Click the image above for details An industry expert once said: "In the FMCG industry, everyone talks about 'distribution rate.' In fact, the premise of distribution rate is 'visit rate.' Visit rate is the cause, distribution rate is the effect. Discussing distribution rate without visit rate is putting the cart before the horse. The key metric of visit rate has been forgotten, a common mistake in marketing." Indeed, many distributors I know overlook this critical indicator. Today, let's discuss how to achieve sales growth through a scientific visit rate. A few days ago, a boss called me. He said his company does 50 million yuan a year with 20 vehicles and 20 salespeople. I calculated that each vehicle produces 8,000 yuan per day. But what are the depreciation and wear-and-tear costs of that vehicle? Such costs are obviously too high. In my own company, each vehicle produces about 50,000 yuan per day, a difference of seven or eight times. Similarly, I have another friend who is a salesperson; with 40 million yuan, they only use 6 people and 6 vehicles. This data tells us that distributors must firmly have their salespeople do visit-based selling. So how to scientifically arrange visits? And how to manage salespeople? We'll divide this into two parts. -01- Design and Planning of Scientific Visits We need to understand the significance of scientific visits. Because every distributor has hundreds or thousands of customers, and these customers vary in size, it's unrealistic to treat every customer equally with regular visits. Therefore, designing a scientific visit plan is a crucial prerequisite for improving visit efficiency. Let's see how to design a scientific visit plan. 1) Classify Customer Types First, before visiting, classify customers. The frequency of customer visits should be based on the customer's sales volume. Sales volume varies across channels, but within the same channel type, it is often proportional to store size. So we can classify customers based on channel and store area. For example, the following chart: This is a standard for a distributor specializing in grain, oil, rice, and noodles, classifying customers by channel and store area. Distributors can use this as a reference. 2) Set Visit Frequency Based on Customer Type With customer classification and grading, we then consider setting visit frequency based on customer level. Why set visit frequency? Because salespeople have limited energy, and we need to control costs; personnel expenses are often the largest cost. Scientific setting of visit frequency for different customer levels can reduce unnecessary personnel while ensuring business efficiency, thereby controlling costs and improving profitability. Here's another table for reference. For example, this grain and oil company has customers with store areas of 50 square meters, 70 square meters, and small stores that mainly sell beverages and snacks, with little grain and oil, occasionally selling small items like condiments and dried noodles. For such small stores, salespeople should be required to reduce restocking frequency. With small areas and low foot traffic, visits might be set to once every four weeks to save personnel energy and costs. For high-traffic supermarkets and other channels, salespeople need to visit 2-3 times a week, or even daily during special periods. 3) Divide Visit Routes Based on Salesperson's Responsible Area After determining the visit frequency for each customer, we also need to design visit routes to improve efficiency. In a market, customers are not clustered together waiting for your visit, so we must scientifically divide salesperson's responsible areas and visit routes. Visit routes need to be extremely detailed, even specifying morning and afternoon routes. This is because reasonable routes greatly reduce logistics delivery radius, improve efficiency, and save fuel. With clear routes, there is clear responsibility division; each salesperson is responsible for their own route. One of my salesperson friends delivers to over 40 stores at peak times because he follows scientific routes, greatly improving efficiency. Scientific customer classification, visit frequency, and route setting are like a compass, giving the sales team a clear direction, telling them what to do daily and weekly, and just follow the plan. Remember, with standard work methods, as long as execution is in place, it is the most efficient. -02- Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards; management systems determine success or failure Scientific visit design gives our salespeople clear work plans, but there remains a headache for most bosses: how to ensure salespeople execute according to the plan and complete the work? We all know that salespeople work dispersed in the field, making them difficult to manage. Take a real case I encountered: once I drove past a park and saw one of my salespeople playing with a child in the park. So I called him and asked where he was. He said he was at a certain customer's place. I told him I was nearby and would come over. He then said he had something to do and was leaving the store soon. Eventually, I exposed him. I believe many of you have similar situations with your salespeople. It's very difficult to control and manage them during visits, which is a common worry for every distributor. If management is lax, salespeople may use work time for personal matters. Even an average salesperson, if fully dedicated to work, can perform excellently. So management is important. What does management rely on? Yes, on systems. Only reasonable and strong systems can make the team more combat-effective. How to formulate a customer visit management system for salespeople and department managers? Refer to the following business visit assessment system from a company: Business visit trajectory time assessment (assessment tools: modern channels use "Yijiaren," traditional channels use "Yifenxiao") Method: Check in when arriving at the store, check out when leaving. 