Global Business Awards 2024 | 23 Recognising its client’s pain points, Cheil Germany seized the opportunity to develop a tailored software-as-a-service solution that perfectly matched Samsung’s specific obstacles. Thus, Smartways was born. The company soon found that by reducing the manual workload, Smartways provided a sophisticated approach that facilitated smart decision-making in complex situations. For Samsung’s field merchandising team, this provided a costeffective solution that optimised point-of-sale quality and visibility, ensured optimal brand positioning and promotion, and offered the much-needed agility for last-minute changes and large-scale point-of-sale campaigns and rollouts. “What is most fascinating about Smartways is the story of how it all started,” says Bumsu. “Built and developed internally, it truly started as a grassroots initiative. For someone who loves the feel of a start-up and building something great, this is a great place to roll up your sleeves, get creative, and try something new.” Since its creation, Smartways has revolutionised Samsung’s field operations by creating the best possible schedules through clustered appointments, minimized travel times, and prioritising high value customers, providing the necessary tools to efficiently complete tasks. After implementing Smartways, Samsung has experienced significant improvements in its field operations, with store visits increasing by over 100%; time spend in stores increasing by 58%; an increase of 222% in ad hoc visits; merchandiser capacity increasing by 145%; and its yearly ROI exceeding €3,000,000. In fact, the continued success of Smartways has led Samsung to expand its use into other divisions and subsidiaries, now operating across Europe and Brazil, South America’s largest market. The tool has not only aided merchandisers, but has also benefitted various other profiles, such as sales and maintenance teams. Speaking on the exceptional results of integrating Smartways, Erwin Schwabauer, Sr. Manager Retail Sales & Strategy for Samsung Electronics Germany, says, “Smartways has innovated the operation of our field force campaigns completely. No other software has allowed us to become as effective and efficient as we have been since its implementation.” Whilst there are services compared to Smartways, such as OptimoRoute, Portatour, and FLS, the extensive services Smartways provides are unparalleled. Smartways not only plans routes, but also manages tasks based on levels of priority, a feature not found in any similar platform. Smartways offers more than basic route planning and isn’t focused on last-mile delivery. The company has reached elevated levels of success, driven by its internal culture. By fostering a culture of innovation, productivity and communication, Cheil Germany ensures it receives the very best results from each member of its teams. The company prioritises continual improvement and development, which in turn motivates employees. Maintaining a strong team is crucial to any company’s success, particularly within the ever-changing world of retail. It is often very challenging to stay ahead of emerging trends and technological advancements, so it is important that companies continuously monitor the market and remain flexible in the face of difficulty. As Smartways is a software solution, Cheil Germany is not limited in its expansion options. Over time, the company has shifted to a connected commerce approach that integrates data, technology, and creativity to create a seamless customer experience. Such a shift allows Cheil Germany to explore new avenues for growth to enhance its operations, enabling it to further expand its reach and develop more innovative solutions. In fact, the company has been working closely with its other European subsidiaries to promote Smartways with their clients, as they too will benefit with their merchandising operations. These collaborations will further cement Cheil Germany as a pioneer within the merchandising industry, in addition to streamlining merchandising operations across the continent. “Given the needs of our clients have shifted over the years, so has the level of our service offerings. As we’ve evolved from a marketing agency to a connected commerce total solutions provider, a SaaS product like SmartWays becomes a natural fit within our scope of product and service offerings. With a focus to support our clients and their merchandising efforts, we help optimize their overall retail performance,” Bumsu notes. “This type of approach is what has paved the path for our continued success in Germany and global recognition across Cheil.” In addition to the development of its groundbreaking mobile app, Cheil Germany’s future plans include focusing on its solidifying itself within the European markets. Through strategic partnerships and collaboration, the company hopes to become a major player across Europe, renowned for delivering cuttingedge solutions that significantly improve the structure of the merchandising industry. Through the introduction of Smartways, Cheil Germany has been successful in its transformation of route management processes. The company has worked tirelessly in its endeavours to bring great change to leading companies through real-world solutions and advanced applications. It is for this very reason that Cheil Germany has been named the Best AI Transformation and Retail Optimisation Company 2024 – Hesse. We at Corporate Vision would like to extend our congratulations to the industry innovators, and eagerly anticipate its future developments. Looking to the future, Bumsu tells us, “Businesses are working smarter, not harder. This means using the right tools and resources to optimise efficiency and effectiveness. As we continue to build and establish our presence in the European market, we’re constantly evaluating our competitors and how artificial intelligence is evolving to build and deliver a worldclass product.” Contact Details Contact: Bumsu Kim Company: Cheil Germany Web Address: https://cheil.de/ & https://www.smart-ways.com/ Cheil Germany Merchandiser Daily Route Plan
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