Consumer
›
Retail & Consumer Brands
›
Consumer Goods Sales
Household Products
Complex multi-stakeholder trade relationships where shelf space, category management, and brand execution determine revenue.
Procter & Gamble
Unilever
Kimberly-Clark
Henkel
Inside this journey
-
Category & Stakeholder Discovery
Align on the category review trigger, decision criteria, stakeholders, and measurable success signals for shelf and promo changes.
Discovery Questions
Opening the Shelf Conversation
- Tell us briefly: what prompted you to open this category review right now?
- Which of these best describes the primary business driver behind this review?
- Who on your team will feel the day-to-day impact if we change shelf placement or promo plans?
- If we could capture just one outcome from this review that would make it worth your time, what would you name?
- On a scale from 1–5, how urgent is a decision on shelf or promo change for this category?
Why Now? The Trigger That's Driving Change
- What would you say would surprise most vendors: is the trigger for this review a proactive growth move—or a reactive problem we need to solve?
- When did this trigger first surface, and what changed since then?
- Has a competitor action (launch, exit, price change) contributed to this review? Tell us what happened.
- How long can the category afford to operate without addressing this trigger before it meaningfully affects sales/availability?
- What internal signals (metrics, anecdotes, store feedback) first made you say 'we need to act'?
Who Really Decides? Mapping Influence and Accountability
- If we assembled every person who influences this decision, who would have veto power and why would they use it?
- Please list the primary stakeholders we should plan to engage (name, role, decision influence).
- Which stakeholders usually want different evidence—who trusts analytics, who wants store-level proof, and who focuses on supplier commitments?
- How do you prefer to align with stakeholders: a single joint review, sequential approvals, or separate workstreams?
- Who will be the final sign-off for a pilot and who signs off to scale?
What Counts as Success? Measurable Signals That Justify Shelf Change
- If this review is a win, what is the single most convincing metric you would show your leadership?
- Beyond one headline metric, which of these do you track as success signals for shelf or promo changes?
- What is the minimum acceptable magnitude for a metric to count as success (e.g., % lift, units, ROI)? Please give specific thresholds where possible.
- How long do you usually observe a pilot before deciding it’s statistically meaningful?
- Who needs to see the raw data versus an executive summary to feel confident in the result?
Promo Proof & ROI: How You Validate Incremental Spend
- Are you willing to trade temporary margin to win shelf position—how do you decide when promo spend is justified?
- Which promo mechanics have historically driven truly incremental sales in this category for you?
- What baseline attribution approach do you use to evaluate incrementality (control stores, holdout panels, baseline trend adjustment)?
- How often have promotions looked good on paper but failed in-store due to execution? Tell a recent example.
- What financial metrics or approval bars must a proposed promo meet before merchandising will commit shelf space?
Supply & Risk: Deal Killers and How You Mitigate Them
- What supplier-side risk would immediately stop a pilot from moving forward—consistency, lead times, packaging, or something else?
- Have you experienced supplier breaks that left promos understocked? How did that feel operationally and politically?
- What minimal supply commitments do you require from a vendor to approve a pilot or in-store promo?
- How much lead time do you require for qualifying packaging, labeling, or pricing feeds to avoid launch delays?
- If a supply disruption occurs mid-promo, who do you expect the vendor to loop in first and what immediate actions are expected?
Stories from the Floor: Wins, Fails, and What They Taught You
- Think of a recent category win tied to shelf or promo change—what specifically made it succeed?
- Now think of a time a promising plan didn’t pan out—what was the single most important reason it failed?
- Which of these themes shows up most often in those stories?
- How do those outcomes shape the evidence you trust today (e.g., more store visits, bigger control groups, stricter SLAs)?
- Who on your team is best positioned to share field observations during a pilot, and how would you like those updates delivered?
Small Bets, Big Learning: Pilot Design and Acceptance
- If pilots are where you get comfortable taking risk, what common pilot design choices make you trust the result—or not?
- What pilot scope do you typically prefer for shelf or promo tests?
- Which acceptance criteria must be met for you to move from pilot to scale (select all that apply)?
