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Happy 4th of July from Aforza
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Jul 2, 2026
Out of stocks on the biggest holiday in 250 years? See how Ava Audits gives field reps real-time next best actions to fill shelves fast.
RG2M: Why 25 Years of Revenue Growth Management Means Nothing If It Never Reaches the Shelf
RG2M explained: why 80% of CPG CEOs are unhappy with RGM, and how Revenue Growth to Market closes the gap between the plan and the shelf. Watch the recap.
One Platform, Many Markets: How CPG Companies Use Aforza Across Asia
How CPG manufacturers use Aforza across Asia Pacific to manage direct and indirect distribution, offline field sales, and distributor data visibility down to the point of sale.
No Keyboard. No Notes. No Problem.
See how Aforza’s Ava Audits use Vertical AI to cut store visit admin, hit 96% audit accuracy, and turn retail execution into measurable revenue growth.
What is RG2M? Revenue Growth to Market Explained
RG2M (Revenue Growth to Market) is the discipline of ensuring every RGM decision reaches the shelf. Discover why CPG leaders are closing the gap.
The shelf is the new battleground: what McKinsey’s home and hygiene outlook means for CPG commercial teams
McKinsey’s 2026 home and hygiene outlook signals the end of the inflation-era growth playbook. An Aforza point of view on why commercial execution, not marketing reinvention, is the answer to stalled categories, rising private brands, and tougher retailer demands.
BCG is right about AI agents in CPG. The biggest prize isn’t consumer-facing
BCG says only 10% of CPG companies have deployed AI agents. The 800bps prize isn’t in consumer chatbots, it’s in field execution, TPM, and deductions
RGM is only as good as what happens in the aisle
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Apr 27, 2026
Bain says only 5% of CPG companies get RGM right. The reason most stall isn’t strategy or data. It’s what happens in the aisle. An Aforza point of view.
Don’t wait for perfect data to get value from AI
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Apr 21, 2026
Most CPG transformations stall waiting for perfect data. Aforza’s response to McKinsey: data quality is a byproduct of running agentic AI, not a prerequisite.
Two Crucial AI Lessons for Consumer Goods Leaders in 2026
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Jan 21, 2026
Two crucial AI lessons for Consumer Goods leaders in 2026. Learn how to turn AI pilots into real ROI across Trade Promotion, Field Sales and Commercial Planning using proven, field-ready use cases.
What to expect from Vertical AI in 2026
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Dec 29, 2025
See how leading Consumer Products organisations are preparing for 2026 with Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI. Access real world use cases that show how AI embedded into execution and planning delivers faster decisions, stronger execution and better outcomes.
Don’t Be Like Bob
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Dec 10, 2025
A Pixar style short film about Bob the CIO who chose a legacy vendor and faced unhappy users rising costs and no results. See how things could have been different with Ava and why modern CIOs need real use cases predictable costs and customer validated decisions. Don’t be like Bob.
The CIO’s Guide to Vertical AI
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Nov 24, 2025
Discover how Consumer Products CIOs can deliver AI value fast by shifting from DIY tools to Vertical AI. Learn why CEO pressure is rising, what’s blocking adoption and how instant-on use case libraries like Ava help organisations move from pilots to real impact. Download the full CIO’s Guide to Vertical AI.
Turning Every Team Member into a Top Performer with Ava
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Sep 18, 2025
Discover how sales managers can shift the performance distribution curve with Ava Teams. Learn how to turn every rep into a top performer, boost productivity by 50%, and scale your coaching impact.
Optimizing Trade Promotion Budgets from the Top Down with Ava
by [Alex Botwinick](/content/author/abotwinick/ "Posts by Alex Botwinick"/index.html) | Sep 12, 2025
Learn how Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI, transforms trade promotion budgeting. Discover how top-down funds are cascaded into optimised promotional plans, turning static caps into active guardrails that drive smarter, proactive planning and maximise ROI for consumer goods companies.
The Best Trade Promotion Management (TPM) Software for Consumer Goods Companies
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Sep 2, 2025
Discover the leading trade promotion management platforms transforming consumer goods. This 2025 guide explores how cloud-native and Vertical AI solutions are eliminating manual admin, improving ROI and building stronger retailer partnerships.
