Why you need a Project Manager for your Range Review

​​Range Reviews - the biggest opportunity for brands to change their trajectory & implement strategic plans in each retailer all year.  Or every couple of years in some categories.

So shouldn't they be prioritised above all else to make sure they get the time, resource and focus they need?  Well, clearly the answer is yes, and in many suppliers this is the case.  However, in our experience the reality in a surprising number of companies is they are treated like any other job to do in the business - on a long list of things to be done and afforded just enough time and attention to get through the day, rather than truly putting the brand's best foot forward.

What can, and does go wrong?

​As well running many range reviews for my own category as a Buyer, I've led or been involved in over 50 range reviews from the supply side.  Typically issues boil down to 3 things:-

1. Not approaching from the Buyer's perspective - Buyers are rational people and whilst there are always a number of corporate strategies they need to deliver, fundamentally they are trying to grow total category sales and % margin.   This needs its own article to cover in detail, but in summary that means maximising the appeal of the range by covering as many unique need states as efficiently as possible, as well as managing the margin mix.  Data rules, so look at it independently and not with rose tinted glasses.  Your brand does not need to be one of the category best sellers, but it does need to be one of the best performing in its own niche.   If it's not then it is at risk of losing Stores, or worst case losing distribution completely (or not getting listed in the first place), which brings us onto the next point.
2. Starting too late - Starting 4, 6 or even 8 weeks out from the big day is simply not enough time to create the best possible category or brand story, or do the analysis required to develop arguments which credibly address more challenging trading positions.  Starting late means there is no time to commission any consumer research that may be required to underpin (and prove) the category story, no time to create new marketing assets (videos, displays etc) and if the basic deck is only finalised the night before the meeting how is it possibly going to look like a professional piece of work worthy of your Buyer's attention and support?
3. Not enough focus - Development of a range review presentation is a big, cross-functional piece of work.  Whether managed by category, marketing or sales, it takes a lot of time, and a lot of co-ordination between different departments to even produce a basic deck, never mind a fully integrated category story that can deal with the challenges of the toughest buyer.

What is the best process?

So what is the solution?  In our experience 3 of the key facilitators to a successful range review are:-

1. Starting as early as possible - developing a high level story and knowing what you want to say 'in a perfect world' allows time to source the evidence and story assets that will be required to back it up, rather than just working with what you already have to hand.  It also gives the opportunity to anticipate and work through any potential buyer challenges - sometimes by refining product propositions to ensure the best possible product/market fit.
2. Treating it like the significant project that it is - range reviews need significant resource and clear leadership to get right.  Appointing a project manager who has both the time and skills to co-ordinate multiple stakeholders and challenge like the Buyer all the way through the process will quickly pay back the resource invested. This can be either an existing team member (if they have their diary cleared) or an external project manager, but they need to be empowered to make things happen, and escalate if they do not.
3. Ensure there is sufficient senior oversight - following on from the point above, often identifying what needs to happen is the easy part, but making it happen quickly can be very difficult without senior attention and support.

Outlined below is our recommended process for managing your range review.  Although each company will have slightly different processes, timings, roles and responsibilities, the general principles should remain the same - so feel free to tweak as needed to give you & your business the most value.

Benefits of a dedicated Project Manager

The key to the process above is that a great category story is reliant on relevant insights about the consumer, category and shopper which clearly explain how new category growth can be unlocked and what role your brand can play.

This takes time to develop and usually requires input from many different stakeholders across the business, so having a project manager lead the project with the right cadence and urgency is key. Here are just a few of the benefits:

• Their #1 priority - everyone is busy so clearly tasking one person with leading project progress gives obvious benefits
• Offer a strategic perspective on how to unlock category & brand growth
• Play the Buyer role - challenging where required throughout the process
• Identify gaps in the story or research/analysis required
• Co-ordinate & manage stakeholders
• No slippage - keep work on track and on time

How we can help

Optima Retail are experts in Category Management, and have led range reviews in a wide range of categories for both market leaders and challenger brands.  Using our Buying experience we offer a strategic perspective on what retailers want, and leverage the right consumer and category insights to prove to Buyers that our clients' brands will deliver the category growth they are targeting.

We specialise in high impact projects where you need someone to start quickly and hit the ground running from day 1, and offer focused support where you need it – whether it is a short expert consultation, full project management or ongoing support.

​If you'd like to chat or find out more then please get in touch here.