- How do you prefer to handle learning: iterate on pilot mechanics quickly or pause and only scale once targets are met?
- Who signs the go/no-go at pilot completion and what documentation do they expect?
Decision Rhythm & Next Steps — Moving From Conversation to Action
- If we left this meeting with one clear next step, what would success look like in two weeks?
- What cadence works best for check-ins during the discovery and pilot phases?
- Which deliverables do you expect from us to make a credible recommendation to your stakeholders?
- Who should be invited to the kickoff and what roles should they play?
- Finally, what would make you comfortable saying 'let’s pilot this' by the end of the next review?
-
Solution Experience
Use the retailer’s data and scenarios to show how product performance, promo plans, and merchandising deliver incremental velocity and margin.
Experience Meetings
- Current State & Consequence Alignment
- Promo Modeling & Incremental Lift Workshop
- In-store Merchandising Experience & Simulation
- Trade Funding, Terms & Margin Decision Session
- Pilot Acceptance Criteria, Measurement & Go/No-go
- Finalize performance guarantees, measurement windows, and any clawback language required.
- Validate all model assumptions with retailer stakeholders and surface any required adjustments.
- Agree the pilot scenario(s) to move forward to merchandising and operational planning.
- Identify critical risks and their mitigation actions for each scenario.
- Seller analytics to deliver a scenario workbook with model details, assumptions, and sensitivity outputs.
- Retailer to confirm acceptable ROI thresholds and any calendar conflicts for the recommended promo windows.
- Finance teams to review projected incremental margin and flag any unacceptable outcomes.
- One-sentence Future State for Merchandising
- Agree a specific merchandising layout and compliance rubric that supports the modeled lift.
- Confirm replenishment and DC commitments necessary to avoid OOS during the promo.
- Assign field owners and reporting cadence for store audits.
- Merchandising to deliver final planogram assets and SKU facings per pilot store cluster.
- Operations to confirm DC allocation and pick-pack changes required for pilot.
- Field team to schedule compliance audits and provide template for store visits.
- Recap Chosen Scenario & Required Outcomes
- Agree a funded trade plan that meets the retailer's ROI criteria and the seller's margin threshold.
- Introductions & Meeting Objective
- Obtain pilot funding approval or a clear list of remaining approvals and owners.
- Finance teams to circulate the signed trade funding sheet and margin reconciliation.
- Legal to draft/approve any performance guarantee clauses and T&Cs for the pilot.
- Retailer merchandising lead to confirm promo calendar slots and promotional placement commitments.
- One-sentence Future State (Target Outcome)
- Lock numeric acceptance criteria and the exact go/no-go decision rules for the pilot.
- Agree who owns measurement, reporting cadence, and the dashboard that will be used for decisions.
- Obtain commitment from all functional owners that operational tasks are on track for pilot start.
- Analytics to build and share the pilot dashboard with defined KPIs and data refresh schedule.
- Operations to confirm pilot launch date, initial shipments, and DC pick-pack changes.
- Field team to confirm audit schedule and provide the compliance checklist to analytics for inclusion in reporting.
- Produce and confirm a single, crystal-clear sentence stating the current state.
- Agree and document the measurable consequence (dollars, units, margin) of the current state.
- Lock the KPIs and datasets required for the Solution Experience modeling session.
- Assign owners and deadlines for missing data deliverables.
- Retailer to deliver POS by SKU × store cluster (last 24 weeks), promo calendars, and baseline price points.
- Seller to prepare baseline velocity and margin readout and an initial one-sentence current-state + consequence statement.
- Analytics lead to confirm data schema and access method (CSV, SFTP, dashboard) for the modeling session.
- Recap Preconditions & Assumptions
- Demonstrate at least one promo scenario that meets the retailer's incremental ROI threshold and the seller's margin floor.
