How to write the category management process?

Start implementing category management

Category management is not an end, but a process of continuous improvement.

When embarking on category management, there is no specific and proven way to achieve success, nor is there a way to achieve ideal results in the management of all categories. The entire management process operates automatically as required. the perfect end point. Each distributor and supplier will adopt different methods based on many factors when implementing category management. The implementation of category management usually needs to be adapted to the specific environment of the enterprise. Of course, although the implementation methods will be different, they all include Here are some basic contents:

(1) Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the conditions for implementing category management

1. Objectively evaluate the company's ability (strengths and deficiencies) to implement category management based on the six major elements of category management (two core elements and four supporting elements).

(2) Organizational Guarantee

2. First communicate with the company’s senior managers to achieve a common understanding and set realistic goals;

3. Designate a manager to lead the implementation of the entire category management;

4. Evaluate the current skills of those responsible for category management tasks and responsibilities, and identify technical gaps;

5. Determine the scope of adjustment to the enterprise's organizational structure and formulate an adjustment plan. The plan should describe: the organizational structure that meets the needs of category management, selection procedures, recruitment (if there is a need for this), reward system and corporate culture. Adjustments;

6. Make a basic explanation of relevant concepts to reduce the impact of potential unstable factors on the entire organization.

(3) Implementation plan

7. Based on the largest range of opportunities discovered in the assessment, formulate a detailed implementation plan for the first year. These opportunities highlight key strengths as well as key weaknesses, and then relatively minimally develop plans for years two and three, select a core team, and formally communicate the plan to the entire organization. Please review the main steps in the entire process of implementing the plan (pictured).

(4) Formulate corporate strategies that are compatible with category management

8. Check, revise, and if necessary, re-formulate corporate and/or departmental business strategies. The strategy should be able to It provides sufficient guidance on key issues in category management, such as the setting of category roles, resource allocation and strategies.

(5) Sample of formulating category business plans with partners***

9. Start by formulating business plans for several important but uncomplicated categories, starting from those who already have the skills It's important to start with conditional stuff. Practical operations in business processes facilitate further identification of opportunities for improvement.

(6) Development of category roles, strategies and techniques

1O. Examine existing corporate goals and strategies, and evaluate the role of these goals and strategies in setting category roles from a specific perspective , the role played by development strategies and technologies, and if necessary, the corporate development strategy should be revised or re-formulated.

Distributors: Pre-set a role for each category based on existing data and intuition, ensuring that the roles of all categories are matched with business resources and targeted at new information. New corporate strategies, improvements in category mix, and analysis of business strategies make necessary adjustments to category roles.

Suppliers: Support the setting of distributed merchandise category roles through the development of internal plans and strategies. These plans should be unified with the supplier's overall category brand strategy and maintain the flexibility and adaptability of these strategies.

(7) Business process

11. Develop or adopt a standard format category management plan or model to ensure consistent operations. A schedule and model for the "starting phase" are included in the appendix.

Distributors: Select several categories to formulate their plans based on determined criteria, including the strategic position (role) of the category, the capabilities of suppliers and category managers, gaps in monitoring indicators, and the complexity of the category. Business plans and business process models.

Suppliers: To develop the business plan, establish criteria for selecting customers and categories (if there is more than one category). The criteria should include the strategic position (role) of the category, distributors and supplier representatives ability. Monitor gaps in metrics and category complexity.

12. Establish a specific action schedule for the implementation and completion of the category management plan in the initial stage.

(8) Information Technology

13. Design or adopt a category evaluation schedule and data display mode. Examples of the evaluation schedule are in the appendix:

14 , Determine in advance the respective responsibilities of distributors and suppliers for collecting and analyzing data;

15. Be familiar with the types of data that can be obtained from distributors and suppliers (such as consumers, markets, suppliers, already Published materials, etc.);

16. Understand the biggest deficiencies in information processing technology that supports category management business processes, and formulate a three-year plan to solve these deficiencies;

17 . Use existing data to start the implementation process of category management. When new data can be obtained or the need for data has been clarified, relevant data should be utilized.