG companies.

The Key to Winning in CPG: Leveraging Data to Plan and Execute at the Channel-Store Level

A winning solution for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies will be integrating comprehensive real-time information and utilizing it to improve and synchronize planning and execution across territories, channels and stores... CPG-retailer relationships will evolve positively through improved collaboration and use of store-level information. It will generate consumer and shopper understanding and insights to create winning and sustainable propositions for customers and brands.

Look into your Supply Chain for Hidden Threats

Foodlogistics.com highlighted the need to insure against risks that threaten global supply chains. According to an expert from Infosys, the key to risk-preparedness is visibility. "Lack of visibility into one's supply chain is a key risk in itself."

'Outsource Where it Makes the Most Sense'

Nandan Nilekani, Co-Chairman, Infosys, inspired the phrase, "the world is flat". In an interview with CIO magazine, he explained what the Flat World means to outsourcing. Work will be done where it makes the most sense, he said. A global supply chain... enables work to be decoupled and shipped to locations that offer the best combination of skills, cost, quality and manageability.

RFID to Trace and Track 280 Million Assets

The logistics business involves managing innumerable moving assets. Infosys partners with logistics companies to ensure it functions like clockwork. RFID Update published a report on how we are ... implementing a global RFID solution for CHEP, a leading provider of pallet and pooling services. The RFID-enabled Returnable Transport Item Tracking solution enabled CHEP to manage more than 280 million pallets and containers in a global network of service centers.

'Standardize, Simplify and Innovate'

Nandan Nilekani, Co-Chairman, Infosys, spelled out his vision for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry in an interview with the GMA Forum. According to him, the key drivers of the industry are standardization, simplification and innovation.... CPG companies need to explore outsourcing models that combine technology with analytics. "Category managers need a lot of help putting together the right insights from the vast pools of information that reside in their organizations", says Nandan. Published in GMA/FPA Executive Conference / Greenbrier Issue 2007. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

 

From Product Inception to the Store

Multichannelmerchant.com published a story on the benefits of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). According to Infosys' retail and consumer packaged goods expert, Product Lifecycle Management actually focuses on the... design and development of a product, rather than the entire lifecycle. "The scope of PLM begins with product design and inception and ends when the item lands in the store."

Supply Chain: The Tipping Point of India's Growth

Increasing consumerization of the middle class is creating demand for higher levels of supply chain capability and this is driving investment into critical areas. Sdcexec.com published a story on the challenges of implementing... a world-class supply chain in India. In the article, Infosys' Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management expert is optimistic about supply chain initiatives in India. According to our expert, increasing consumerization of the middle class is creating demand for higher levels of supply chain capability and this is driving investment into critical areas.

Avoiding Stock Outs and Customer Attrition

GMA Forum published a paper by Infosys' consumer and packaged goods experts on the challenges of avoiding out-of-stocks. They recommend three approaches to reduce stock outs: Retail ownership, collaboration and pragmatic technology investments.

 

Related Information

Infosys' ST360 - A preview

Infosys' ShoppingTrip360:Taking in-store shopping to the next level
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Testimonials

"Consider mining this information to understand what consumers of your products are saying about them... Talk to Infosys about the pilots it is doing in this area."

- Lora Cecere, AMR Research
"10 Cool Technology Applications for Consumer Products" (May 17, 2007)

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