- Detailed Trade Economics
- Baseline Shelf & Power-aisle Metrics
- Model Overview & Methodology
- Pilot Store List & Sample Size Rationale
- One-sentence Current State
- Margin Reconciliation & Retailer ROI
- Consequence Quantification
- Endcap/Planogram Mockup Walkthrough
- Acceptance Criteria (KPIs & Thresholds)
- Scenario A — Price Promotion Only
- Baseline KPIs & Data Sources
- Shopper Flow & Conversion Simulation
- Measurement Plan & Dashboards
- Scenario B — Price + Display Endcap
- Performance Guarantees & Clawbacks
- Scenario C — Multi-SKU Pack & Cross-category Support
- Operational Impact: Replenishment & DC Allocations
- Decision & Sign-off
- Go/No-go Decision Framework & Timeline
- Gap Identification & Pre-work Confirmation
- Sensitivity & Risk Analysis
- Confirm Next Meeting Goals
- Operational Readiness Confirmation
-
Solution Scope
Define SKUs, pilot store set, promotional mechanics, supply commitments, and the acceptance criteria to validate success.
Scope Configuration
- Ship initial SKU inventory to retail distribution centers
- Ship direct-to-store promotional inventory for launch weeks
- Execute weekly inventory replenishment shipments to stores
- Deliver shelf-ready packaging and retail-compliant labels
- Deliver POP display kits and shelf signage to stores
- Install endcap fixtures and promotional displays in-store
- Remove promotional fixtures and restore planogram
- Deploy field merchandisers for display compliance fixes
- Execute trade promotion funding (discounts and rebates)
- Run in-store sampling and live product demonstrations
- Upload enhanced e-commerce content and product images
- Launch digital coupon and marketplace promotion campaigns
- Provide daily POS sales data feed to retailer teams
Scope Questions
Ship initial SKU inventory to retail distribution centers
- List the SKUs (GTINs) to be shipped to DCs for launch
- Approximate case quantity per SKU to send to each DC
- Which retailer distribution centers (DCs) should receive initial inventory?
- Required arrival date(s) or date window for initial DC receipts
- Are ASN/EDI advance shipment notices and pallet-level labeling required?
- Are there special handling or storage requirements (hazmat, temperature control)?
Ship direct-to-store promotional inventory for launch weeks
- Do you have a defined list of stores for direct-to-store (DTS) promo shipments?
- Units or cases required per store for launch weeks
- Preferred delivery window relative to promo start (e.g., 7 days prior)
- Do stores require installation support with DTS shipments (e.g., installer included)?
- Return or damage policy for excess/unused DTS inventory
- Carrier or routing preferences for DTS deliveries (retailer carrier, seller carrier, LTL requirements)
Execute weekly inventory replenishment shipments to stores
- Confirm planned replenishment cadence
- Provide forecasted weekly units per SKU (or days of cover)
- Preferred replenishment trigger: min/max, days of cover, or automated reorder point?
- Will replenishment use retailer routing guides and ASN/EDI 894/945 workflows?
- Are pallet breakdown or mixed-pallet restrictions required at store level?
- Who is responsible for expedited shipments if OSA issues occur?
Deliver shelf-ready packaging and retail-compliant labels
- Are finalized SRP dielines and artwork available for packaging production?
- What shelf-ready format is required (case, clip strip, flow wrap, ready-to-stock tray)?
- Confirm GTINs, barcodes, and label data are retail-compliant and ready
- Provide dimensional specifications and units per shelf-facing
- Are retailer compliance certificates or packaging approval forms required?
- Do you require secondary packaging for promos (shrinkwrap, pre-built facings)?
Deliver POP display kits and shelf signage to stores
- Which POP/display formats will you send (endcap, gondola, dump bin, clip signs)?
- How many display kits/signs per store are required?
- Will artwork and production files for signage be provided to the retailer?
- Are installation instructions and hardware included with each kit?
- Do displays require any special store approvals or permits before shipment?
- Material durability/environmental requirements for signage (indoor only, moisture-resistant)
Install endcap fixtures and promotional displays in-store
- Who will perform in-store installation?
- Preferred installation lead time before promo go-live
- Are any electrical or store infrastructure requirements needed for displays?
- Will installers bring tools and PPE, and do they need store-specific training/certification?
- Provide exact SKU planogram placement instructions for the installer
- Do installations require photo/audit confirmation after completion?
Remove promotional fixtures and restore planogram
- What is the requested removal window after promo end?
- Who is responsible for fixture removal and planogram restoration?
