Recently, I sat down with Beth Madore, one of Tibersoft’s Client Success Managers to ask her about a recent foodservice performance optimization project she worked on with her client. As more data has become increasingly available, expectations have increased on leveraging it for clear, accurate information that can be used in negotiations with our client’s business partners, such as GPOs and operators. The foodservice industry is moving towards higher levels of data sophistication, and with it, increased demands for more precise information and insights.
Background: True cases, based on rebates:
Tibersoft processes Rebate and Billback trade claims from foodservice distributors and operators for its clients. Deduplication and determination of the true case volume for this data is a key part of the processing.
The Problem: How do we customize the algorithm to true case volume to today’s reality?
Traditional methods of calculating case volumes are no longer always sufficient. For example, what happens when new data sources are added like velocity or vending data? What happens when the operators start to measure case performance differently based on those new data sources? Similarly, how does the client know what the true volume is to measure for growth performance metrics and therefore negotiate payment with?
This is an example of why foodservice data has been such a herculean task to curate to create insightful and productive conversations.
There are multiple sources of data being pulled into the client’s system. How does one determine what is the true case value between the various sources for growth payment? Additionally, how do you overcome the issue of latency, when these data sources may be available at varying times? This is the next level of sophistication that Beth sought to complete with and for her client for a specific operator.
Why was this so important?
Beth worked to address a problem in the data that we see within our client community that can bubble up. While the issue itself is small, the impact is very large because negotiations with operators are overwhelming to begin with. Adding in another layer of disagreement creates even more tension and a negative experience for both parties. Without this new, more precise view, on true case volume, clients are forced to have lengthy negotiations with rounds of back and forth until all parties could agree on the real ‘true case’ number.
Understanding the source of the true case volume for the specific operator allows for the team to be confident in the data that they are presenting. When it comes to data, no one likes the ‘black box’ theory where you don’t know what’s happening in the box and therefore can’t feel comfortable with the results it shares back.
Note: In science, computing, and engineering, a black box is a device, system, or object which produces useful information without revealing any information about its internal workings. The explanations for its conclusions remain opaque or “black.”
Beth underscores, “When you mix business and technical perspectives, it is critically important that the client understands how things work and what get’s touched.”
The solution:
Beth worked with her client to tailor the algorithm for the specific operator so that the true case that would be reflected would be the one they expected to see. This was an iterative process to ensure live examples produced anticipated results. This is an example of the custom work that is available through our Professional Services team.
“The data brings the application to life and the data sets are evolving and getting more sophisticated. It’s tremendous what we can do with it.” – Beth Madore
Any advice?
To other manufacturers facing a similar problem, Beth says “If you need to simplify your books and your approach to business, that’s something we can look into for you. It’s not about writing an application, or getting different data. It’s about adapting the algorithm to pick a different model.” This is especially important as the industry does make more data available, such as what we’ve seen with data for vending, convenience, and other sources beyond traditional foodservice.
Beth reminds us, “Even though we’re getting access to more data, it doesn’t mean it’s more sophisticated or usable.” That’s where Beth and our team at Tibersoft come in. Tibersoft continues to redefine the industry standards and offer a roadmap for our clients to achieve foodservice performance optimization.
Closing thoughts
Lastly, I asked Beth, what makes her a trusted partner to her clients?
She’s been with her clients for over a decade and ingrained into their daily processes. She’s worked diligently during that time to get to know their people, processes, and priorities so that she’s only a phone call away when they run into a new challenge or opportunity. She wants all of her accounts to be flagships and for her work to support them in their leadership in the foodservice industry. They push the envelope on the depth and breadth of business where Tibersoft applications are used for success.
“At the end of the day, Tibersoft was the only partner who could help make this happen because we have all of the data and know how to work with it.” – Beth Madore
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