All the information at your fingertips with Companion ^® Suite

Optimizing performance – mobile sales, merchandisers and delivery personnel
Using the latest mobile technology, Companion ® allows personnel on the road to enhance their efficiency and better manage their work cycle. This mobile solution is designed to automate and optimize their processes, increasing productivity, enhancing customer service, and maximizing profitability.

Complete freedom of movement – bidirectional communication
The Companion ® complete software solution gives users an unparalleled freedom of movement, while maintaining a bidirectional channel of communication. With smart messaging capability, messages and reminders can flow in any direction at any time. Your mobile personnel will have access to all relevant information such as inventory levels, statistical data, products, prices and promotional information anywhere anytime. All data collected in the field can be processed and transmitted in a real time environment.

A computerized assistant – enhancing performance
Companion ® Suite is designed to provide sales reps, merchandisers and delivery personnel with all the necessary information to perform their daily activities more efficiently and effectively. They can carry out routine tasks smoothly and quickly, accessing relevant information such as statistical data on their mobile unit. If desired, at the store level, they will see only the information that is relevant to the client (ex: product and price lists, promotions, etc). Automatically generated suggested orders based on various criteria are also available with Companion. All calculations are done automatically using accurate pricing, saving time and avoiding calculation errors. With Companion ®, reports can be configured and produced accurately and easily with a simple “click”!

A management tool – control and visibility
Companion ® keeps management in control, with full visibility of what is happening on the road. This application allows you to effectively manage your distribution/sales/merchandising operations. Master files can be directly managed on Companion ®: customers, inventory, price lists, promotions, etc. Companion®is a solution with a proven track record, allowing better planning, measuring of performance, identification of new revenue opportunities and tracking of sales initiatives. It has a built-in report generator, so you can have reports on everything that is relevant to you. Companion ® truly helps you stay ahead of the competition! 

The benefits – optimizing business processes

• Better planning, execution and measuring of sales initiatives/promotions.
• Better identification of revenue opportunities.
• Better tracking of sales objectives.
• Better understanding of the competition.
• Better returns tracking.
• Better (informed) decision making.
• Reduction of manual data entry.
• Decrease of clerical and invoicing errors.
• Faster order taking/invoicing.
• Increase sales through access to information (inventory levels, sales history, etc) and automatically generated orders.
• Easy access to statistical data.
• Increase in overall productivity.
• Faster and accurate reporting.
• Cost/loss reductions by better tracking of goods.
• Reduction of billing cycles.
• Quick response to client’s requests and overall service to clients.
• Proof of delivery.
• Ability to manage complex/multiple pricing scenarios.
• Overall increase of efficiency, allowing a faster production/distribution planning.

The main technical features of Companion ® Suite are:

• Open architecture that integrates with small and large back-end (ERP) systems (Simply Accounting, JDE, SAP, etc).
• Supports a variety of handheld computers, tablet pcs, ultra light laptops with or without touch screens for faster data processing and signature capturing.
• Supports portable printers, scanners, and cameras for photo capturing.
• Full suite of Windows Office tools: e-mail, word processor, multimedia presentation, spreadsheets, etc.
• Windows CE, Pocket PC and Windows Mobile.
• Windows 95/98/00/03/XP/Vista.
• Internet communication with secure data transmission using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
• Wired and wireless communication (direct, modem, cellular networks, etc).
• Supports EDI and DEX technologies.
• Data processing using barcode scanning and/or RFID.

Mobile sales and Merchandising

Representative Companion ® makes your life easier… No more overloaded briefcases; no more material left at the office, no more evenings spent preparing sales reports.

Representative Companion ® (RC) is an automation solution that optimizes the activities of sales reps and/or merchandisers, providing them with all the information needed for their daily activities on a mobile computer.

 

For management, Representative Companion offers a higher level of visibility and control over field activities. They can effectively manage their sales and/or merchandising activities, measuring performance, evaluating opportunities and executing actions that will maximize efficiency and effectiveness. Master files such as products, prices, territories and surveys can all be handled with Companion ®. This application will help you plan, build and execute marketing/sales programs, allowing you to evaluate the success and its impact on profitability. Informed decision-making along with better planning and control will have a positive impact on your bottom line. For more information see the Office Companion ® section.

Everything connects!