- Should fixtures be returned to seller, recycled, or disposed of by store?
- Provide planogram restoration instructions or photos to guide store reset
- Are chargebacks or penalties defined for missed removal/restoration SLAs?
- Expected condition of fixtures upon removal (clean, with hardware, heavily worn - specify)
Deploy field merchandisers for display compliance fixes
- How many store visits per store are required during the promo period?
- Scope of merchandiser tasks (select all that apply)
- What reporting is required from merchandisers (photos, checklist, POS check)?
- Are merchandisers required to use retailer mobile apps or a seller field app?
- Will merchandisers need store access credentials or pre-scheduled appointments?
- Are travel and expense approvals required for field team operations?
Execute trade promotion funding (discounts and rebates)
- Which promotion funding methods will be used?
- Define promotion duration and exact discount or rebate amounts
- Who will manage claims and reconciliation (seller finance team, retailer portal)?
- What verification evidence does retailer require (POS, shipment data, audit)?
- Preferred payment terms for reimbursements (Net30, Net60, Net90)
- Are there budget caps or limits per store/region for this promotion?
Run in-store sampling and live product demonstrations
- Do targeted stores allow in-store sampling/demos and have necessary permits?
- Who will staff sampling events (seller reps, third-party samplers, store staff)?
- Expected sample quantity per event and estimated household reach
- Are there waste handling or food-safety disposal requirements for samples?
- Is proof of insurance or liability coverage required for samplers?
- Do demos require POS/system integration for instant promotions or coupons at sampling?
-
Mutual Commit
Finalize trade terms, promotional funding, distribution SLAs, performance guarantees, and go/no-go conditions.
Agreement Modules
- Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
- Master Trade Agreement
- Statement of Work (SOW)
- Promotional Funding & Trade Spend Agreement
- Pricing, Rebate & Allowance Schedule
- Distribution & Service Level Agreement (SLA)
- Supply Commitment & Forecasting Agreement
- Promotional Mechanics & Compliance Plan
- Go/No-Go & Acceptance Criteria
- Performance Guarantees & Remediation
- Pilot Store Authorization
- EDI, Pricing Feed & Data Integration Agreement
- Packaging, Labeling & Regulatory Approval
- Cooperative Marketing & Advertising Plan
- Payment Terms & Invoicing Schedule
- Change Order & Amendment Process
- Termination & Exit Provisions
- Authorized Signatories & Points of Contact
-
Retail Rollout
Operationalize pilot and store launch with readiness checks and verification.
-
Pre-Deployment Readiness
Confirm DC setup, EDI/pricing feeds, inventory allocations, packaging, and stakeholder owners are ready for launch.
Readiness Questions
Setting the Scene: How This Review Started
- What triggered this category review or shelf change for you right now?
- Who on your team first raised the need for a change, and what did they say they hoped would happen?
- How quickly does leadership expect a decision—are we talking weeks, one quarter, or longer?
- Which retailers or channels are highest priority for this opportunity (grocery, mass, club, e-comm)?
- If you had to name one frustration about how category reviews usually go here, what would it be?
Are We Comfortable With the Status Quo?
- If nothing changes, what’s the realistic downside for your category over the next 12 months?
- Which decision criteria matter most when you evaluate a new or replacement SKU? Rank or describe the top 3.
- Who are the non-negotiable stakeholders we must convince for approval, and who typically slows the process down?
- Tell us about the last time a brand won more space—what concretely changed (sales, assortment, promo cadence)?
- How do you feel when shelf space underperforms—more frustration with suppliers, internal metrics, or the promotional model?
Where the Dollars and Space Really Move
- If a promotion doesn’t deliver incremental sales, why do you think that usually happens in your category?
- What baseline metrics do you track for a pilot or promo (units/week, velocity lift %, promo ROI, repeat purchase)? Please list the top three with current baselines where possible.
- What’s an acceptable short-term ROI or lift for a promotional test in this category before you consider scaling?
- How do you currently measure cannibalization between national brands and private label during promos?
- Share an example of a promotion that surprised you—either by overperforming or failing—and what you learned.
What’s Getting in the Way of Clean Execution?