1. Traditional channel personnel: Morning check-in: Arrive at the planned store in the area by 8:20. Leave the last store no earlier than: 15:30 in urban areas; 15:00 in townships. 2. Modern channel personnel: Morning check-in: Arrive at the planned store in the area by 8:30. Leave the last store no earlier than: 15:30. 3. Catering channel: Morning check-in: Arrive at the planned store in the area by 8:20. Leave the last store no earlier than: 15:30 in urban areas. In the "Catering Terminal Group," take photos (with watermark time) in the order of customer visits: "storefront + self" 4. Work status determination: Late by 90 minutes or early leave by 90 minutes is considered half a day of absenteeism! Late by 180 minutes or early leave by 180 minutes is considered a full day of absenteeism! If staying at a CL store for more than 30 minutes, or at a modern channel store for more than 90 minutes, must report effectively in the attendance group. No report is considered absenteeism. If travel time exceeds 30 minutes, must report effectively in the attendance group. No report is considered absenteeism. Effective reporting standard: watermark photo time + self + scene proof + report explanation. 5. Visit assessment: Traditional business: visit no fewer than 90 customers per week; catering channel: no fewer than 50 per week. Fine of 10 yuan per customer for each missed visit per week. Assessed weekly. (Sick or personal leave reduces accordingly) Such an assessment system is relatively complete. As long as dedicated personnel are arranged to check and execute, you can basically control the reasonable work plan of the sales team. Why is the management system so important? Let me give another example: There was a salesperson in a branch office. One day he didn't take photos as required, so we fined him. He explained that others saw him working, but since he was in the branch office, my clerk couldn't verify it, so I punished him according to the system. In the short term, this salesperson or a few people in the branch might think it's a bit harsh, but in the long run, it's definitely beneficial; everyone will obey the management system. A company that wants to scale must strictly enforce management systems. After determining the assessment system, we also need to analyze actual data and have strict rules for rewards and punishments. (Specific reward and punishment systems should be based on your company's situation and employee income) Through data analysis, identify the 30 customers with the worst activity and the 30 with the worst sales for each salesperson each month. With data, we can clearly know which channels and customers need attention and adjust visit plans promptly. In execution, department managers spot-check visits to verify if salespeople skip stores; if so, punish according to the system. Finally, don't forget to set up a customer complaint hotline. Because salespeople are relatively free, sometimes they may do small tricks. So I suggest distributors leave a complaint hotline in a visible place at the customer's location. This way, customers can reach you if the salesperson's service is inadequate or if they can't find the salesperson when ordering. It's also a form of supervision for salespeople. In this regard, I always prepare business cards and personally give them to customers, giving all customers the opportunity to complain. Now, the development of mobile internet facilitates our management. We can use online software like DingTalk to monitor salespeople's locations in real time, making such management systems executable. We should utilize the backend data of management tools, assign dedicated personnel to check salespeople's visit execution daily, issue reports, publish daily, and punish daily. The formulation of systems is for strict execution. I suggest having dedicated personnel responsible for checking. Only management systems that are executed are truly effective. On this basis, we can consider improving and perfecting the system. Of course, during execution, if loopholes are found, they should be promptly filled. Over time, your management system will become more and more complete. Today's content mainly covers these two areas. Every distributor should value visit rate. On one hand, scientific visit planning; on the other hand, a management system with strong execution. Only by combining these can we achieve efficient visit-based selling and ultimately achieve sales growth.