THREE LEVELS OF OPTIMIZATION AND THEIR BENEFITS

Having decided to implement the sales force optimization process, we will face further difficult decisions. Such a process can take place at three different levels, yet the implementation of each supplementary level can bring additional benefits.

• Level 1 – territory optimization

This type involves the one-time construction of optimal territories and routes for sales representatives. Typically, this type of optimization is done in the form of services without implementing route.plus software. Ready materials are transferred by sales force in the form of a summary presentation of results and files with maps and data. The process assumes a one-time transfer of information about the customer’s assignment to the territory, loads of all territories, work times or kilometres travelled, as well as retail daily work plans for each territory.



• Level 2 – periodic optimization

In territories built during optimization of territories, we periodically optimize routes. Such optimization can take place e.g. every quarter. Each new optimization takes into account various facts, among others changes in the customer base or in the addresses of sales representatives. New customers are added to routes, nonactive customers are removed from routes, customers for whom the frequency has changed are rescheduled.



• Level 3 – continuous optimization

This type means that the optimization can be started at any time. This is usually a weekend optimization that optimizes routes for the upcoming week. Such optimization, apart from changes in the customer base, also takes into account visits registered by sales representatives in the previous week, thus unrealized visits are planned again. This optimization gives you another big advantage – we can plan the so-called promotional campaigns. As part of the campaign, we can, for instance, specify that next week we want to visit all points of one network between Wednesday and Friday to introduce a new price for our products there.

Undoubtedly, each level of optimization has its benefits. Continuous optimization is the most popular model. Thanks to this, we gain a flexible way of shaping routes without time delay in its introduction.