- When execution fails, which single cause shows up most often in your stores?
- How reliable are the technical connections we’ll need—EDI orders, pricing feeds, and ASN—on a 1–5 scale, and where do you expect the biggest gap?
- Which fulfillment or packaging constraints have derailed launches here before (case pack, pallet configuration, unit labeling, temperature or fragility)?
- When stores fail to set displays, what typically happens next—do you receive corrective support, or does the promo quietly underdeliver?
- Describe a supply or DC issue that would be a deal-breaker for you—how would it feel operationally and reputationally?
What Would Success Look Like at 30, 60, 90 Days?
- If a pilot is successful, what three concrete retailer outcomes would you want to showcase to justify scaling?
- What are the minimum acceptance criteria for the pilot—please specify thresholds (e.g., X% lift, Y units per store, Z% display compliance).
- Which qualitative signals matter to you—customer feedback, store manager comments, or in-store photo verification?
- How quickly would you want to see replenishment cadence normalized after launch (days between shipments or weeks)?
- If the pilot hits targets early, what would be your preferred next step—expand geography, broaden assortment, increase funding, or something else?
What Risks Are You Willing to Share?
- Are you open to structured trade terms such as performance-based funding or chargebacks if compliance or velocity targets aren’t met?
- How much promotional support is typically available for a first-time pilot as a percent of gross sales or as a fixed investment?
- What inventory commitment would you expect the supplier to make for a pilot (days of supply or minimum units)?
- If supply chain stress occurs, which contingency is acceptable—late partial shipments, temporary SKU substitution, or pausing the promo?
- Which contractual protections or SLAs are non-negotiable for you (on-time DC delivery, fill rate, EDI accuracy)?
How Fast and Cleanly Do You Need This Live?
- If we aimed for an initial pilot launch, what is your ideal start window (calendar date or weeks from approval)?
- What pre-deployment items must be verified before any DC receives stock (EDI connection, pricing feed test, DC routing confirmed, packaging spec approved)?
- Who on your side will own day‑to‑day rollout tasks—DC onboarding, PO approvals, compliance audits—and who is the escalation contact?
- Do you require vendor onboarding documents such as supplier agreements, insurance certificates, safety data sheets, or EDI enrollment before we ship?
- How many pilot stores and what types (flagship, high-velocity, micro) do you prefer to validate execution?
Decision Day: Gates, Sign-offs, and 'What Ifs'
- When the pilot period ends, who signs off to scale and what documentation or evidence do they expect to see?
- What would constitute a go/no‑go condition you could not accept—even if sales targets were met (supply risk, margin erosion, negative customer feedback)?
- If the pilot misses targets by a small margin, are you open to an iterative test with adjusted mechanics, or do you prefer a hard stop?
- How would you like us to present performance—weekly dashboards, raw POS files, or an executive 1‑pager—and who needs to see each?
- Finally, what would make you feel confident that partnering with our brand reduces your risk compared with other suppliers?
-
Store Launch & Execution
Coordinate initial shipments, in-store merchandising and compliance visits, ad placement, and promotional execution.
-
Validation & Performance Check
Verify display compliance, promo lift, SKU velocity, and replenishment cadence in pilot stores against acceptance criteria.
Validation Questions
Quick Snapshot: Who Are You Today?
- What is your role and primary responsibility for household cleaning/home care categories?
- Which channels do you manage for this category?
- How often does your team run a formal category review?
- When a category review starts, what is the usual timeline from review to decision?
- Tell us one recent category decision you made and why (quick example).
Why Are We Looking at This Category Right Now?
- What’s the single biggest trigger that pushed this category back on your agenda—competition, shelf crowding, declining velocity, supplier change, or something else?
- How has this trigger affected your KPIs (share of shelf, velocity, margin, promo ROI)? Please provide recent metrics if available.
- Who in your organization is feeling the most urgency about this trigger and what outcome are they seeking?
- If you ignore this now, what do you expect will happen to the category in 6–12 months?
- How emotionally important is solving this to you and your team—nice to fix, important to business, or critical to your role?
Shelf Reality: What’s Really Happening on Aisle X?
