SPAR SCOTLAND

DATA: SALESTRACK

SPAR SCOTLAND UNVEILS GROUND-BREAKING DATA PLAY

SPAR SCOTLAND WHOLESALER AND RETAILER CJ LANG & SON IS TO MAKE WHOLESALE ANDRETAIL SALES DATA AVAILABLE TO SUPPLIERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, IN WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE ANINDUSTRY FIRST MOVE.

Scottish Spar wholesaler and retailer CJ Lang & Son, Scotland’s largest independent retailing and distribution company, has revealed a groundbreaking new sales data reporting service that will make wholesale and retail sales data available to suppliers and stakeholders for the very first time.

CJ Lang is working with data and digital specialist TWC to develop and launch the service, call Spar Scotland SalesTrack, which will not only give its suppliers access to the company’s wholesale shipment data but, in what is believed to be an industry first, the group is also giving suppliers visibility of retail sales from its 108 company-owned Spar convenience stores. The new service is scheduled to launch on Monday 18 January 2021.

Colin McLean, CEO of CJ Lang & Son, says: “Today’s trading environment is about understanding how our retailer and consumer shopping behaviours are changing and ensuring we all adapt fast to meet demand and expectation across products, systems and service. This includes rewarding loyalty, increasing customer retention and getting to understand our customers’ buying preferences better. One size does not fit all.

“Harnessing data in a way that gives all our partner suppliers visibility and knowledge of what is happening across wholesale shipments and at a retail point of sale will enable us all to work closer together. It will enable us all to do ‘better business’ together. Our SalesTrack service will provide suppliers with the most accurate read yet as to what is happening from a wholesale and retail perspective in Scotland.

Colin McLean, CEO of CJ lang & Son

“Importantly, we wanted to create a system that is easy to navigate and interpret and TWC impressed us with their ability to apply tech in a way that is manageable, understandable and surprisingly addictive.”

Tom Fender, Development Director for TWC, says that the two data sets (wholesale shipment data and retail Epos data) will sit side by side on TWC’s dashboard, where they will be accessible to users anytime, anywhere, and on any device.

“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist or have a PhD in stats to use our reporting tool,” he says. “We’ve designed it for busy execs ‘on the go’ so they can access information at their finger-tips. It’s intuitive, cloud-based and will help aid growth and upsell.

Tom Fender, Development Director for TWC

“The last eight months have been hugely challenging for all businesses but UK convenience stores, underpinned by a world class supply chain, have been a vital lifeline to communities. The sector now has more customers and more fans than it did eight months ago. But change also creates a need for data, to better understand customers, whether they are retailers, or shoppers so that businesses can collectively deliver against their needs.

“Emerging trends need to be spotted early. Gaps in performance or listings need to be plugged quickly. A one size fits all approach to business is ineffective and inefficient. We need to work together to cleverly pinpoint opportunities with laser like focus and deliver data-led solutions which improve performance.”

Fender says data allows TWC to understand the ‘push’ metrics and will enable CJ Lang & Son to work more strategically and effectively with suppliers whilst also monitoring the trends driving the consumer ‘pull’.

“Our SalesTrack service will provide suppliers with the most accurate read yet as to what is happening from a wholesale and retail perspective in Scotland.”

[Colin McLean, CEO, Spar Scotland]

“This visibility of data also enables effective forecasting and helps users identify emerging trends so they identify the ‘size of the prize’ and make quick decisions based on knowledge and fact not hearsay,” he adds.

“We work on the basis that great digital execution can only be achieved from excellent insight and CJ Lang’s investment in this service will undoubtedly further underpin its position as the leading independent distribution and wholesale company in Scotland.”

TWC’s service team will be giving support 24/7 to ensure all users can easily access the information they need.

McLean concludes: “We believe our new data service will deliver a range of benefits that include sales growth, more customers, greater loyalty and customer retention. Everything we do seeks to deliver excellence in service, satisfaction and customer engagement.”