As a Key Account Manager in food production, I’m responsible for several major retail chains. Promotional sales make up the majority of their turnover — and at the same time represent the greatest risk. Every forecasting error immediately impacts production, logistics, and ultimately the company’s financial results.
How It Worked Before
Before we started using PrewIQ, estimating promotional sales always followed the same pattern.
I searched the system for similar past promotions, compared the numbers, checked what forecast the customer had provided at the time, and what the actual sales turned out to be. Each retail chain behaved differently, and the final estimate was often a compromise between data and intuition.
It was time-consuming — and more importantly, difficult to defend when discussing plans with production.
What Changed with PrewIQ
Today, I have access to a forecast based on the last five comparable promotions for a specific customer. Within moments, PrewIQ tells me:
- What promotional sales volume to expect
- How the specific retail chain typically behaves
- How sales will be distributed across the individual days of the promotion
Instead of a feeling of “hopefully this works out,” I have concrete numbers.
Better Collaboration with Production
The biggest benefit I see is in collaboration with production. Thanks to the daily dispatch profile, we know exactly when volumes will peak. Production can plan shifts, capacities, and raw materials in advance — without waiting for last-minute orders.
The Result
- Less stress when planning promotions
- Fewer extreme surpluses and shortages
- Greater trust between sales and production
- Faster and more consistent decision-making
PrewIQ gives me confidence that promotional sales are not a lottery, but a managed process based on data.