- If you walked the aisle right now, what would surprise you about how customers interact with this shelf?
- Which SKUs or segments are losing the most traction versus last season?
- How reliable is shelf compliance in pilot stores today (shelf placement, price tags, POS), and how do you know?
- Describe any recent in‑store observations—gondola gaps, out‑of‑stocks, rogue facings, poor promo signage—that have shaped your view.
- Which shopper behaviors are you most focused on changing (trial, repeat, basket size, conversion on promo)?
- How confident are you in the quality of the category sales and inventory data we would use to measure a pilot?
The Invisible Blockers: What Keeps You Up at Night?
- If the pilot or new shelving fails, what’s the first explanation people will offer—and why do you think that narrative sticks?
- Which of these risks feels most real to you right now?
- How have past launches fallen short—was it timing, messaging, distribution, or shopper experience?
- When these problems occur, who typically absorbs the cost or the blame in your organization?
- Emotionally, which outcome are you most afraid of: losing shelf space, eroding margin, or wasting promotional dollars? Why?
Decision Rhythm & Who Really Decides
- Imagine we present a compelling pilot case—who must be convinced before a green light, and who can veto it?
- How do those stakeholders differ in what success looks like (share increase, margin, reduced shrink, sustainability metrics)?
- What formal criteria do you use to score new items or pilot programs?
- What is the typical approval cadence (committees, weekly meetings, quarterly reviews) and by when would you ideally decide on this initiative?
- Who on your team will be the day‑to‑day partner during a pilot and who are the escalation contacts?
What Would Make You Say Yes—Clear, Concrete Signals
- If this pilot met your expectations, what three metrics would you point to as proof?
- What minimum % lift or absolute change on a metric would feel like a real win (be specific where possible)?
- How long after launch would you want to see those signals before committing to scale?
- What data sources do you trust most for validation (store POS, syndicated, loyalty, panel, retailer scans)?
- Describe one non‑negotiable acceptance criterion—if it isn’t met, we don’t scale.
Trade‑offs and What You’re Willing to Test
- Would you be willing to trade margin for incremental distribution or promotional funding for guaranteed placement? Where is the line?
- Which promotional mechanics have you found deliver true incremental sales in this category?
- How do you prefer we structure funding: upfront co‑op, performance rebates, or guaranteed investment tied to metrics?
- What contractual or supply commitments would you need to feel comfortable scaling (safety stock, lead times, penalty clauses)?
- What are absolute deal breakers for you (pack size, exclusivity, promotional cadence, price threshold)?
Pilot Design: How We’ll Test Without Breaking Anything
- If you could design a pilot that guarantees learnings, what would be the single most important element to include (store selection, duration, measurement, or promo type)?
- How many pilot stores or what distribution % gives you credible evidence for this category?
- What typical pilot duration do you find meaningful in household products given repeat purchase cycles?
- Which replenishment cadence do you need during a pilot to avoid false negatives?
- What go/no‑go decision gates should we predefine for the pilot?
Execution Constraints: Are We Operationally Ready?
- Tell us which readiness items are already in place and which are still open: DC routing, EDI/pricing feeds, inventory allocation, packaging specs, merchandising plan.
- How many days lead time does your operations team require from PO to first shipment for a new SKU?
- Who will own in‑store compliance and how frequently can they visit pilot stores?
- What packaging or labeling constraints (sizing, sustainability claims, UPC issues) might affect shelf placement or pricing?
- If we find compliance drift in week two, what escalation path would you expect?
How You Like to Work: Communication, Reporting, and Risk Sharing
- What reporting cadence and format do you prefer during a pilot (daily snapshot, weekly brief, dashboard, in‑person review)?
- Which single metric would you want in a one‑page executive summary?
- How do you prefer tradeoffs and risks be handled if early data is mixed—fast iteration, extend pilot, or halt and renegotiate?
- Who needs visibility to pilot reports beyond the core team (finance, supply chain, regional ops)?
- What level of financial guarantee or penalty would make you trust supplier commitments more?
Next Steps: What Would Make This Easy to Decide?
- Given everything we've covered, what is the single most important deliverable you need from us to move forward?
