All the information at your fingertips with Companion ^® Suite

Optimizing performance – mobile sales, merchandisers and delivery personnel
Using the latest mobile technology, Companion ® allows personnel on the road to enhance their efficiency and better manage their work cycle. This mobile solution is designed to automate and optimize their processes, increasing productivity, enhancing customer service, and maximizing profitability.

Complete freedom of movement – bidirectional communication
The Companion ® solution gives users an unparalleled freedom of movement, while maintaining a bidirectional channel of communication. With smart messaging capability, messages and reminders can flow in any direction at any time. Your mobile personnel will have access to all relevant information such as inventory levels, statistical data, products, prices and promotional information anywhere anytime. All data collected in the field can be processed and transmitted in a real time environment.

A computerized assistant – enhancing performance
Companion ® Suite is designed to provide sales reps, merchandisers and delivery personnel with all the necessary information to perform their daily activities more efficiently and effectively. They can carry out routine tasks smoothly and quickly, accessing relevant information such as statistical data on their mobile unit. If desired, at the store level, they will see only the information that is relevant to the client (ex: product and price lists, promotions, etc). Automatically generated suggested orders based on various criteria are also available with Companion. All calculations are done automatically using accurate pricing, saving time and avoiding calculation errors. With Companion ®, reports can be configured and produced accurately and easily with a simple “click”!

A management tool – control and visibility
Companion ® keeps management in control, with full visibility of what is happening on the road. This application allows you to effectively manage your distribution/sales/merchandising operations. Master files can be directly managed on Companion ®: customers, inventory, price lists, promotions, etc. The Companion® solution allows for better planning, measuring of performance, identification of new revenue opportunities and tracking of sales initiatives. It has a built-in report generator, so you can have reports on everything that is relevant to you.Companion ® truly helps you stay ahead of the competition! 

The benefits – optimizing business processes

• Better planning, execution and measuring of sales initiatives/promotions.
• Better identification of revenue opportunities.
• Better tracking of sales objectives.
• Better understanding of the competition.
• Better returns tracking.
• Better (informed) decision making.
• Reduction of manual data entry.
• Decrease of clerical and invoicing errors.
• Faster order taking/invoicing.
• Additional sales through access to information (inventory levels, sales history, etc) and automatically generated orders.
• Easy access to statistical data.
• Increase in overall productivity.
• Faster and accurate reporting.
• Cost/loss reductions by better tracking of goods.
• Reduction of billing cycles.
• Quick response to client’s requests and overall service to clients.
• Proof of delivery.
• Ability to manage complex/multiple pricing scenarios.
• Overall increase of efficiency, allowing a faster production/distribution planning.

The main technical features of Companion ® Suite are:

• Open architecture that integrates with small and large back-end (ERP) systems (Simply Accounting, JDE, SAP, etc).
• Supports a variety of handheld computers, tablet pcs, ultra light laptops with or without touch screens for faster data processing and signature capturing.
• Supports portable printers, scanners, and cameras for photo capturing.
• Full suite of Windows Office tools: e-mail, word processor, multimedia presentation, spreadsheets, etc.
• Windows CE, Pocket PC and Windows Mobile.
• Windows 95/98/00/03/XP/Vista.
• Internet communication with secure data transmission using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
• Wired and wireless communication (direct, modem, cellular networks, etc).
• Supports EDI and DEX technologies.
• Data processing using barcode scanning and/or RFID.

The sales representation improved

Representative Companion ® makes your life easier… No more overloaded briefcases; no more material left at the office, no more evenings spent preparing sales reports.

Representative Companion ® (RC) is an automation solution that optimizes the activities of sales reps and merchandisers, providing them all the information needed for their daily activities on a powerful electronic tablet pc or ultra light laptop. Sales stats, sales objectives, inventory levels, product and price lists, promotions and other important information are easily accessible with RC. Representative Companion automatically generates orders based on various criteria.

 

RC has bidirectional capabilities. All collected data is automatically transmitted to the office via modem or cell phone communication. No need for long and frequent phone calls to the office. Whether you carry out sales activities, merchandising or both, Companion improves the overall productivity, efficiency and effectiveness of your mobile personnel.

