---
title: "Methodology: How Marketing Directors Solve Problems Found During Market Visits?"
description: "A friend recently asked me privately: finding problems is only the first step; solving them is the key. Is there a specific methodology? The general logic is: market visits and research only reveal existing problems, but behind the problems, is there a lack of process and system? If not, then check if execution is lacking. Finally, how to implement it in system tools? Today we focus on this."
author: "高级研究员 海游"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2022-09-16"
language: "en"
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---

# Methodology: How Marketing Directors Solve Problems Found During Market Visits?

> A friend recently asked me privately: finding problems is only the first step; solving them is the key. Is there a specific methodology? The general logic is: market visits and research only reveal existing problems, but behind the problems, is there a lack of process and system? If not, then check if execution is lacking. Finally, how to implement it in system tools? Today we focus on this.

A friend recently asked me privately: finding problems is only the first step; solving them is the key. Is there a specific methodology?
The general logic is: market visits and research only reveal existing problems, but behind the problems, is there a lack of process and system? If not, then check if execution is lacking. Finally, how to implement it in system tools? Today we focus on this.
**01**
#### **How to Describe Market Problems?**
**1. Are the problems collected from the market true or false propositions?**
Why ask this? Let me give an example: A leader wants to survey the market. Someone drives and leads the way, surrounded by people. Before entering a store, someone opens the door and lifts the curtain; after entering, someone finds a chair and even wipes off the dust. Do you think the market conclusions drawn are more false or true? The answer is obvious: the stores the leader visits are pre-arranged, and the conversations are polite formalities.
So, first, market research is best done with 2-3 people. With more people, store owners instinctively become cautious; with fewer, there's no atmosphere for conversation, and they won't open up. Second, do unfamiliar street-sweeping visits; whether they have products or not, go in and chat, so data is more accurate. Finally, chat with a purpose, ask targeted questions, and seamlessly connect formalities with questions.
**2. What should be noted when summarizing problems?**
There is a "degree" that is hard to grasp: expressing the problem while making it easy for those who caused it to accept. Obviously, the purpose of finding problems is to solve them. If you provoke resistance when raising the problem, solving it will be even harder, because for most people, accepting their shortcomings is difficult.
Let's take an example: During a market visit, we found a big difference in distribution rates between the south and north of a region: 80% in the south, 30% in the north. How to summarize this in a report? My suggestion is to include a set of distribution data details for the south and north, and note: the difference in distribution rates is 50%, the north has huge growth potential, please ask the person in charge to propose corrective measures and support needs.
**3. All market problems must be supported by solid evidence**
Do not raise questionable problems; any problem raised must have evidence such as data, pictures, or even recordings. Clarify the ins and outs of the problem, do not take out of context, do not truncate. The only purpose is to avoid disputes during problem-solving.
The reason is simple: in FMCG business, a problem involves many people: distributors, salespeople, frontline supervisors, terminal owners, wholesale distributors, etc. One move affects the whole.
Summary in one sentence: **Market problems must be true propositions, easy for the "problem person" to accept, and avoid disputes over whether the problem exists.**
**02**
#### **Is There a Process Rule Governing the Problem?**
We generally diagnose the match between problems and processes from three angles.
**1. Do existing process rules match the current market situation?**
For example: During a market visit, we found a very low display compliance rate in a certain area. This is a problem. The related question is: why is display compliance so low? Is it because the distributor in that area did not strictly follow the brand's requirements for regional display standards and reward/punishment systems?
So we visited the distributor and found that they did follow the brand's requirements. The problem was that the display rewards could not meet the psychological expectations of most store owners, and the shelf only got 50 yuan per month for display fees, making it hard for salespeople. This is a typical mismatch between process rules and market conditions.
**2. Suggestions for improving existing process rules**
Still using the above example, the low display compliance rate is a result of mismatch between process rules and market conditions, so it must be changed. China is vast with huge differences between north and south, so many brands have proposed differentiated display policies. The most common is to give frontline workers flexible single-store display fees while controlling the fee rate.