The Representative Companion ® functionalities

• Automatic configurable reports. All reports are generated accurately and easily with a simple “click”.
• Bidirectional communication (Data is exchanged as frequently as desired).
• Bidirectional smart messaging capability (to a rep, territory, group, etc).
• View statistical data. (Stores up to 13 months of returns, inventory, facings, etc).
• View sales history (up to 3 years).
• Rapid draft.
• Automatically generated suggested orders by various criteria.
• Fast and accurate order taking (regular orders, suggested, sample, etc).
• Processing of pre-book orders.
• Account management with better call/visit planning.
• Tracking of sales objectives (overall, by store, by product, sale-in/sale-out, etc).
• Management and tracking of marketing/sales programs and initiatives.  
• Printing capabilities at point-of-sale with an ultra light thermal printer (Ex: suggested orders printed with barcodes, quantity and types).
• Inventory management, shelf, back and display (and vehicle if carrying inventory) and view the next inventory replenishment date.
• Returns processing, collection and credit sheets.
• Display photos of products and planograms.
• Facing, inventory, planogram compliance, etc.
• Survey entry and analysis.
• Distribution entry.
• Evaluating competition (data gathering of facing, pricing, surveys, etc. about the competition).
• BI analysis of sales, promotions, products, orders, surveys, etc (by region, territory, banner, Store type, SKUs).

 

 

Some tangible benefits

 

• Increase efficiency by automating routine field tasks: sales, distribution, order preparation and processing, inventory and accounts receivable management, merchandising and much more!
• Easy and intuitive search of clients and product information.
• Reduce manual operations and order processing time.
• Easy data gathering directly on the mobile units.
• Reps spend more time with their customers and less time looking for information.
• Minimize errors. At point-of-sale, reps will only view (if desired) information that is relevant to the client (ex: authorize products, promotions, and price lists). All calculations are done automatically with accurate pricing, avoiding errors.
• Improve communication and corporate image.
• Using accurate information, sales reps better help their clients make wiser business decisions and create better client relations.
• Faster production/distribution preparation, decreasing delivery delays.

 

Route Accounting – Direct Store Delivery (DSD)

 

Route Companion" ® is a complete software solution with proven track record, which allows for an efficient and effective management of direct store delivery (DSD) activities. With a rugged handheld computer, your delivery personnel will be equipped to efficiently manage their daily activities.

All the collected data is transferred directly to your host system. No more manual data entry, short inventory or dissatisfied customers. Everything connects with Route Companion ® .

The Route Companion ® functionalities

IN THE OFFICE

Companion allows you to manage your entire DSD operation: Manage your distribution routes and delivery personnel (your own and/or independent distributors/jobbers), process your phone and field orders; manage your master files (customers, inventory, price lists, promotions, etc). All data collected and processed in the field (returns, collections, surveys, invoices, etc) is processed by Companion.  It has a built-in report generator, so you can create reports on everything that is relevant to you. This application is designed with an open architecture, integrating with small and large back end systems (Simply accounting, SAP, etc). It fully supports EDI and DEX technologies. For more information see the Office Companion ® section.

ON THE ROAD

Start of day

• Route delivery management (sequence of visits, scheduling visits, pickups, etc).
• Truck loading.
• Reception of up-to-date data: price lists, promotions, product specifications, news, etc.

Customer visit

• Point-of-sale selection.
• Promotions display.
• Fast return entry (manual, barcode or RFID).
• Payment collection (cash, check or credit).
• Invoice creation or adjustment.
• Order entry. If desired, only relevant information to the client is displayed at point-of-sale (ex: authorize products, promotions, and price lists). All calculations are done automatically with accurate pricing.
• Price modification.
• Supports several types of invoices. Invoices could be customized to respond to each client’s requirements/needs.
• Printing capabilities at point-of-sale.
• Electronic signature capturing.
• Survey entry. 
• Viewing of statistical data.
• Suggested orders.
• Bidirectional smart messaging.
• Inventory management: vehicle, warehouse and point-of-sale (back store, shelf, etc).

End of the day

• Truck unloading.
• Route settlement/reconciliation.
• Truck replenishment order.
• Transfer of transactions to host system (wired and/or wireless communication).
• Automatic configurable reports generated with a simple “click”.
  