 

For management, Representative Companion offers a higher level of visibility and control over field activities. They can effectively manage product, territory, survey and promotions; helping them with better planning and decision-making tools.

Everything connects!

The Representative Companion ® functionalities

• Increase efficiency by automating routine field tasks: sales, distribution, order preparation and processing, inventory and accounts receivable management, merchandising and much more!
• Reduce manual operations and processing time. Easy data gathering directly on the mobile units.
• Reps spend more time with their customers and less time looking for information.
• Automatic configurable reports. All reports are generated accurately and easily with a simple “click”.
• Minimize errors. At point-of-sale, reps will only view (if desired) information that is relevant to the client (ex: authorize products, promotions, and price lists). All calculations are done automatically with accurate pricing, avoiding errors.
• Improve communication and corporate image. Using accurate information, sales reps better helps their clients make wiser business decisions and create better client relations.
• Real time bidirectional communication. Data is exchanged as frequently as desired.
• Reduce production/distribution order processing, decreasing delivery delays.
• Bidirectional messaging capability (to a rep, territory, group, etc.).
• Viewing of statistical data. Store up to 13 months of sales history with accurate and up-to-date data for better visit planning and order management.
• Automatically generated suggested orders by various criteria.
• Printing capabilities at point-of-sale with an ultra light thermal printer (Ex: suggested orders print with barcodes, quantity and types).  
• Better inventory management, shelf, back and display (and vehicle if carrying inventory).
• Returns processing, collection and credit sheets.
• Display photos of products and planograms.
• Facing, inventory, planogram compliance, etc.
• Surveys entry and analysis.
• Distribution entry.
• Easy and intuitive search of clients and product information.
• Evaluating competition (data gathering of facing, pricing, etc. about the competition).
• BI analysis of sales, promotions, products, orders, surveys, etc (by region, territory, banner, Store type, SKUs).

The route redesigned

 

Route Companion ® is a complete software solution that allows for an efficient and effective management of direct store delivery (DSD) activities. With a rugged handheld computer, your delivery personnel will be equipped to efficiently manage their daily activities.

At the end of the day, all the collected data is transferred directly to your host system. No more manual data entry, short inventory or dissatisfied customers. Everything connects with Route Companion ® .

The Route Companion ® functionalities

IN THE OFFICE

Companion allows you to manage your entire DSD operation: Manage your distribution routes and delivery personnel (your own and/or independent distributors/jobbers), process your phone and field orders; manage your master files (customers, inventory, price lists, promotions, etc). All data collected and processed in the field (returns, collections, surveys, invoices, etc) is processed by Companion.  It has a built-in report generator, so you can create reports on everything that is relevant to you. This application is designed with an open architecture, integrating with small and large back end systems (Simply accounting, SAP, etc). It fully supports EDI and DEX technologies.

ON THE ROAD

Start of the day

• Route delivery management (sequence of visits, scheduling visits, pickups, etc).
• Truck loading.
• Reception of up-to-date data: price lists, promotions, product specifications, news, etc.

Customer visit

• Point-of-sale selection.
• Promotions display.
• Fast return entry (manual, barcode or RFID) and payment collection (cash, check or credit).
• Invoice creation or adjustment.
• Order entry. If desired, only relevantinformationto the client is displayed at point-of-sale (ex: authorize products, promotions, and price lists). All calculations are done automatically with accurate pricing; minimizing errors and minimizing time spent at POS.
• Reduction of processing time and data entry.
• Increase of time devoted to client relationships.
• Price modification. Many parameters can be configured to allow (or prevent) your drivers to give discounts, credits, change the sequence of visits, etc.
• Supports several types of invoices. Invoices could be customized to respond to each client’s requirements/needs.
• Printing capabilities at point-of-sale, producing clear, complete and accurate invoices.
• Electronic signature capturing.
• Survey entry. 
• Viewing of statistical data. Store up to 13 months of sales history with accurate and up-to-date data for better visit planning and order management.
• Bidirectional Messaging.
• Inventory management: vehicle, warehouse and point-of-sale (back store, shelf, etc).