- Realistically, when would you like to start the pilot if the plan meets your needs?
- Who should be on a short planning call to finalize the pilot scope (list names and roles)?
- Are there any historical agreements, legacy terms, or internal policies we must align with before contracting?
- Before we leave this conversation, what would make you feel we truly understood your point of view?
-
-
Success
Review outcomes vs success signals, decide scale vs iterate, and maintain a shared channel for issues and enhancements.
Success Reviews
- Success Outcomes Review
- Scale vs Iterate Decision Meeting
- Rapid Iteration Workshop — Root Cause & Test Plan
- Commercial & Supply Alignment for Scale
- Governance, Shared Channel & Continuous Improvement Cadence
Issues & Enhancements
- Update DC allocation plans and confirm shipment schedules for phase 1 of the rollout.
- If scaling, finalize trade funding commitment and release schedule.
- If iterating, finalize experiment scope and timeline and schedule the Rapid Iteration Workshop.
- One-sentence Problem Diagnosis
- Produce a prioritized, time-boxed experiment backlog with clear owners.
- Define precise metrics and acceptance criteria for each experiment to enable fast validation.
- Ensure operational feasibility (supply, merchandising, funding) for the top experiments.
- Publish the experiment backlog with owners, timelines, and measurement plans.
- Coordinate merchandising assets and DC allocations for the first experiment cycle.
- Set up dashboard views to report experiment KPIs daily/weekly as appropriate.
- Terms Recap & Required Changes
- Secure documented trade funding and commercial terms required to proceed with scaling.
- Confirm distribution SLAs and inventory commitments to support promotional peaks.
- Agree on risk mitigation actions and responsible owners for supply continuity.
- Issue an updated contract amendment or SOW reflecting agreed funding and SLAs.
- Quick Introductions & Objective
- Document contingency supplier options and buffer inventory release triggers.
- Purpose & Scope of Shared Channel
- Create a single shared communication channel with named owners and agreed access/response rules.
- Establish an escalation matrix and SLAs to resolve issues quickly during rollout.
- Agree on reporting cadence and ensure stakeholders have the dashboards they need.
- Implement a repeatable process to capture and prioritize enhancements and experiments.
- Create the shared channel, invite stakeholders, and publish a channel charter with owners and response SLAs.
- Publish the reporting schedule and ensure dashboard access rights are provisioned.
- Open the continuous improvement backlog and assign a backlog manager to triage requests.
- Produce a single, shared statement of the pilot's current state that all stakeholders accept.
- Quantify the financial and operational consequences of pilot outcomes.
- Validate which acceptance criteria were met, which were not, and why.
- Agree on next-step options (scale / iterate / sunset) to be decided in the subsequent meeting.
- Prepare and distribute the final 'Pilot Outcomes vs Acceptance Criteria' one-page report.
- List and assign owners for each identified gap (data, merchandising, supply, funding).
- Schedule the Scale vs Iterate Decision Meeting within 3 business days.
- Recap Validated Outcomes
- Reach a single, documented decision to scale, iterate, or sunset.
- Define the conditions and metrics that trigger go/no-go transitions during scaling.
- Assign owners and timelines for immediate next steps based on the decision.
- Ensure commercial funding and supply constraints are addressed for the chosen path.
- Publish the formal decision memo capturing chosen path, acceptance thresholds, owners and timeline.
- Owners & Access Rules
- One-sentence Current State
- Forecast: Business Case for Scaling
- Promotional Funding Schedule
- Root Cause Review (Data-led)
- Hypothesis Generation
- Commercial & Trade Funding Implications
- Distribution & Inventory SLAs
- Consequence Summary (Quantified)
- Escalation Matrix & SLAs
- Reporting Cadence & Dashboard Distribution
- Proof: Data Walkthrough vs Acceptance Criteria
- Experiment Prioritization
- Supply Risk Mitigation
- Supply & Distribution Readiness
- Forced Validation
- Decision & Contingencies
- Sign-offs & Contract Amendments
- Continuous Improvement Process
- Define Experiment Metrics & Acceptance Criteria
- Schedule Recurring Governance Reviews
- If 'Scale' Selected: High-level Rollout Plan