The GenAI Divide: Why Most AI Pilots Fail & How Vertical AI is Changing the Game
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Aug 26, 2025
Discover why 95% of AI pilots fail and how Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI for Consumer Goods, drives mission-critical success with proven results like AG Barr’s 50% productivity uplift.
Aforza Intern Insights: Agentforce World Tour Through My Eyes
by [cscarpa2307f91706](/content/author/carolinascarpa/ "Posts by cscarpa2307f91706"/index.html) | Jun 13, 2025
Aforza intern Carolina shares key takeaways from attending the Salesforce Agentforce World Tour in London, from AI-powered demos and executive briefings to how Aforza is solving real challenges in the Consumer Goods industry.
What Is the Best Trade Promotion Management Platform for Optimising Trade Spend?
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | May 24, 2025
Aforza is the best Trade Promotion Management platform for Consumer Goods companies that want to optimise trade spend with connected planning, execution, ROI measurement and Ava Vertical AI for smarter decisions.
What is Commercial Excellence in the Age of AI
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Feb 28, 2025
Discover how AI is transforming Commercial Excellence, enabling consumer goods companies to boost revenue, optimise trade promotions and enhance retail execution. Learn how automation, predictive insights and AI-powered decision-making help commercial teams work smarter, reduce costs and drive growth in an increasingly competitive market. Stay ahead with AI-driven Commercial Excellence.
Aforza’s Extensible Enterprise Platform
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Jan 7, 2025
Discover how Aforza’s highly customisable, end-to-end platform empowers enterprise organisations in the consumer goods industry to drive growth, improve efficiency, and adapt to local market needs with ease. Built on Salesforce and Google Cloud, Aforza offers unparalleled flexibility across UI, mobile, workflows, Vertical AI and integrations.
Ava Christmas Ad
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Dec 12, 2024
The Aforza Christmas Ad is out. See how Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI, helps Santa supercharge his productivity and make smarter decisions.
Aforza Accelerate Rep Run Methodology: Leading the Way in Customer Engagement
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Nov 13, 2024
In the fast-paced world of field operations, customers need constant innovation and alignment from their partners. Aforza understands this need, and its Rep Run Methodology has become a powerful tool to support long-term customer success by delivering real, measurable improvements in efficiency and engagement
Supercharge Productivity with Vertical AI
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Aug 21, 2024
At Aforza, we recognize that the future of enterprise productivity lies in Vertical AI — AI solutions purposefully built to meet the unique demands of specific industries. This eBook serves as an executive briefing on the transformative potential of Vertical AI.
What is Vertical AI?
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Jun 25, 2024
Vertical AI refers to artificial intelligence solutions tailored to specific industries, addressing unique business processes and challenges. Unlike horizontal AI, which provides general-purpose tools, Vertical AI leverages industry-specific data and insights to deliver more relevant and actionable outcomes.
What is Photo Automation?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jun 10, 2024
From monitoring share of shelf and product availability to ensuring promotion compliance and identifying competitor threats, photo automation transforms a simple snapshot into impactful business actions.
Are Legacy Suppliers Weighing You Down?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | May 17, 2024
Unlock the power of digital transformation in Consumer Products with Aforza. Say goodbye to empty promises from legacy tech vendors. Let’s revolutionise your business together.
How to Select & Evaluate Systems Integrators to Implement Aforza Software
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Apr 25, 2024
Selecting the right Systems Integrator (SI) to implement Aforza software is a critical decision. They need to understand your business needs, design and implement a solution that meets those needs, and provide ongoing support and maintenance.
Love Your Sales Journey: Deliver Tempting Valentine’s Day Promotions With Aforza
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Feb 14, 2024
In the world of Consumer Products, every season presents unique sales opportunities, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. Let’s walk through how you can plan, check and maximise the value of your promotions this Valentine’s Day.
Revolutionize the Front Office: Convincing the Board to Embrace Digital Transformation
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jan 5, 2024
Until now, the Front Office has relied on more traditional, tried & tested methods for sales revenue growth. But as the industry evolves, more advanced digital transformations are key for industry leaders looking to retain a competitive edge.
Aforza Studio: High Impact Use Cases for Sales Leadership
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Oct 13, 2023
Is your team spending too much time organising scattered content for their key account meetings across multiple apps? Increase the value of every visit with Aforza Studio.
