Dear Frustrated of FMCG Drinks,

Thank you for your letter, which was a delight to read. Believe me; you are not alone in having such feelings and concerns. There is nothing worse than seeing the world’s greatest drinks salesman shining downand not being able to meet the demand of the thirsty masses. This frustration plus the lack of return on valuable investment can leave even the calmest of souls agitated and depressed.

However, do not despair. As I said you are not alone and this is not the first time I have seen this problem. You need professional help to receive the Route To Market/Distribution therapy you need.

Firstly, you must overcome 2 important barriers. The first is that you cannot assume your existing Distribution network is entirely suitable for the job in hand. Secondly, you must look at yourself in the mirror and realise that you are not perfect either. If you can do these 2 things then help is at hand.

Using this simple checklist and guiding definitions you can take a critical look at how you manage your Distributors and how they manage your business on your behalf. Some of the questions are searching and may cause you some discomfort but this is necessary in order to accurately evaluate what is going well and what can be improved.

Do not keep this to yourself. The effective management and exploitation of a robust and proactive Distributor network is a team effort requiring buy-in from all Board colleagues and peers. Keeping this problem to yourself will only increase the caffeine intake and accelerate the hair loss!

I will always be pleased to help you and look forward to your feedback on a very positive experience with the checklist. Cure the problem, do not treat the symptoms!

Yours soothingly,

The FMCG Drinks Agony Aunt