SAP : With SAP Leonardo, New Strategic Considerations Emerge for Branded Coolers

A branded cooler, stocked with a specific company's beverages or other product, is a common sight in a supermarket, convenience store, or bodega. As a standalone item, the cooler is a cost to maintain brand presence in the retail environment. But what if the cooler could be connected to a single, 'smart' network?

By enabling a single person to monitor a network of many hundreds - even thousands - of refrigerated units, the industry innovation kit SAP Leonardo for Consumer Products, assets option, provides consumer products companies the visibility they need. With this 'smart' network, the company can address key variables that help optimize the investment.

Merchandising

Retailers understand that, in principle, only the branded merchandise of the company providing the cooler should be stocked inside. But the reality is that many retail stores will seek to crowd coolers with other - even competitor - products. Using sensors, SAP Leonardo for Consumer Products, asset option, makes it possible for a single person monitoring a network of coolers to ensure that only the right items are stocked in any given cooler.

Temperature Control

There's a saying in the convenience store world - 'cold equals sold.' No consumer wants to reach into a cooler and find that the product inside is at room temperature. The Internet of Things (IoT) technology embedded in SAP Leonardo for Consumer Products enables the consumer products company to centrally monitor the coolers to make sure they are kept at the proper temperature. This real-time visibility also provides insight into when the coolers require service. Sending out a maintenance technician before the cooler has broken minimizes downtime, which means less lost revenue.

Replenishment

A cooler lacking a consumer's favorite is just as undesirable as one full of room-temperature product. Some consumers will leave the store in this situation in search of a retail location with their favorite in stock. This is another challenge connected coolers can address. By being able to 'see' which items are being sold more quickly with SAP Leonardo for Consumer Products, the consumer products company can restock popular items before they run out.

With the SAP Leonardo for Consumer Products, asset option, standalone coolers can increase in value. Connecting coolers to a single, smart network can help ensure the greatest return on the significant investment associated with branded coolers, providing consumer products company with information, such as if the coolers are running at optimal temperature variances and how often and at what times of day the cooler doors are opened.

To learn more about what SAP Leonardo can do for consumer products companies, watch this video.