{"id":4592,"date":"2023-03-18T10:35:56","date_gmt":"2023-03-18T15:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rmservicing.com\/?post_type=articles&p=4592"},"modified":"2023-03-18T10:35:56","modified_gmt":"2023-03-18T15:35:56","slug":"what-questions-should-you-ask-when-considering-a-3rd-party-merchandising-firm","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.rmservicing.com\/articles\/what-questions-should-you-ask-when-considering-a-3rd-party-merchandising-firm\/","title":{"rendered":"What Questions Should You Ask When Considering a 3rd-Party Merchandising Firm?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As brands and retailers settle into business after the pandemic,\nwe\u2019re experiencing a landscape full of new challenges and opportunities.\nConsumer demographics have shifted, with Gen Z now taking up significant\nconsumer space and shaping trends<\/a>.\nConsumers across the board expect a more smoothly integrated and immersive\nretail experience<\/a>, and retailers are responding with new models\nto make the most of these changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Retail merchandising execution remains a challenge in this\nlandscape, cited as a major challenge across global merchandising\ndecision-makers and for 18% of\nrespondents, it is their most pressing challenge<\/a>. A retail\nmerchandising partner can help maximize\nin-store sales, but how can you make sure your merchandising partner has\nwhat it takes to make sure your inventory is placed, set, and priced correctly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 1:\nHow is the firm owned and operated?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many firms are simply divisions of larger companies that have been\nacquired and do not operate independently. Is the firm you\u2019re considering\nprivately held? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

RMS is a privately held firm, which means we are more flexible and\nmore focused than an acquired division. RMS provides better customer service\nbecause our team is more informed and more engaged with the realities of retail\nmerchandising. Our entire team is able to nimbly address client concerns, so no\nmatter who answers your call, you know you\u2019ll find your answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 2:\nWho represents the company and how are they trained?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The skills and experience of a company\u2019s field team determines\ntheir ability to maximize sales. Is your potential merchandising partner\nstaffed by experienced and knowledgeable personnel? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

RMS hires the most skilled and qualified individuals to perform\nmerchandising tasks. We are highly focused on our training, with over 140\nCertified Trainers across the country ensuring that all new merchandisers are\nup to speed. RMS\u2019s award-winning training\nprogram<\/a> provides an edge for effective store execution and reliable data\ncollection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 3: What services beyond merchandising does a firm also offer if any?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some companies split focus across many strategies including sampling, remodels, and new store openings. Multiple strategies can lead to a scattershot approach lacking effectiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merchandising is all RMS does. Our focus on maximizing execution\nis unwavering, and we have developed specific technologies to enhance\nperformance. We use a proprietary platform and mobile application to increase\nflexibility and provide unparalleled data collection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 4:\nWhat access does the field team have to the retailer systems?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A merchandising firm\u2019s ability to access retailer systems and work\nindependently will determine their success. Without access, the merchandiser\nrelies on the retailer\u2019s ability to monitor and move stock. With retailer-only\nexecution rates hovering around 40%<\/a>, your merchandising firm needs access\nto inventory in order to improve sales execution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

RMS is BackRoom certified at Target<\/a> with access to their backroom and inventory devices. This means our field team can independently locate backstock and move it to the sales floor, closing a major gap in the sequence to successful execution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 5:\nWhat kind of experience does the corporate office have?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Real-world experience is necessary to understand the issue at retail and the best way to achieve optimal store execution results. It\u2019s important to know where your potential merchandising partner\u2019s corporate office gained their experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RMS leadership team has more than 150 years of manager-level retail experience both at stores and corporate offices. Our seasoned experts also draw from backgrounds in merchandising, operations, and manufacturing. The concrete skills and deep knowledge of our leadership team means we understand retail through and through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 6:\nWhere does the company\u2019s field team spend their time?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are looking for help with a particular retailer, it\u2019s\nessential to take a look at how much time a merchandising company\u2019s field team\nspends there. How often do they visit, and what does their presence achieve?\nThe more familiar a rep is with a store, the better their ability to complete\ntasks and the more likely successful execution will be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every RMS rep is assigned their own store so that they can\nfamiliarize themselves with the operations of a specific store and garner a\nrelationship with the retail team. Our reps collectively spend over 1 million\ninside our retail partner t stores each year. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question 7:\nDo the client service leaders of the firm have retail experience? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just like with the corporate office, it is important that client service leaders have retail experience under their belt. Does your potential merchandising partner have a field team with real-world retail experience? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our client service leaders have all had management-level positions at retail stores. Furthermore, our field team is all required to pass in-store training from RMS-certified trainers upon hiring. This ensures that our team brings practical experience to bear, as well as delivering performance consistent with our standards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After three years of upset and uncertainty, the opportunities of the \u201cnew normal\u201d is coming into focus. Consumers are returning to in-person events, and retailers have a chance to capitalize on the desire for an immersive and holistic shopping experience. Retail execution implementation remains a major concern, reportedly leaving 81% of companies unsatisfied<\/a>. With the right merchandising partner, there are great gains to be made in this new landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact\nRMS<\/strong><\/a> today to see if we\u2019re the right fit for your merchandising needs!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4593,"template":"","article_categories":[9],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Questions Should You Ask When Considering a 3rd-Party Merchandising Firm? - RMS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Partnering with a third-party retail merchandising firm is key for success but finding the right one can be tricky. 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