Henkel & EasyPicky
In the competitive world of the DIY industry, Henkel France has taken a significant step forward by adopting the EasyPicky solution to transform the day-to-day work of its sales force, collecting and exploiting data in the field.
Henkel is thus providing itself with a revolutionary tool to optimize the visibility of its products on shelves and boost the company’s turnover.
Here is their video summarizing the benefits of our solution:
Prior to the introduction of EasyPicky, Henkel France faced major challenges related to the manual collection of field data. Since adopting EasyPicky in 2023, these obstacles have been removed and EasyPicky has enabled them to undergo a radical transformation.
The management of Henkel France, very satisfied with our collaboration, are already evangelising our solution to other Henkel markets around the world.
Here's what Xavier Martin said about our collaboration on a LinkedIn post :
Xavier Martin
President Henkel France & General Manager Consumers Adhesives France & BeNeLux
February 2024
“Today, as CEO of Henkel’s consumer and construction adhesives business in France, I want to talk to you about an AI-based tool developed by a French start-up, which is transforming the work of our sales teams and multiplying their impact.
EasyPicky is its name. It’s not just another fake AI tool, it’s a technology that’s revolutionising the way our sales staff work by enabling them to measure the presence of our products (the famous DN) on the shelves of our partner stores in real time, using a simple video capture with their mobile phone.
In just a few months, we developed and deployed a unique, tailor-made tool with the EasyPicky teams, making us a pioneer in the use of this solution in the French DIY sector.
The advantages of this technology, which is now used by our sales staff in the field, include significant time savings, a global, real-time view of the digital distribution of our products, and better measurement of performance and growth opportunities.
An essential ally for our sales teams.
Thank you to the EasyPicky teams and to the Henkel teams who supported this project.”
The Challenges Before EasyPicky
Before diving into the benefits offered by EasyPicky, it’s essential to understand the challenges Henkel France faced before implementing this innovative solution.
- Manual field data collection before EasyPicky:
Henkel’s sales forces had to carry out manual data collection, filling in Excel tables with more than 500 lines, with one line per Henkel product to indicate whether the product was present or not, the number of facings in the aisle, etc. A very tedious, time-consuming task, prone to human error. This task could not be carried out on every shop visit, but only a few times a year.
- Sales force negotiations before EasyPicky :
Henkel sector managers did not have a complete and clear field survey or key performance indicators before going to see the store floor managers and negotiating for a better presence and visibility of their range. As a result, negotiations were less qualitative and therefore less effective with customers in real time.
- Management’s view of the field before EasyPicky:
The sales and marketing departments could only have a declarative and non-exhaustive view of the field, from time to time during the year, at the time of the survey campaigns. Consolidating this data for the whole country was taking the National Sales Director several days, slowing down the strategic decision-making process. The results of the strategies implemented were therefore not known directly and were not very accurate.
The EasyPicky Revolution
Our solution has provided a comprehensive response to these challenges by reinventing the way in which Henkel France’s sales forces collect and use data in the field, as well as providing management with new tools. The benefits of this innovative solution are numerous and have a positive impact on the company’s overall performance.
- Simplified field data collection with EasyPicky:
With our solution, collecting data in the field has become simple, fast and efficient. The application enables Henkel’s sales forces to carry out exhaustive field surveys in a single gesture, simply by activating the video on a mobile device and walking through the shop aisles. The solution works without a network, so the survey can be carried out anywhere in the shop. This simplification has considerably reduced the amount of time spent by teams in the field carrying out the survey, which is now carried out every time a shop is visited.
- Sales force negotiation with EasyPicky:
The instantaneous nature of the analysis is one of EasyPicky’s main assets. Once the film has been made, the sector managers now instantly receive the results of the data collection in KPIs and sales plans thanks to EasyPicky. This immediate availability of key data enables them to negotiate with customers on the basis of reliable, measurable data in real time, strengthening their negotiating power with commercial partners.
- Management’s view of the field with EasyPicky :
Just like the sales force, Henkel’s sales and marketing departments now have access to live field data records after collection. This exhaustive and reliable data is automatically consolidated in Henkel’s CRM system, Statigest, providing a clear and constantly updated view of results at the point of sale. Henkel France management can therefore easily measure the impact of sales and marketing strategies and decisions, and quickly adjust strategic plans in line with market developments.
Assessment of EasyPicky integration at Henkel France
The widespread adoption of EasyPicky within Henkel’s sales force since 2023 has brought about a significant change in the way the company approaches its commercial strategy and drives sales.
- Empowerment of Henkel employees
EasyPicky has proven to be a powerful tool for empowering the sales force and reinforcing Henkel France’s strategy. Knowing the DN (Numeric Distribution) and SOS (share of shelf) of products precisely and tracking changes in these KPIs frequently enables Henkel France to fine-tune sales targets. The rapid availability of this data has enabled the company to identify and capitalise on emerging opportunities, while optimising the performance of products on the shelf.
- Better positioning of products on the shelf
The EasyPicky tool also makes it possible to optimise the presence and visibility of products on the shelf and to react quickly to market reactions. As a result, Henkel has been able to adjust the positioning and merchandising strategy of certain products to achieve perfect merchandising execution.
- Sales increase
Since implementing EasyPicky, Henkel France has seen a significant increase in its point-of-sale sales. The reduction in the time taken to collect and analyse data has enabled the company to better understand and respond to consumer expectations.
The implementation of the EasyPicky solution at Henkel France has marked a revolution in the power of the sales force. By eliminating the challenges associated with manual data collection, this innovative solution has enabled Henkel employees to rethink their sales approach, making it more powerful and, in turn, significantly increasing sales.
Through this transformation, Henkel France has demonstrated its commitment to technological innovation and its desire to remain competitive in the market. EasyPicky has not only simplified operational processes, but has also positioned Henkel as a reactive and proactive player in its industry.
As technology continues to evolve, Henkel’s experience with EasyPicky serves as an inspiring example for other companies looking to improve their operational efficiency and maximize their impact in the marketplace.
