Here at Tactical Solutions, innovation is truly at the heart of what we do. With our proven wealth of experience, we understand our industry well enough to appreciate the complexities of the often competitive and unpredictable retail environment. Over the years, we’ve learned how to navigate and overcome these challenges, enabling us to achieve the very best results for ourselves and our customers through our powerful data and technology.
Outside of our business, retailers and brands frequently face the challenge of maintaining their presence in the market. For them, innovation is vital. If they fail to introduce new, exciting products that captivate consumers, or they miss out on responding to shifts in consumer shopper behaviour and spending, they could start to lose profits and risk their space on the retail shelf.
What Does the Research Show?
Supporting these statements is a recent report by Kantar, which states that ‘…Innovation tends to attract heavy spenders – those who invest over £213 annually on new products – to larger stores, creating a symbiotic relationship that boosts both consumer satisfaction and retailer performance’. Innovation has the power to change shopping behaviours in terms of what consumers buy and who they buy from, meaning that those who master innovation can ensure longevity and consistent brand/retailer loyalty.
Further supporting this is a recent report from BCG and the World Retail Congress. They discovered that many retail leaders now plan to increase their innovation investments over the next three years, highlighting an industry-wide focus on offering new advancements to stay ahead of the competition.
Staying ahead in the market requires a lot of time and effort. To allow innovation and ideation to manifest, we have to ensure that we’re consistently empowering our teams, staying connected to trends in the industry, and remaining open-minded and flexible when it comes to receiving customer feedback.
As pioneers in the retail industry, we’re always seeking out new methods when it comes to the services that we provide, using a data-driven decision-making approach for every client we work with. We’re not afraid of going against the grain and using an experimental process backed by new ideas, so we don’t shy away from trailing new business ventures. What helps us do this with ease is establishing a sense of trust with our customers. Ultimately, our clients know that they can trust us to get the job done to an excellent time standard, which means that we have a high level of flexibility when it comes to delivering our services.
In our latest blog post, we chat with Business Unit Controller, Simon Hands, who gives us some insights into how we think differently as a business, working in partnership with our customers to not only do what we’re asked – but to find ways to do them better.
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Q: Hi Simon! Can you tell us about your role at Tactical Solutions and how it affects our approach to innovation and trials?
A: My role involves engaging with various business units across our client base to thoroughly understand their unique projects and objectives, and how these align with their broader business goals. From there, I ensure that our field marketing teams are strategically positioned, well-trained, and fully briefed to execute these objectives in-store. A key part of my role is continuously evaluating our approach, even as we implement it, to identify areas for improvement or innovation. This proactive mindset ensures we stay ahead of the competition, as complacency is the greatest threat to our success.
At Tactical Solutions, we collaborate closely with brands to ensure that our customers’ products are strategically placed and effectively promoted by our field accompaniments, driving increased sales and deeper shopper engagement. Leading this charge are our territory sales managers – true innovators who work tirelessly to give your products the best chance to stand out in a competitive market.
We employ a comprehensive approach, combining various strategies to outpace the competition. Our team of experts conducts over 3,700+ in-store, data led calls each week, providing us with valuable insights into your brand’s performance. By pinpointing areas where your products excel, identifying challenges, and uncovering new opportunities, we implement tailored, data-driven retail solutions that not only address issues, but also enhance overall results.
Q: How do you handle risk when doing trials and trying out new strategies for our customers?
A: You have to be prepared to fail to learn and succeed. Fail first but learn fast! This can be mitigated by small-scale test & learn trials, using a small number of your field teams whilst ensuring you have a wide comparative set to review learnings against.
Q: Can you give examples of how we’ve used trials to get better results for our customers?
A: Absolutely! One of my customers manages a large portfolio across multiple brands and categories. We successfully piloted a strategy where we limited the time and focus on lower-performing products, allowing us to concentrate on critical touch points that drive sales. This approach not only ensured optimal execution where it mattered the most, but also freed up valuable time, enabling us to increase the number of store visits over the same period. As a result, we achieved greater efficiency and better outcomes for the client.
Q: How do trust and transparency help our partnerships, especially with new ways of working?
A: Trust, loyalty and transparency are crucial, particularly when new approaches may require an additional investment during challenging times, such as when growth has been driven by cost price increases amidst declining volumes, due to the cost-of-living crisis. For businesses to commit to change or invest in new strategies (especially when moving away from proven methods), they need to trust that their partners are genuinely aligned with their objectives. This trust is further reinforced by transparency in the data and rationale used to justify these changes, ensuring that decisions are grounded in a mutual commitment to success.
Q: How do we make sure our trials and innovations meet our customers’ needs?
A: It starts with gaining a thorough understanding of the client’s business objectives and retail operations, identifying the challenges that may be hindering their success – even those the client might not yet be aware of. From there, it’s about guiding them through the process: Helping them recognise these obstacles, explaining their impact, presenting a tailored solution, and clearly outlining the expected outcomes. This approach not only addresses their immediate needs, but also delivers measurable results that align with their long-term goals.
Q: How does customer feedback help us improve and innovate at Tactical Solutions?
A: Continuous learning, adaptation, and evolution are essential for both individuals and businesses. At times, we might overlook gaps in our knowledge or service delivery. That’s why fostering relationships built on direct, clear, and constructive communication is crucial. By maintaining open lines of feedback with our customers and partners, we gain valuable actionable insights that keep our innovation and improvement strategies aligned with their real needs – not just our own perceptions.
This ensures that our solutions remain relevant, timely, and effective in meeting our customers’ goals.
Innovation: The Tactical Solutions Way
It’s clear that embracing innovation gives businesses a competitive edge in a market that requires them to prove their worth consistently. Because innovation can take many forms, (from developing new products and technological services to improving the customer experience), it’s understandable that brands and retailers feel pressure on where to start.
This isn’t helped by the growing demands of customers and the rapid advancement of new technologies and capabilities. Because of this, it’s important for brands to remain clear of their goals and objectives to avoid getting carried away. It may be helpful for some businesses to align themselves with an agency like ours to take the innovation process out of their hands, so they can focus on other pressing business matters!
As a business, we understand that innovation is no longer optional – it’s essential for survival in the fast-paced world of retail. At Tactical Solutions, we make it our mission to stay ahead of the curve by embracing change, testing new approaches, and working closely with our customers to achieve their goals. Through strategic trials, in-depth data analytics, and a focus on collaboration, we help brands unlock their full potential. We understand that lasting success comes from adapting to challenges and consistently finding new ways to drive results, and we’re here to lead the way.
If you’re looking to strengthen your brand identity in the market or you’re thinking about revamping your entire approach, we’ve got the expertise you need to help transform your business! If you’re a brand that’s looking to partner with a field marketing business that prioritises innovation and collaboration, we encourage you to get in touch!
