Maptitude is a mapping program made by Caliper and it’s something we use a lot here at eXPD8 Analytics. In March, I went on a two-day course to update our team’s knowledge of the program. The course was brilliant. It was really interesting to see the different of companies which use Maptitude for such a wide range of things.

What do we use Maptitude for?

The main use-case for Maptitude is our Nearest DR Process, which we run each week to find the nearest member of staff to each store we plan to visit. This is essential due to the sheer number of different stores we visit over the whole of the UK.

If journeys aren’t optimised to reduce travel, this can add up to a huge amount of travel, with both environmental and financial implications.  You can read our case study about how Maptitude helps the Nearest DR Process here: https://www.caliper.com/map-software/case-studies/expd8-maptitude.htm

This is what the nearest DR map looks like. Each dot represents either a store we’re visiting or a member of staff.

Each time we schedule calls we run the Nearest DR process for the stores we intend to visit that scheduling period. This is then fed into the “Preferred DR” file for each region which allows Regional managers to assign calls to DRs, based on a combination of previous experience and travel distance.

This distance and time information is also used when ordering calls. After calls have been assigned by the regional managers, we run a sequencing process which orders calls to produce optimised journeys. This means that merchandisers don’t waste time and fuel on unnecessary back and forth trips, as they complete all calls in one area before moving onto the next.

The importance of automation

As Maptitude’s distance and travel time process is fairly automated we can run it every week. Without this we would be much more limited, potentially needing to assign specific stores to specific merchandisers, reducing the flexibility we can offer to clients and making it harder to find cover in cases of staff sickness or absence.

 Here’s an example of the postcode database.

A recent personal project has been creating a database of the distance and travel time between every Postcode District. There are around 2857 postcode districts, resulting in just over 8 million journeys calculated! This now lives in our Datawarehouse and can be used for all kinds of travel related things. We’re working to have an even more extensive database, by calculating the distance between every postcode, however as there are around 1.8million postcodes in the UK this is a far larger undertaking!

Aiding the recruitment process

Maptitude also make the recruitment process easier, as we can map places where we’ve missed calls, to see if there are areas which may be struggling due to a lack of staff. We can also use the previously discussed database of postcode districts to see if any small vacancies are close enough together to be combined into a larger vacancy. This gives us the ability to hire fewer people, offer more hours and increases the quality of our hiring process.

Additionally, mapping areas where we have advertised vacancies makes understanding areas we need to recruit in and around much easier to picture. For example, if there is a particular area of the country in which we are taking longer able to fill vacancies, being able to see it on a map makes that issue much easier to understand and act upon.

We can also use Maptitude for regional planning and redistribution, to ensure that projected calls and hours are approximately balanced at a Regional and Zone Level. This helps to ensure an equal and manageable workload for our Regional and Zone managers. Maptitude has two different methods for territory mapping, one is automated, and one is more manual. Yet both allow one to balance regions upon a field: such as amount of calls, customers, members of staff or sales. The two processes can be used in conjunction, starting with the automated process and then manually adding in human initiative to tidy the regions up afterwards.

Advantages of using Maptitude

One of the great things about using Maptitude is how visual the output is. We get a lot of information to analyse and its often easier to convey outputs to people visually. Selection sets make it easy to colour code areas or points on a map. This is either to show the region they belong to, or more data specific information, such as whether positions are filled or vacant in that area. This can then inform strategies within the business.

Example of filled and vacant positions in England and Scotland

Heatmaps are another way to visualise data. We can base the heat on any relevant information, such as showing the number of hours completed in each postcode area. This allows us to see how callage, that is to say the amount of time being spent on calls, is balanced around the country.

This heatmap shows the population around the country by postcode area, but we use the heatmaps for all kinds of data.

Another advantage of using Maptitude is the amount of data that its data layers contain. Data in Maptitude is organised into these layers, so postcode area is one layer, postcode, street, town, county etc. are others. And these layers contain census data such as population, age group information, % if people in work etc., which may be useful to an analysis. It also has a layer containing business information, like store locations and phone numbers, especially for lager UK chains, and another one containing points of interest such a tourist locations.

Challenges

One problem we often encounter is that the Republic of Ireland do not use postcodes. Eirecodes which were introduced in 2015 operate differently, with each home or business being given an individual code, meaning they can’t be used to locate areas in the same way. This is one of the reasons we use Geocodes to locate our staff and stores. Our geocodes are the first 7 digits of their longitude, followed by the first 8 of their latitude. When we need to locate staff or stores in Maptitude, we separate these back out into latitude and longitude and use these the plot locations. This is also helpful with new build areas whose postcodes may not be live yet.

How Maptitude can help you!

• Do you want to be able to visualise data on a map?
• Would you like to compare sales across the country?
• Do you want to build a new facility, but are unsure of the optimal location to reach the majority of your customer base?
• Do you have regions which need updating?
• Would you like to see how many of your customers live within 5, 10, 30 miles of your stores?
• Do you need to optimise journeys?

If the answer to any of these things is yes, then Maptitude can help you!

Aimee Barlow
Data Analyst

The post Maptitude and eXPD8 Analytics appeared first on eXPD8 Analytics.

Typically, if a business carries a large range of products, the benefits become more significant. Moreover, if there are several locations or stores to manage, the benefits become even greater. We established that businesses in whichever sector they are in (retail, wholesaler) realise a return within short time through optimising their product replenishment processes.

Whether you handle groceries, building materials, toys, books, car parts, or gifts, the same fundamental principles apply. The companies that typically benefit most from implementing an automated replenishment system tailored to their business needs are generally those where;

• A significant amount of capital is tied up in stock, which could be invested elsewhere
• Product availability is unacceptably low leading to lost sales
• The total cost of replenishment is significant and needs to be reduced
• Replenishment ordering is done by multiple people in the business

What are the benefits to you?