Introducing the Aforza Controls Library
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Sep 13, 2023
We are very excited to share Aforza’s Controls Library. In order to get the most value out of your sales teams, it’s important that you understand exactly what controls are available to you and how you can use them.
Embracing Outside-In Transformation in Tier 2 Markets
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Aug 17, 2023
Consumer Product companies traditionally focused on HQ-led expansion into Tier 2 Markets, catering to local needs. Now, an outside-in approach is revolutionizing the industry as market demands change.
CRM Is the Foundation to Your Entire Front Office Strategy
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jul 25, 2023
As the market landscape shifts, it is essential that consumer product companies transform their front office operations at every touchpoint to remain customer-centric and agile.
Avoid Whac-a-Mole Problem Solving with a Customer-Centric Platform Strategy
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jun 7, 2023
Break free from whac-a-mole problem solving in the CPG industry. Embrace a customer-centric platform strategy for innovation, agility, and margin control. Learn from AG Barr’s success story and take control today.
What is the Deposit Return Scheme?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Mar 27, 2023
Lets explore the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and its impact on drinks manufacturers in terms of costs, operations, and sustainability. We’ll also take a look at the role of technology in supporting the scheme and ensuring compliance.
Introducing the Aforza Consumer Goods KPI Index
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Feb 3, 2023
We are very excited to share Aforza’s Consumer Goods KPI Index. There has never been a more important time to track, review and understand every aspect of business performance in real-time, which starts by knowing exactly what to measure.
Perform with Precision: Aforza Winter Release ‘23
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Dec 5, 2022
Aforza’s Winter Release ‘23 is now live; packed full of new and updated capabilities designed to drive more efficient and targeted execution, across all routes to market. Let’s explore why this is so important.
PRESS RELEASE: Aforza Launches New London Office
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Sep 1, 2022
Aforza is excited to announce the launch of our new London office, situated in the heart of Waterloo, just minutes from the historic Southbank.
Aforza’s Top 10 Innovations Shaping the Future of Consumer Goods
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Aug 1, 2022
Aforza’s suite of purpose-built solutions for Consumer Goods (CG) helps businesses accelerate their time-to-market while dramatically improving sales productivity.
Take Control with True Omnichannel Promotion Execution
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jul 6, 2022
In today’s market, many Consumer Goods companies are finding themselves on the back foot; vulnerable to external factors that could make or break them.
Golden Arches, Broken CRM: The Hidden Tax on CPG Field Sales
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Apr 24, 2026
Why CPG field reps end up syncing at McDonald’s, and what the hidden mobile tax costs your sales force in fuel, selling hours, and broken forecasts.
Big brands are caught in the middle. Commercial execution is how you climb out.
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Apr 16, 2026
McKinsey’s 2026 State of F&B report shows big CPG brands caught in the middle. Here’s how commercial leaders can use agentic AI to close the execution gap.
Three Months In: Why Joining Aforza Was the Right Move
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Jan 8, 2026
What is it really like to join Aforza? A new sales hire shares his first three months, why Aforza feels different to large enterprise companies and advice for anyone thinking about joining.
Real Ava Stories: Why Kobe Wins, Bob Hesitates & Norman Loses
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Dec 16, 2025
Real Ava Stories brings Kobe, Bob and Norman together to show the real impact of realtime next best action versus old missed guesses in Consumer Goods execution.
An Updated Guide to Trade Promotion Management Software for Consumer Goods Companies 2026
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Dec 1, 2025
A practical guide to Trade Promotion Management software in 2026, explaining how consumer goods companies connect trade planning to execution, improve forecast accuracy and control trade spend with modern TPM platforms.
Our Top Five Highlights from POI Fall Summit Dallas
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Nov 21, 2025
Aforza shares five highlights from the POI Fall Summit in Dallas where Vertical AI, real customer impact and the future of commercial excellence took centre stage.
