Brands often face significant challenges with their Inventory Management. Once products reach distributors or super stockists, visibility into product movement often diminishes. This lack of real-time data causes companies to rely on a mix of historical purchasing patterns and guesswork for inventory management, rather than a more accurate, scientific approach.

Product visibility becomes another hurdle. Brands are often unaware of which products are performing well in specific stores. The data, collected by distributors and shared with brands, is frequently delayed and outdated, resulting in missed sales opportunities. Additionally, sales teams may lack insight into slow-moving or out-of-stock items, leading to further losses.

Compounding these issues is the rising cost of storage. According to a recent study, national storage pricing has increased by 1.4% month over month and 10.6% year over year. This uptick reflects the full warehouses, highlighting the strain on inventory management systems.

To address these challenges, brands must collaborate more effectively with their distributors and embrace solutions that offer real-time visibility into inventory and sales. By adopting a comprehensive Distribution Management System (DMS), companies can shift to a proactive inventory management strategy, better forecast demand, and ultimately drive greater sales success while mitigating the impact of rising storage costs.

How DMS Enhances Inventory Management Efficiency?

The Distributor Management System (DMS) is a robust solution designed to help CPG companies navigate the complexities of today’s retail environment. A smart, intuitive DMS offers brands and distributors unparalleled visibility into key metrics like sales trends, inventory levels, and consumer demand. With access to this critical data, brands can make informed, data-driven decisions, enhancing profitability and improving customer satisfaction.

Real-Time Insights for Rapid Adjustments

A DMS provides real-time sales data, enabling businesses to swiftly understand how changing market conditions impact their products. This insight allows for quick and efficient adjustments.

Without a DMS, businesses might misinterpret issues, attributing problems to factors like product quality or distributor performance. However, with real-time data, companies can identify the root cause of issues more accurately. For instance, a DMS can reveal that high return rates are due to a specific packaging issue, allowing for timely corrective actions and minimizing product waste.

Smart Inventory for Strategic Distribution

In addition to offering real-time, on-demand trends, the Inventory Management of a DMS provides businesses with invaluable insights into inventory patterns across all outlets. By analyzing supply and demand patterns through DMS dashboards, businesses can effectively optimize distribution operations, negotiate better pricing with suppliers, and uncover opportunities for cost savings.

A DMS enhances inventory management for distributors by highlighting products nearing expiry, identifying fast-moving items, and optimizing promotional strategies. This leads to maximized investment returns and improved relationships with brands.

Efficient Stock Management for Freshness

A Distribution Management System effectively monitors stock movement at the distributor level, ensuring proper batch rotation and prioritizing the sale of older products first. This approach not only minimizes waste but also guarantees that customers receive the freshest products available. Crucially, it also facilitates timely communication of any product issues before they reach their expiration date.

Reconcile Inventory in a Snap

A major benefit of a DMS is its adaptability in managing inventory reconciliation. At the end of each month, the system simplifies the process of identifying and resolving discrepancies across various locations or departments, ensuring accuracy and consistency. It allows mid-level managers to review and authorize changes before they are executed, adding an extra layer of oversight. The system helps in keeping users informed of significant updates and changes throughout the month. This combination of flexibility, control, and real-time communication enhances overall inventory management and operational efficiency.

In-Depth Reporting

One of the standout features of the DMS is its robust reporting capability. CPG companies can leverage this tool to generate detailed reports on inventory levels, sales figures, and other essential metrics. This data is crucial for effective planning and forecasting, helping businesses align their production levels with market demand. Additionally, the system offers insights into distributor performance, pinpointing areas where distributors may fall short of expectations. By identifying these gaps, companies can make informed adjustments to improve distributor effectiveness and overall supply chain efficiency. This comprehensive reporting not only aids in strategic decision-making but also enhances operational agility.

Achieve Perfect Inventory Balance with i-DMS

In today’s competitive marketplace, automation and data-driven decisions are crucial for success. Ivy Mobility’s Distribution Management System (DMS) stands out with its robust Inventory Management feature, offering a game-changing advantage for CPG companies. The DMS provides comprehensive inventory management, delivering complete visibility into the movement of both saleable and damaged goods across your entire network. This visibility allows you to handle inter-distributor transfers with ease, optimizing stock allocation and ensuring that inventory levels are consistently accurate at all your sites and distribution hubs.

Empowering brands with actionable insights derived from data, the i-DMS eliminates guesswork and enables precise decision-making. Its automation capabilities streamline inventory management, reducing manual tasks and keeping stock levels under control. For CPG companies aiming to lead and grow, a sophisticated DMS is not just an option but a necessity.

Discover how Ivy Mobility’s i-DMS can transform your operations. Schedule a demo today and experience the power of advanced inventory management firsthand!