For Immediate Release
Brenham Wholesale To Roll Out iPad Solution
Distributor Will Utilize Automated Rebate Tracking from Ai2
CHICAGO - July 11, 2011 - Software developer Ai2 announced today that Brenham Wholesale Grocery of Brenham, TX will soon deploy a version of Ai2's ProSel, an iPad-based mobile application designed to track compliance in various manufacturer-sponsored rebate programs.
Manufacturers of candy and snack products offer incentives for distributors and retailers to purchase a certain amount of product in a given time. WAM administers these programs for its 23 distributor members, almost all of whom will deploy the same solution within the next year. This modification was developed to replace the paper-based collection and compilation of data related to hundreds of these manufacturer-sponsored rebate programs. A mobile salesperson will now have instant access to compliance data for every retailer and every program.
WAM is currently using a Scantron sheet that has to be manually fed into a machine, similar to the grading of tests in schools. This new approach gives the distributors' outside salespeople the ability to remotely access any retailer's program status. This will help distributors monitor their progress in these programs and increase retailer compliance.
"We're very excited about the opportunity to help Brenham and the rest of the WAM members, said Douglas Katich, CEO for Ai2. "If a sales rep can tell a retailer that he's just one case of candy bars from hitting a bonus, everyone meets their deadline and everyone wins. Nowadays, a sales rep needs to stay connected to all the important information he needs in the field, and our app will help with that," said Katich.
Brenham Wholesale Grocery was founded in 1905 and provides over 17,000 items to convenience stores, supermarkets, schools and hospitals. Brenham Wholesale serves the majority of South Central Texas including the Houston, Austin, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, South Texas Valley and Dallas/Fort Worth areas. For more about Brenham visit the company's website.
WAM is a private company based in Saginaw, MI. It is engaged in the structuring and implementation of programs designed to increase the sales of manufacturers, distributors and retailers who contract for WAM's services WAM decides which Convenience Products Distributors and which Manufacturers will be offered the opportunity to contract for its services. WAM is not structured as a buying group. Rather, WAM acts as an agent for distributors and the retailers they service with "preferred" suppliers. WAM retains a percentage of the revenue generated from suppliers for the distributor's sales and merchandising efforts. WAM pays each participating distributor its respective share on an annual basis. For more about WAM, visit the company's website.
Ai2 (formerly Access International) was founded in 1986 headquartered in downtown Chicago. Their applications are used by over 75,000 users each day to capture over 75 billion dollars in sales each year. Ai2 improves the order entry process for some of the nation’s largest distributors in foodservice, convenience store, grocery, beverage, hardware, medical, beauty and industrial supply. For more information about Ai2, visit www.ai2.com.
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Ai2 Media Contact
Ray Walsh
(800) 835-3200