The ultimate holistic
vision includes a centrally managed repository (Demand Signal
Repository or DSR) where all demand data — point of sale
(POS), warehouse withdrawals, CPFR/VMI transactional data, RFID,
loyalty card, syndicated, etc. — from
all retailers is cleansed, normalized, aggregated and stored
for multiple business processes to leverage.
While some of this
data has been analyzed by account teams and marketing organizations
for years, the difference lies in the amount of data now being
shared by retailers — particularly
the granularity and frequency — and the vision for this
data to be used outside of traditional sales and marketing applications.
Most of the vendors on our Top 10 Demand Data Analytics list
have been involved with either providing data or analyzing the
data for sales and marketing organizations, many for sales and
category management purposes.
As in past years, the leaders are
Information Resources Inc. (IRI) and ACNielsen, the leading syndicated
data providers. In addition to their traditional data and analysis
products, both have added new solutions to assist manufacturers
leverage POS data: IRI is providing new ways to quickly identify
and act on consumer insights with it’s Shopper Insights
Explorer Solution. ACNielsen has focused on managing on-shelf
availability with its Decisions Made Easy application.
The next
group of technology vendors — rich in niche
functionality — has collectively added many top-tier and
well-known consumer goods names to their client rosters. Vision
Chain moved up a slot from last year, as the company continues
to work with top-tier clients to move beyond Wal-Mart data analysis
toward a complete Demand Signal Repository solution. It recently
released a new version of software in a hosted model, enhancing
deployment options. Kenosia also moved up a slot, leveraging
its loyal and satisfied client base to attract new clients and
continues to provide valued data insights.
As downstream data
and the DSR vision evolve, consumer goods companies will continue
to put the pieces together to achieve the ultimate goal of
having demand insights integrated into all critical business
processes. Expect several traditional technology providers
to enter the market as this space progresses and retailers
continue to expect more from their trading partners in exchange
for sharing their data.
Breakout Winners
Customer Experience
“We had a need that Kenosia seemed to fill very
effectively. They provided the resources to program, customize
and deliver a tool that we use in account planning. No other
supplier offered the same service and responsiveness. Kenosia’s
ability to provide a unique solution to our specific requirements
proved helpful to us in our pursuit of new item placement and
SKU performance,” says Brad Anderson, director of Distribution,
Space Planning and Technology, Nestlé Purina Petcare.
1.
Kenosia
2. Relational Solutions
3. G4 Analytics
Kenosia Corporation provides award-winning enterprise solutions
that empower manufacturers, retailers and sales agents to analyze
and profit from critical information. The company’s flagship
product, DataAlchemy is a user-friendly desktop application that
automates the data analytics process by providing a single platform
for disparate data sources. Its dynamic PowerPoint and Excel
charts make it easy to provide actionable and timely insights
that are critical to the business decision process. For additional
information, visit: http://www.kenosia.com
January 1, 2008 - As many consumer goods companies adopt demand-driven strategies, the spotlight in recent years has been on demand signals and how they can be leveraged throughout the enterprise. Last year, we added Demand Data Analytics as a category to our annual Readers’ Choice survey. As expected, the market continues to evolve as consumer goods manufacturers begin to take action on this important initiative and software vendors continue to roll out solutions and provide more functionality toward the overall goal.
