⎯ THE CHALLENGE
WHEN MATERIALS ARRIVE LATE BUT THE DEADLINE STAYS THE SAME
A dairy brand needed to launch a new product at 77 retail locations on the peninsula within 5 days. The plan was clear: set up a display in each store, coordinated and executed by an experienced field team. So far, so good.
The problem arose before the installation even began: the client’s materials arrived late. In a project with a fixed launch date—a launch can’t wait—that meant the time available to set up, organize, and distribute the displays was drastically reduced. There was no room for improvisation.
The question was whether SIG Spain could absorb that delay without it affecting the point of sale. And the answer was yes.
⎯ OBJECTIVES
WHAT THE CUSTOMER NEEDED
Rollout at 77 retail locations in 5 days
Set up the display for the new product launch at each assigned retail location on time, despite the delay in receiving materials.
Express logistics management of materials
Handle, sort, and ship the displays via express delivery to ensure they arrive at the store before the rollout begins.
Nationwide coverage with no implementation issues
Ensure the highest possible implementation rate, with full traceability of any POS not completed due to external causes.
“Only with an experienced team can you turn a client’s delay into a flawless result. Improvisation isn’t a strategy— experience is.”
SIG Spain Operations Team
⎯ THE SOLUTION
EXPERIENCE THAT HANDS YOU THE UNEXPECTED
When materials arrive late, the standard response is to delay implementation. SIG Spain’s response was different: it sped up logistics to make up for lost time without changing the implementation date. The team had already handled similar situations—that experience was crucial.
URGENT RECEIPT AND SORTING OF MATERIALS
Upon receiving the materials late, the team immediately began sorting them by language and geographic region. Each exhibitor was assigned to the correct point of sale without wasting a minute in the process.
EXPRESS DELIVERY
Instead of the planned standard transport, we arranged for the displays to be shipped directly to each point of sale via express delivery. The additional cost was justified by the alternative: delaying the launch.
DEPLOYMENT OF THE SPECIALIZED FIELD TEAM
We mobilized 26 people from SIG Spain with more than 10 years of experience in this type of implementation. The team’s expertise allowed them to resolve any issues on-site without having to escalate them or improvise solutions on the fly.
MONITORING AND CLOSURE WITH POINT-OF-SALE EVIDENCE
Each installation was documented with real-time evidence. The three points of sale that were not completed—due to renovations or restrictions at the center—were immediately reported to the client with a valid reason, to maintain full traceability of the project.
⎯ RESULTS
THE NUMBERS
THAT COUNT
74 POS
IMPLEMENTED ON TIME
Of the 77 in the action plan
5 days
DEADLINE MET
Despite the delay in receiving materials
26 people
TEAM DEPLOYED
Over 10 years of experience in point-of-purchase advertising
The three retail locations that have not been opened are due exclusively to reasons unrelated to implementation: locations undergoing renovations or installation restrictions imposed by the establishments themselves. The initial delay in receiving materials did not cause any deviation from the launch date.
⎯ KEY LESSONS LEARNED
WHAT THIS PROJECT
TAUGHT US
An empty display at the point of sale at the time of launch is no minor detail: it’s the product’s first impression. Ensuring that inventory arrives before the promotional materials is a responsibility that must be made clear from the briefing onward.
When an unexpected issue arises—and in field projects, something always comes up—the difference between resolving it and escalating it lies in how many times the team has encountered that problem before. Experience isn’t just a bonus—it’s the guarantee that the project will be successful.
Including a logistics contingency plan—and its associated cost—in the initial planning allows for a swift response without last-minute negotiations when time is of the essence.
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