How immi Automates Distributor Deductions with Glimpse
immi is a rapidly growing better-for-you instant ramen brand with a presence in over 3,000 doors across the US.
The immi team had been struggling with inefficiencies and inaccuracies in managing their distributor deductions. Invalid deductions were eating into their margin, and manual processes were causing unnecessary friction with their finance and operations teams.
immi had previously used a last-gen software tool introduced by a former team member. However, the immi team found it cumbersome and problematic with unreliable data population from a disconnected scraper. They were also looking for ways to reduce the amount of manual work required from their team.
With over $1 million in trade spend and an ever-increasing number of deductions, the yearning for a more effective solution became too much to bear. The Glimpse team was introduced via a mutual friend and immediately the two Kevins who run immi saw the light and came onboard.
The Challenges
Inefficient Dispute Process
immi was struggling to manage the volume of disputes related to distributor deductions
Outdated Tools
The previous system was difficult to use and lacked reliable data connections, forcing the immi team to rely heavily on manual processes.
Resource Constraints
With a growing team and a multi-million dollar trade spend budget, immi didn't have the resources to hire multiple dedicated deduction analysts… but also didn’t want to be leaving money on the table in key channels.
Promotional Planning
immi needed to reconcile promotional deductions with their sales forecasts, ensuring that promotional spend was on track and aligned with actual sales.
Solution: Glimpse
immi turned to Glimpse to automate and optimize their distributor deduction process. What stood out about Glimpse was its ability to connect seamlessly with KeHE and UNFI, as well as immi’s internal trade documents, freight documents, and promo calendars, requiring no extra work for the team.
Streamlined Deduction Dispute Process
Glimpse automates the dispute process, allowing immi to track deductions, manage follow-ups, and resolve discrepancies without the need for a dedicated analyst. This saved them from hiring additional staff or outsourcing the work to an expensive agency.
Improved Accuracy in Promotional Planning
With Glimpse, immi was able to track promotional deductions and align them with their forecasts in real-time. This helped them stay within the appropriate amount of trade spend, and to quickly identify issues where deductions didn’t line up with expectations.
Customizable and Scalable Tool
immi was able to trial Glimpse in parallel with their old software, allowing the team to choose which tool worked best for them during the transition. Glimpse also provides training for the immi team, as well as a dedicated deductions analyst to bring data-driven strategy and best practices throughout the partnership.
Faster Finance Processes
The automation of deduction tracking and follow-up processes allowed immi to speed up their overall finance processes like reconciliation and cash application. Eliminating manual tracking has also ensured that the business is running on accurate, up-to-date information.
Results
Thousands of dollars recovered each month
In just a few months of automated deductions and disputes, Glimpse has recovered a total of $23.6K for immi, with their largest win being $10.2K from a single freight dispute.
Time and Cost Savings
Glimpse allowed immi to scale without hiring additional team members or agencies. Existing team members are able to work more strategically because they are not wasting time on manual processes or data entry.
More Accurate Forecasting
With Glimpse’s capabilities, immi gained greater insight into their promotional spend, enabling them to reconcile promotional deductions with actuals and ensure they weren’t overspending or missing any opportunities.
Smoother Operations
Overall, the integration of Glimpse into immi’s workflows has led to smoother operations, less manual work, and more control over trade spend.
Client Testimonial: Kevin Chanthasiriphan and Kevin Lee
"What I like most is how Glimpse helps us not just resolve disputes but also measure how much we're winning back. The visibility into what drives deductions is helping us improve our SOPs moving forward. It's been a huge win for us."
"I love what you guys have built—this is perfect. You’ve really done your research and created a tool that directly solves the pain points of deductions management. We were struggling with data accuracy and a disconnected system before, but with Glimpse, we can easily track deductions, streamline disputes, and gain more control over our trade spend."
Conclusion
By adopting Glimpse, immi has streamlined their distributor deductions process, recovered significant amounts in disputed deductions, and improved their overall trade spend management and financial operational efficiency.
The seamless integrations, powerful automation, and robust analytics have not only saved them time and money but also positioned them for greater financial efficiency as they scale.
Regular check-ins and Slack conversations with immi’s dedicated Glimpse deductions expert enables a new level of strategy and insights in KeHE and UNFI. immi has even been invited to the beta test of Glimpse’s functionality for Target.
As immi continues to grow, Glimpse will remain a critical tool in their arsenal, enabling better margins and increased scale through more effectively managing trade spend and distributor deductions.
Fight KeHE & UNFI
deductions with AI
Glimpse automatically pulls in your deductions, disputes invalid deductions on your behalf, and streamlines the reconciliation process faster and cheaper than any alternative.
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