 

Some tangible benefits

 

• Increase efficiency by automating routine tasks.
• Reduction of processing time.
• Many parameters can be configured to allow (or prevent) your delivery personnel to give discounts, credits, change the sequence of visits, etc.
• Producing clear, complete and accurate invoices.
• Bidirectional communication (Data is exchanged as frequently as desired).
• Minimizing errors.
• Easy and intuitive search of clients and product information.
• Minimizing time spent at POS.
• Accurate reporting.
• Complete visibility over your entire direct store delivery operations.
• Faster production/distribution preparation, decreasing delivery delays.
• Improve communication and corporate image.

Effective management of your mobile workforce

Office Companion ® is a solution that helps to effectively manage your activities on the road. This application is designed with an open architecture, integrating with small and large back end systems (Simply accounting, QuickBooks, JDE, SAP, etc). Information flows in a bidirectional environment making it available to mobile personnel. This solution offers management a higher level of visibility and control over field activities, helping you effectively manage your routes: delivery, sales and/or merchandising.

Office Companion ® main features

Office Companion ® (OC) is a back-office application that links your host system to your mobile units allowing information to flow in both directions (office <- -> mobile units). All collected data (returns, collections, surveys, invoices, etc.) on the routes is processed with OC.

 

It allows you to manage your entire field operations: mobile workforce (your own and/or independent), process your phone and field orders and manage your master files (customers, inventory, price lists, promotions, etc.).  This application has a built-in report generator, so you can create reports on everything that is relevant to you: sales, distribution, inventory, facing, promotions, products, orders, surveys, etc. (by rep, region, territory, banner, Store type, SKUs). Other reports such as customers visited, not visited and communication reports are also available with Office Companion ®.

Management will be able to measure performance, evaluating opportunities and executing actions that will maximize efficiency and effectiveness. This application will help you plan, build and execute marketing/sales programs, allowing you to evaluate success and its impact on profitability. Informed decision-making along with better planning and control will have a positive impact on your bottom line.

If you require a higher level of BI analysis the CIS Business Intelligence solution is also available, fully integrating with Office Companion ® (see section Additional Tools).

Office Companion ® makes your life easier!

Technical specifications

• Office Companion ® is installed on a Microsoft Windows 2003 Server running Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or 2005.
• Office Companion® is designed with an open architecture, integrating with small and large back end systems (Simply accounting, SAP, etc).
• It fully supports EDI and DEX technologies.
• Bidirectional communication using modems, cell phones, wireless LAN (802.11) or Internet.

Back-end system that optimizes the management of your distribution activities

Distribution companies’ entire operations are very costly.  Not only do they require an extensive workforce, but manual data processing is time-consuming and is often responsible for a significant loss of tim.

Distribution Companion ® is a distribution software that offers all the functionalities of a back-end system that is specially built for companies with a distribution network. It enables the automation of all activities related to sales, distribution, delivery, production planning, order preparation and accounting, eliminating the tedious work of entering and processing data manually.

Moreover, the Distribution Companion ® operation management system facilitates daily operations management such as telephone sales, load adjustment as well as price and promotion control, discount calculation at chain stores, commission calculation and inventory management for each truck.

Distribution Companion ®simplifies your life by utilizing its powerful functions : 

• Order entry.
• Truck loading and inventory balance.
• Telesales.
• Price management.
• Production management.
• Commission and rebate management.

Plus you gain many other important benefits from Distribution Companion ®

• Saving time on a daily basis.
• Speeding up ordering and invoicing.
• Price and extension accuracy.
• Automated price and promotion control.
• Inventory control.
• Structured sales process.
• Profitability improvement.
• Elimination of manual data entry.
• Optimization and standardization of operations.
• Electronic data transfer (EDT).

 

All the modules that make up Distribution Companion ® operation management system can be installed separately and adapted to your present system. You can then make your distribution operation management system evolve step by step, as the requirements increase and as your business grows.

The main features of Distribution Companion ® are:

• Supported platforms: Windows 2000/2003, SCO Unix, DEC-Unix, Linux, Unixware, EDI, etc.
• Multi-user, multi-company, multi-division.
• Optional integration with CIS Administration ® (or most other accounting software on the market).
• Optional integration with Companion ® Suite, to optimize your distribution activities and your sales force.
• Access control management according to the different needs of the various user groups.