Accruals & Deductions Demystified: How Ava Brings Confidence Back to Finance Teams
by [Alex Botwinick](/content/author/abotwinick/ "Posts by Alex Botwinick"/index.html) | Sep 18, 2025
Discover how Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI, transforms accruals and deductions in Trade Promotion Management. Learn how Ava automates matching with 90%+ accuracy, clears claims faster, frees up budgets and gives finance teams the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Making ServiceNow More Valuable To Your Frontline With Ava
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Sep 4, 2025
Discover how Ava, the industry leading Vertical AI Agent for Consumer Goods, makes ServiceNow more valuable for frontline sales teams. Learn how Ava enables instant ticket logging, real-time updates, and full 360 account visibility to boost productivity, reduce waste and strengthen retailer relationships.
The Best Retail Execution Software for Consumer Goods Companies
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Sep 1, 2025
Explore the top retail execution software for consumer goods, featuring insights on connected platforms, AI innovation and the future of field execution.
The 7 Deadly Sins of Trade Promotion Management
by [Alex Botwinick](/content/author/abotwinick/ "Posts by Alex Botwinick"/index.html) | Aug 22, 2025
Discover the 7 Deadly Sins of Trade Promotion Management (TPM) from Alex, an industry expert with 9+ years in CPG. Learn how Aforza and Ava, its Vertical AI, help consumer goods companies avoid costly mistakes, boost ROI and drive smarter, collaborative promotion planning.
Ava Claims Agent Launch Webinar: Reinventing Claims Processing
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jun 12, 2025
Discover how Aforza’s Ava transforms claims processing with automation, efficiency and faster resolution. This webinar recap covers key features, benefits and a must-read Q&A session snippet for CPG leaders.
What Is Trade Claims Processing In The CPG Industry
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Apr 29, 2025
Trade claims processing refers to the review, validation and settlement of deductions submitted by retailers after promotions. In the CPG industry, this often involves checking whether claims for discounts, displays or co-marketing are valid based on agreed terms and actual performance.
Aforza Winter ’25 Release: Boosting Productivity and Smarter Decisions Across Every Use Case
by [Callum Fitzpatrick](/content/author/cfitzpatrickaforza/ "Posts by Callum Fitzpatrick"/index.html) | Jan 24, 2025
Aforza is proud to unveil our latest release, the Winter ’25 Edition, designed to redefine productivity and empower smarter decision-making for Consumer Goods teams worldwide. With cutting-edge features and significant upgrades, this release reflects our commitment to enabling businesses to operate with unparalleled efficiency, agility, and insight.
Aforza’s Top 10 Highlights of 2024 – A Year of Milestones
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Dec 24, 2024
2024 has been a transformative year for Aforza, filled with milestones that highlight our growth and innovation. From launching the industry-first Business Process Library to receiving 11 Best-in-Class distinctions in the POI Panorama Report, we’ve continued to lead the way in empowering Consumer Products companies. Here’s a look at our top 10 highlights of the year.
Driving Profitable Growth this Black Friday with Ava
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Nov 28, 2024
Driving Profitable Growth this Black Friday with Ava Black Friday presents a pivotal opportunity for Consumer Goods companies to not only boost sales for the year, but also strengthen customer loyalty. Sales in 2024 are projected to reach $10.8 billion, a 9.9%...
Productivity & Growth in the Age of Vertical AI
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Oct 25, 2024
Aforza recently hosted our Vertical AI Briefing event in London, bringing together industry leaders, partners, and customers to explore how Vertical AI is revolutionizing the Consumer Goods industry.
Order Takers & Order Makers: Understanding the Evolving Sales Dynamics in Consumer Goods
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Aug 19, 2024
Today, two broad types of sales reps dominate the field: Order Takers and Order Makers. While both play crucial roles in the sales ecosystem, the differences between them are significant, with each approach offering distinct advantages and challenges.
What Is Planogram Compliance?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jun 25, 2024
Planogram compliance is an important concept in the consumer goods industry, ensuring that retail shelves are organised according to a predetermined plan. This strategy helps retailers and manufacturers optimise shelf space, improve product visibility, and ultimately drive sales.
What is Share of Shelf?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jun 3, 2024
Discover what share of shelf is, how it’s calculated, and its importance in retail success. Learn about leading image recognition vendors, how to use these insights to boost sales, and how Aforza Studio leverages these insights for optimal shelf performance.
What is Image Recognition in Consumer Goods?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | May 1, 2024
Image recognition is a technology that allows computers to interpret and process visual data from the world around us. In the context of consumer goods, this means using AI and machine learning to analyse photos and videos of products, shelves, and retail environments.
