---
title: "The \"Ten Steps\" Standard for FMCG Terminal Visits"
description: "Terminal visit eight steps, according to legend, were created by Master Kong during its channel intensive cultivation. However, currently, it has become a basic skill in the FMCG industry. Today, we break it down into ten steps for detailed explanation."
author: "方刚"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2016-06-10"
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---

# The "Ten Steps" Standard for FMCG Terminal Visits

> Terminal visit eight steps, according to legend, were created by Master Kong during its channel intensive cultivation. However, currently, it has become a basic skill in the FMCG industry. Today, we break it down into ten steps for detailed explanation.

Terminal visit eight steps, according to legend, were created by Master Kong during its channel intensive cultivation. However, currently, it has become a basic skill in the FMCG industry.
Today, we break it down into ten steps for detailed explanation.
1**Is terminal visit a profound skill?**
Some might think of the escape technique given by the fairy sister to Duan Gongzi. If you don't feel it, recall the military's attention and stance.
The visit steps teach a sales rep, a new recruit, how to stand at attention, at ease, and in stance. Someone might ask: "I can beat the enemy without knowing how to stand at attention." Imagine a movie scene: a regular army marching, suddenly enemy contact, with the commander's shout "Down!", the army drops flat. If it were bandits, many would still be standing because they either don't understand or shout: "The ground is full of dog poop, how can I kiss it?"
**Marketing regulars often break a visit action into multiple steps**, like Cola's eight visit steps.
Marketing bandits simplify multiple steps into one action, like shouting at the customer's door: "Ergouzi, I'm here!"
Bandits believe: White cat or black cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat!
Regulars believe: A good cat is one that performs the mouse-catching action correctly and can replicate it!
Bandits salute by kowtowing!
The first action of a regular salute is attention: heels together, toes apart at 60 degrees; legs straight; stomach slightly in, chest out; body upright, slightly forward; shoulders level, slightly back; arms hanging naturally, fingers together and slightly bent, thumb tip touching the second joint of the index finger, middle finger along the trouser seam; head straight, neck straight, mouth closed, chin slightly in, eyes looking forward.
Think about it, isn't that the difference between regulars and bandits?
2**Before breaking down the steps, clarify a few things**
(1) Is the terminal your lifeline?
(2) Is the terminal your main battlefield for sales and performance?
(3) What percentage of your sales is achieved through terminals?
(4) Can you do without terminals?
(5) Who controls the terminals?
(6) Why can customers demand high prices? Hold terminals to make manufacturers miserable? Turn guest into host?
Where are the terminals?
Some answer: Terminals are in the market.
**Question: Taking Shijiazhuang as an example, how many terminals are there? Do you know their locations, owners, phone numbers, and product mix?**
Note: Different categories and brands define terminals differently.
Keywords: suitable + matching; street sweeping or reconnaissance.
Use standard templates, follow the no-omission principle, inventory all terminals in your market, record them, mark them on a map, and create terminal customer profiles. If this foundation is not solid, the rest will be a mess.
**Question: Are sales reps frequently changed? Do they frequently change territories? Do they sweep the street again each time?**
If the basic work of street sweeping, mapping, and tabulation is solid, changing personnel is fine. But someone might ask: "My sales reps only visit customers, not terminals, or just go through the motions. Why?" Because their salary is not tied to terminals, or barely, as the main part comes from sales volume. So, pay attention to the distribution of roles: distribution reps and terminal reps are different, like engineers and artillery. Distribution (customer, channel) management is handled by the district supervisor or distribution rep, while terminal work is handled by terminal reps. When these are mixed, terminal visits are doomed!
**Question: Should you determine how many terminals to visit per day and which ones?**
Typically 45 per day, once a week, about 240 terminals.
But the key issue is how to solve it, following two principles: first, the no-omission principle; second, the territory brand principle.
