Pros
Field Merchandising in the FMCG sector is exactly that. Fast moving in the consumer goods industry.
The role involves working with a variety of retailers and building relationships with store staff at all levels. A high level of organisation is needed on an average scheduled week. The role is what it says on the "tin".
1. A typical day or month involves visiting small and larger retail outlets representing an individual brand and having access to available data to make interventions for the client. Persistence is important as is flexibility as no two days are ever the same.
2. Sometimes the demands vary and the personal retail relationships are important in facilitating ease of workload but also ensuring a good quality of work is delivered for the client; which could be point of sale small or medium "shippers", or implementing incremental retail displays or ensuring that pricing labels is correct in conjunction with the store. Ensuring that client promotions are implemented where possible and checking store knowledge as well as ascertaining which individual retail stores are amenable or may not be aware or have had time to implement their store product promotion plans.
3. The most enjoyable parts of this position were being able to effectively deliver small or large stock interventions in conjunction with the store which could involve ensuring maximum brand availability according to store plans, or it could be ensuring inventory at store is correct or through store relationships increasing brand visibility or ordering more stock in some store locations.
4. An average retailer has around 100 staff or more and therefore building the relationships with relevant store decision makers in different stores is the crucial part of this position. Each uses different technology.
5. The most frustrating parts were when regular staff were off finding other retail staff to make required interventions. The most fun parts were finding stock in unusual locations, being asked for stock samples but also meeting different retail staff from warehouse to store managers to head office staff. The merchandising training provided is thorough and useful.
Cons
Every store is different. What is an easy task to complete in one store is not necessarily the same in others and purely dependant on contacts at an individual store.