For example: If the company's requirements are met, pay the store 50-100 yuan per month for display fees, and the salesperson can decide. Some might say: in that case, salespeople will just give the highest value without thinking. This situation exists, of course. In process rule formulation, assess the single-store fee rate and a reward system for saving fees to minimize this.
**3. Gaps in existing process rules need to be filled**
I once consulted for a beverage company. Its products do not go through general circulation but mainly through campus, catering, special channels, etc. During market research, we found that high school campus supermarkets are big sellers of bottled water but have almost no displays. After investigation, it was because the company's display rules require that stores with displays must have beverages, but campus supermarkets can only sell water due to local education bureau regulations, so they cannot display. The brand needs to re-establish display process rules for this type of channel.
Summary in one sentence: **Behind a market problem, either the process rules do not match the market situation, or the process rules need fine-tuning, or there is a gap in process rules that needs to be filled.** If none of the three "eithers" apply, then diagnose execution.
**03**
#### **If Process Rules Are Fine, Check Execution**
This is simpler: if the process system is fine, then check if there are execution issues. **I have a formula: Execution = Knowledge * Skill * Attitude * Tracking**, and I'll briefly share it.
**1. Knowledge affects execution:** Product knowledge, system content, methods and processes, etc. Without understanding, one cannot execute. These are basic knowledge reserves for every marketing worker. To improve grassroots team execution, basic knowledge is essential.
Improvement plan: Teach through training, check through exams.
**2. Skill affects execution:** Proficiency in doing something; not only must you execute, but also execute quickly. For example: The brand requires every store to have cut-case displays. Cutting cases is a skill. If not proficient, cutting products or taking too long, how can it be executed? Skill cannot be limited to learning; the master leads you in, but practice depends on you. Skill improvement requires trainers to continuously guide grassroots workers to practice, ideally forming muscle memory.
Improvement plan: Skills need continuous training.
△ Cut-case display image from the internet
**3. Attitude affects execution:** If attitude is not correct, execution is not in place or just perfunctory.
Improvement plan: Communication and motivation; first guide correctly, then set reward and punishment systems.
**4. Tracking affects execution:** Without tracking, systems, processes, incentive measures, etc., cannot be implemented as planned.
Improvement plan: Continuous checking.
Summary in one sentence: **If execution has problems, either knowledge is insufficient to execute, or skill is insufficient hindering execution, or attitude is wrong leading to poor execution, or tracking is not in place, leading to laziness.**
**04**
#### **Terminal System Empowerment to Protect the Market**
In the Internet age, it seems that having a system is a must-have for every brand. So how can the system maximize its value? We discuss in three steps.
**1. Performance appraisal system:** The prerequisite for the system to add value is that the brand must have relevant performance appraisal systems. For example, I often mention store quality issues, including SKU count, facing count, use of visual merchandising materials, display conditions, scene construction, etc. If the brand does not have corresponding performance appraisal systems as backing, the system is like a gun without bullets, with little deterrent.
**2. Incentive strategy system:** Turning management into motivation is a necessary thinking logic for guiding the post-90s and post-00s. If you want them to do something, it's best to put incentives in front to guide them along the path the brand wants them to take.
The value of the system as a work tool is to check work effectiveness while issuing incentives. So if the brand lacks incentive strategies and only uses the system as a "mobile attendance machine" or "mobile monitor," then the system is useless.
**3. System matching work implementation:** Still using the store quality example above, if the brand formulates performance appraisal and incentive strategies, then system users will follow these systems and conduct standardized market operations according to market standard scoring systems, essentially solving the problems of process implementation and poor team execution.
**Final Thoughts:**
Back to the topic, the methodology for marketing directors to solve problems found during market visits is: **1. See through appearances to the essence, find real market problems; 2. Based on market problems, check and fill gaps in process systems; 3. After process systems pass, check execution and improve poor execution; 4. Rely on system empowerment and implementation to ensure smooth market operations.**


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