**No-omission principle: Every store must be visited; if not, like a closed store, it requires supervisor approval!**
**Territory brand principle: Territory makes brand! Territory = control rate = number of stores stocked / target number.**
So, can you skip terminals? Pick and choose? Repeat? No, you must visit! What is the purpose of visiting terminals? To increase sales?
I think the main purpose is to grab territory!
(1) Grab territory.
(2) Build relationships.
(3) Merchandising.
(4) Attack and block competitors.
3 **Enter the ten visit steps**
**Step 1: Outside the store!**
Some might say, prepare before the visit, groom, show eight teeth, etc.
I think the keywords for outside the store are: name, need, and shortage. What is the owner's name? How to know? What does the store need? How to know? What is missing? How to know?
Note: Check the visit manual! It records the owner's name, last visit's product display and competitor situation, order status, customer complaints, etc.
**Key actions: Check the manual (electronic or paper), think about scripts, handle competitor posters.**
**Step 2: Greeting.**
Find the right person: identify key people, scripts, titles, ice-breaking techniques.
Note: Newbies often feel dizzy and incoherent when entering the store.
Key actions: Greet everyone in the store, introduce yourself (scripts, techniques), handle complaints. **Service is the first step to closing a sale, and the foundation for building relationships.**
Three stages of relationship: Initial: customer knows you and can name you. Intermediate: customer trusts you, can place orders after inventory check, and signs off. Advanced: customer depends on you, and you can give management advice to help the owner make money.
**Step 3: Inside the store.**
Keywords: **Professional, dedicated!**
What is professional? What is dedicated? Professionalism is often visible at a glance! Like trained soldiers. You can tell if a sales rep is professional by how they put up a poster. Some smoothly remove the competitor's poster and put up their own.
Note: Professionalism is trained and managed, starting with each action.
**Step 4: Product display.**
Principles: 1. Make your product visible, competitor's invisible. 2. Display is fought for. 3. Display is a habit.
Note: Spending money is instinct; anyone can do it. Doing market work is a skill; not everyone can.
**Step 5: Inventory management.**
Alcohol is special; standard inventory management is rarely done at terminals because it doesn't expire.
For FMCG, inventory management keywords: **FIFO, near-expiry items**.
Near-expiry means half of the shelf life. Manage near-expiry well, and there will be no expired items, or fewer. Near-expiry management is standard in beverages, food, especially milk. Key actions: check barcodes and dates, observe flow, organize, record near-expiry, notify customers to handle, warn the store to prevent expiration; monitor the inventory ratio of your product vs. competitors.
**Step 6: Suggested order.**
Follow the 1.5 times safety stock principle. (Last stock - last order - current stock) × 1.5 = safety stock. Last stock and last order should be checked in visit records (electronic systems; mobile systems struggle with this). Current stock is actual inventory.
Key actions: Give the customer a suggested order with scripts; judge based on safety stock and flow, master the scale and scripts, avoid "one-shot death"; push new products, seize the timing, master scripts and techniques, and continue closing.
**New product points: Alignment and gap.** Alignment: align with competitors on price bands; gap: recommend price bands missing in the store.
**Step 7: Policy communication.**
Policy scripts, calculate thoroughly, store-specific policies, communicate content, sign agreements, etc.
**Step 8: Understand market dynamics.**
Keywords: Write it down (professional behavior).
Key actions: Learn competitor information. Listen to customer complaints and opinions, and terminal suggestions.
**Step 9: Form work.**
Keywords: Accurate, truthful.
Key actions: Complete forms (electronic, paper), market information feedback forms, undelivered order records, etc.
**Step 10: Reconfirm appointment, thank and leave.**
Keywords: Name, visit cycle, order content.
Key actions: Avoid a strong start and weak finish, or leaving things behind.
Note that in the FMCG industry, companies with strong brands have strong terminal management capabilities.
This article is excerpted from Mr. Fang Gang's book "FMCG Veterans Do This: Regional Manager Playbook".
To purchase this book, click **"Read Original"**
If you like this article and want to communicate with the author, long-press the QR code below to add Mr. Fang Gang's WeChat, and reply: **Learning**
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