For companies that need to manage the inventory of a large number of SKU’s across several locations, one of the most effective ways of making product replenishment more accurate and efficient is to implement a replenishment system tailored to the business’s operations. Manual ordering of several products for a large number of different locations will inevitably consume a lot of time and resources.

An efficient replenishment system will deliver key benefits;

• Reduced process costs
• Lower stock levels
• Better stock rotation
• Reduced wastage
• Improved availability

An automated replenishment system never stops working. It constantly monitors stock, sales and demand. Human errors, such as forgetting to place an order, are eliminated. A robust replenishment system continually monitors fluctuations in forecast demand takes into account seasonality by category as well as location (regional products behave differently) and amends orders accordingly.

Well calibrated replenishment systems classify products individually and assign them different attributes.  Service level targets can be set higher for products that have a higher rate of sales, Safety stock requirements of each SKU can be evaluated accurately based on delivery lead time, delivery frequency, seasonality, forecast demand and MOQTY (Minimum Order Quantity).  The greater degree of accuracy in inventory management delivered by a robust replenishment system makes it possible to increase service levels and inventory turnover as well as well as making the replenishment process more cost effective.

What kind of system do I need?

Systems need to fit round the companies, be capable of being customised to support the specific features of their supply chain and must have certain essential features.  The system must support automatic demand forecasting at SKU level and be able to take into account periodic or seasonal variations with efficient safety stock levels for each SKU, whilst incorporating delivery lead times.

eXPD8 Analytics can deliver fundamental improvements to your supply chain, optimise your stock holding and improve your availability to your customers. We have years of experience in the FMCG sector, in forecasting, planning and the supply chain.

We love a challenge and would be happy to have a no obligations discussion to show how we can help your business to be more efficient, more robust and more successful.

Nelson Richichi

Head of Data and Analytics

Get in touch

nelsonr@expd8.co.uk

The post The benefits of an automated stock replenishment system appeared first on eXPD8 Analytics.

eXPD8 Analytics have now been in our new office for 4 months in the heart of Bristol and there have been many discussions about what maintains a healthy office environment. As we spend at least half of our waking hours at work, it’s very important to ensure that the surroundings you work in are conducive to your health and wellbeing. I’ve pulled together five top tops for making and maintaining a healthy workplace.

1. Keep Moving

People who sit at desks should make sure that they stand or walk approximately every 30 minutes. This is not only good for you physically; it also increases productivity and concentration. Ideas for getting people to move more include – walking to a colleague’s desk to speak to them rather than using your internal messaging system, walking to work instead of taking the bus, using the stairs instead of the lift in an office and going for a walk during a lunch break.

2. Surround yourself with natural light

Employees with windows in the workplace received 173% more white light exposure during work hours and slept an average of 46 minutes more per night than employees who did not have the natural light exposure in the workplace. There also was a trend for workers in offices with windows to have more physical activity than those without windows. Natural light improves productivity, health and overall wellbeing so make sure your colleagues have plenty of vitamin D.

3. Invest in good seating

Sitting badly can have many long-term health impacts on your body. Investing in a good ergonomic chair will encourage good posture, thereby benefitting your comfort and health. You should have a chair that can not only reflects the curvature of your spine, but can also be adjusted in many ways, including, the back support, the arms and the height and angle of the seat.

4. Make breakfast available

People often think that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but working in an office environment means this can often be missed or replaced by a strong cup of coffee! There are many reasons why making breakfast available at work can be great for your colleague’s health as well as colleague engagement. With time to talk before starting working people have time to catch up and talk while they feed their brains.

5. Clean, clean, clean

Everyone knows the saying “Clean space, clear mind”. This is also true in the workplace as well as at home. Not only will having a clean and uncluttered workspace keep your mind clear and increase productivity, keeping the office as clean as possible will also help reduce allergies and the passing on of germs. Providing hand sanitisers in communal areas, or areas where germs may gather, such as kitchens, will be beneficial.

These are just some of the top tips for maintaining a healthy office environment. Once you’ve implemented some of these changes, it’s easy to keep them in play and enjoy not only a nice workplace, but a healthy, happy workplace too. We value our people and making the workplace a healthy working environment is the first steps to increasing productivity. Get in touch to find out more.

Emma Leeke, Senior Data Analysis

The post 5 Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Office Environment appeared first on eXPD8 Analytics.

Whether you are experiencing a one off problem with a quick fix or need a model developed with ongoing support, we know that when you come to us it is going to be a unique challenge. A challenge that we are up to.

Our consultancy service is based on maximising your data efficiencies by understanding your requirements. When you brief us we make sure we understand exactly what you need and give you updates throughout the process to ensure we are on track with what you want. This attention to detail and not being afraid to ask too many questions is how consultancy should be done.

We stick to our key consultancy steps:
Identifying and defining the problem – Lots of questions and attention to detail and we will be able to understand the challenge set out
Defining the solution – Once we know the problem, the action starts as we begin to define the solution. We ensure at this stage we are going down the right path
Creating the solution – this is the technical part, it includes model building, model testing, etc. By ensuring a vigorous testing process our solutions are stable and successful
Implementing the solution – By helping with the implementation of our work and continued support we ensure a fluid and smooth process to overcome the challenge

Contact us to find out more of how we can help your business to be more efficient, more robust and more successful.

Nelson Richichi
Head of Data and Analytics
0117 950 5118
nelsonr@expd8.co.uk

The post All you need to know about our consultancy service appeared first on eXPD8 Analytics.