How to Automate Merchandising: Experience of the SOCAR Gas Station Chain

Did you know that well-planned merchandising can be a driving force for sales growth and improved customer experience? The SOCAR gas station chain needed to optimize the merchandising process for its markets. They chose PlanoHero, a tool for automating planogramming. Zhanna Lutsiuk, Planogram Manager at SOCAR gas station, told how the service changed their approach to managing the layout of goods and helped to increase work efficiency.

The company operates a chain of gas stations in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, and Switzerland.

From Excel to Automation: How it All Started

Before implementing PlanoHero, planograms were created manually using Excel. The chain faced numerous difficulties controlling the layout, prompting them to look for new solutions.

“Previously, everything was done in an Excel spreadsheet, setting the layout by codes. The process could be controlled by checking photo reports in the messenger group created for this very purpose.” - Zhanna Lutsiuk, Planogram Manager at SOCAR.

Selecting the Right Tool and Fast Integration of PlanoHero

The company's partner, Nielsen, recommended PlanoHero as a convenient solution for automating planograms.

We were looking for an efficient tool, and PlanoHero perfectly fit our needs. The integration process was quite successful. Comprehensive online training and access to records ensured that we quickly mastered the new tool. Thanks to the support team, all issues during the integration were resolved quickly. They played a leading role in this process.

 

Zhanna Lutsiuk

Planogram Manager at SOCAR

Sustainability, Speed, Control: How PlanoHero Has Changed Business Processes

Thanks to PlanoHero, the chain started to build store plans from scratch, and creating a planogram took a minimum of time. The need for constant printing of planograms has also disappeared. This process has become more environmentally friendly. “We don't waste paper; ready-made planograms are sent directly to the stores through the service.”

The service has made it possible to fully automate the control of product layout through photo reports. This helps save resources and reduce the time required to complete tasks.

PlanoHero Functionality

“I often use PlanoHero to build planograms, which is my direct responsibility. In addition, I also adjusted the equipment positioning for the technical task.” - Zhanna Lutsiuk, Planogram Manager at SOCAR filling station.

With the help of PlanoHero, merchandisers create layouts according to the company's standards: they group products by category, brand, supplier, or based on previous sales and combine stores with the same formats into one planogram.

The most valuable thing about the service is that all the necessary information about the product - its status, balances, brand, and supplier - is collected in one place. This dramatically simplifies processes and allows them to respond quickly to any changes.  

An important insight the team gained while working with the planogramming tool is a significant reduction in time and resources for creating planograms, especially when preparing to open new gas station units with stores.

After implementing PlanoHero planogram software, the chain was able to unify all processes and improve communication between the central office and the stores. This ensures efficient management of the product layout.

Use of Mobile Apps

Merchandisers actively use PlanoHero Layout and Size app in the chain's stores. They allow them to receive up-to-date planogram information and send photo reports directly from the sales floor. This has significantly increased the convenience and speed of data exchange.

Recommendations from the SOCAR Team

“We recommend PlanoHero to all retailers. The service is easy to use, convenient, and understandable for creating planograms and their practical implementation. PlanoHero helps automate key processes and saves time. It fully meets our expectations and needs.”
The chain's team advises new users to make the most of all the tools provided by PlanoHero.

Plans

SOCAR gas station chain continues to cooperate with PlanoHero, as the service not only facilitates daily work but also constantly evolves, offering new tools for merchandising.

Conclusion

The experience of the SOCAR chain after the implementation of PlanoHero demonstrates how automation of planogramming can significantly improve merchandising management, reduce the time spent performing tasks, and provide ease of use of data for control and analytics.

The convenience of working with product information, the ability to quickly adjust planograms, and increased control over the layout are just a few benefits the company has gained. PlanoHero saves time and resources and helps improve internal communication between the office and stores. If you are looking for a solution to automate your planograms, PlanoHero can be a reliable tool to improve your business efficiency.