End of the day

• Truck unloading.
• Route settlement/reconciliation.
• Truck replenishment order.
• Transfer of transactions to host system (wired and/or wireless communication).
• Automatic configurable reports. All reports are generated accurately and easily with a simple “click” and can be transferred instantly to the main office.
  

The events re-examined

Office Companion ® is at your command to help you efficiently and effectively manage your mobile personnel. This application is designed with an open architecture, integrating with small and large back end systems (Simply accounting, SAP, etc), exchanging relevant information and making it available to mobile personnel. This solution offers management a higher level of visibility and control over field activities. Effectively managing delivery and sales routes, mobile personnel, products, territories, surveys, promotions and much more!; helping with better planning and decision-making .

Over all, Companion is a tool that maximizes productivity; decreases distribution costs, and enhances profitability. It fully supports EDI and DEX technologies.

Office Companion ® main features

Office Companion ® is a back-office application suite that links your host system to your mobile units (Representative Companion® and Route Companion®) identifying the different routes and their respective data. It has a built-in report generator, so you can create reports on everything that is relevant to you: sales, distribution, inventory, facing, promotions, products, orders, surveys, etc (by region, territory, banner, Store type, SKUs). There are also reports available on customer visited, not visited, communication reports, etc.

Office Companion ® is designed with an open architecture, integrating with small and large back end systems (Simply accounting, SAP, etc). It fully supports EDI and DEX technologies.

With Office Companion ®, you can maintain price lists, promotions, products, pictures and other relevant information. You can also send instructions or news to the mobile users. Depending on pre-set parameters, data will originate specifically from Office Companion ® or from both the host system and Office Companion ®.

Through bidirectional direct link communication using modems, cell phones, wireless LAN (802.11) or Internet, Office Companion ® receives all the data collected on the mobile units. Office Companion ® also formats the received data and transfers it to the host system and/or processes it and makes it available to your CIS Business Intelligence system (see section Additional Tools).

Office Companion ®makes your life easier and keeps you in touch with your mobile workforce .

Technical specifications
Office Companion ® is installed on a Microsoft Windows 2003 Server running Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or 2005 .

Many reports allow the reps to be aware of all the work done by each rewp.  Some reports also analyse the Distribution/facing/inventory analysis (by region, territory, banner, Store type, SKUs).  The following reports are also available: List of customers visited, not visited, Visit reports, Communication reports

Automated operations, enhanced management

The distribution companies’ entire operation is very costly.  Not only does it require an extensive workforce, but manual data processing is time-consuming and is often responsible for a significant loss of tim.

The Distribution Companion ® operations management system brings an easy solution to these problems while eliminating the tedious work of entering and processing data manually. It enables the automation of all activities related to sales, distribution, delivery, production planning, order preparation and accounting.

Moreover, the Distribution Companion ® operation management system facilitates daily operations management such as telephone sales, load adjustment as well as price and promotion control, discount calculation at chain stores, commission calculation and inventory management for each truck.

Distribution Companion ®simplifies your life by utilizing its powerful functions : 

• Order entry.
• Truck loading and inventory balance.
• Telesales.
• Price management.
• Production management.
• Commission and rebate management.

Plus you gain many other important benefits from Distribution Companion ®

• Time saving on a daily basis.
• Speeding up of order and invoicing.
• Price and extension accuracy.
• Automated price and promotion control .
• Inventory control.
• Structured sales process.
• Profitability improvement.
• Elimination of manual data entry.
• Optimization and standardization of operations.
• Electronic data transfer (EDT).
• Planning tool for customer priorities (call and delivery frequency control, etc.).

All the modules that make up Distribution Companion ® operation management system can be installed separately and adapted to your present system. You can then make your distribution operation management system evolve step by step, as the requirements increase and as your business grows.

The main features of Distribution Companion ® are:

• Supported platforms: Windows 2000/2003, SCO Unix, DEC-Unix, Linux, Unixware.
• Multi-user, multi-company, multi-division.
• Optional integration with CIS Administration ® (or most other accounting software on the market).
• Optional integration with Companion ® Suite, to optimize your distribution activities and your sales force.
• Access control management according to the different needs of the various user groups.