Store Operators:

A. Store Manager- Operations of a particular outlet on a daily basis

B. Visual merchandiser- Decides how to display the products to maximize sales
C. Category Heads- Collect information about the performance of different products and
take calls on promotion schemes etc.
D. Supervisor- Responsible for coordination amongst the cash manager and other
employees down the line.
E. Cash Manager- Deployed at the Point-of-Sales
F. Customer Associates- Set-up the goods, engage in in-store customer interaction, ensure
the right flow of information to the customers about the products
G. House-Keeper- Responsible for overall hygiene of the store
H. Guards- Maintaining the overall security of the outlet
Supply Chain Strategies
 Procurement- Source the perishable goods directly from farmers from areas that are
close-by to the distribution centers. Hence middlemen commissions and high
transportation costs are eliminated. Products with longer shelf life are sourced through
centralized purchasing directly from the manufacturers.
 Distribution Centers- Large distribution centers to enhance the efficiency of the Supply
Chain via large scale of economies. Strategically located from the collection points as
well as the retail stores.
 Supplier Contracts- Pre-negotiated agreements with local farmers to procure the
perishable goods, involving payment terms, measure of quality & quantity and pre-agreed
prices. Flexible contracts with multiple suppliers for the non-perishable goods, including
agreements like return goods at lower prices after expiry, bulk purchase at lower prices,
etc.
 Inventory- Cold storage facility for perishable goods in the distribution centers whereas
the non-perishable goods are stocked and reordered based on minimum order quantity
levels. Storage facilities in the retail stores are limited and hence are supplied with goods
based on their demand forecasts. Perishables are ordered by the retail stores on a daily
basis depending on the estimated demand whereas the non-perishables are managed via
the SAP system centrally depending on the historical sales data.
Supply Chain Problems Encountered:
1. Poor Inventory management- Persistent cost of lost sales during the weekends and
holidays whereas increasing holding inventory costs during the weekdays.
2. Storage and Quality control- With their rapid growth in number of the retail outlets
across India and limited in-store storage facilities, frequency of stale & expired items are
increasing.
Solution and Recommendations:
 In-store Inventory Management- Centralize the demand information amongst all the
cluster heads of the distribution centers and the retail store managers to reduce the bull-
whip effect.
 Cross-Docking- Perishable farm products can be graded at the collection centers itself
rather than at the distribution centers
 Every-day low pricing- Increase the efficiency of the supply chain by eliminating
discounts mechanism, stabilizing the price levels. This would reduce the uncertainty.