Eggstraordinary Examples: Celebrating Customer Creativity This Easter
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Mar 30, 2024
At Aforza, we hold our customers in high regard, and there’s nothing we love more than celebrating their creativity and success, especially during festive occasions like Easter.
Getting Your IR Strategy Right
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Feb 14, 2024
In a fragmented market of IR technologies, Consumer Product companies have to piece together solutions to get the retail insights they need. This approach is expensive, unreliable and doesn’t enable proactive action to address identified issues.
Black Friday: The Importance of Flawless Retail Execution
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Nov 23, 2023
Black Friday has transformed into a global shopping phenomenon, presenting significant opportunities & challenges for retailers. Discover how you can make the most of the period with Aforza Visit, Studio & B2B.
Drive Rapid Time to Value with Aforza Accelerate
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Sep 30, 2023
The Consumer Products industry demands fast time to value and a hybrid agile approach to transformation. The Aforza Accelerate Methodology is a fusion of our out-of-the-box industry capabilities, omnichannel engines & design-led implementation approach.
My Summer Internship at Aforza
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Aug 31, 2023
In this insightful blog post, Niha Kannan shares her experiences as a summer intern where she worked across the Business Development & Solution Consulting teams.
How Aforza Supports a 3-Tier Distribution System
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jul 28, 2023
The 3-Tier Distribution System is a foundational framework used across consumer products & retail. Aforza offers a comprehensive solution to streamline operations & overcome disconnected processes.
Predicting Productivity G-AI-ns with Aforza
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jul 14, 2023
Discover how Aforza’s predictive order capabilities harness the power of AI & machine learning to accurately forecast customer orders, increase sales, and reduce admin time.
What is Product Information Management (PIM)?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | May 30, 2023
Product Information Management (PIM) solution help manage assorted product data and digital assets in a central platform, providing a single source of truth for brands, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
Celebrating Our Customers This Valentine’s Day
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Feb 14, 2023
While there is no single secret to a successful relationship, at Aforza we constantly strive to fulfil one of our core values: Customer Success. This Valentine’s Day, we want to share the love and celebrate some of our favourite customer stories.
What Is Margin Protection Management?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jan 4, 2023
The sales landscape has undergone significant changes with evolving customer expectations, shifting buying behaviours and new technology. To keep up, even the more traditional channels, like telesales, will have to modernise to survive.
Aforza Winter ’23 Release Overview
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Dec 3, 2022
The Aforza Winter ’23 Release is out now and packed full of exciting new innovations that help Consumer Goods companies grow confidently in uncertain times.
Aforza 2022 Hackathon
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Aug 16, 2022
Hot on the heels of our landmark 10th release, we held Aforza’s inaugural Hackathon. The day was jam-packed with innovative projects that pushed the creativity of our team to the limit!
How We Solved the Omnichannel Penny Perfect Pricing Problem
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jul 21, 2022
An interview with Aforza’s engineering team on the approach and value of our omnichannel penny perfect pricing engine.
Dairy 2026: Moving AI from pilot projects to real productivity
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Apr 23, 2026
McKinsey’s 2026 dairy survey shows 71% of AI projects stuck in pilot. Here’s why vertical AI agents are how dairy leaders finally move from pilot to P&L.
Aforza’s Key Takeaways from Davos 2026
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Jan 22, 2026
AI is moving from hype to real ROI in 2026. Discover key takeaways from Davos and how they align with Aforza’s view on turning AI pilots into scalable impact for Consumer Goods teams.
Aforza’s Top 10 Videos of 2025: What They Reveal About the Future of Commercial Excellence
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Dec 31, 2025
Discover the Aforza Top 10 Videos of 2025 and what they reveal about the future of Commercial Excellence. Explore the most watched Aforza and Ava videos covering realtime next best action, claims automation, productivity and Vertical AI impact across Consumer Goods routes to market.
Ava, Actually: A Holiday Message About Making the Right Choices
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Dec 15, 2025
Watch “Ava, Actually” a playful holiday tribute to Love Actually that highlights why Consumer Goods teams no longer need legacy vendors. Discover how Ava delivers instant value with Vertical AI ready use cases predictable costs and proven ROI. Aforza wishes all customers prospects and partners a happy holiday season.
Kobe’s First Day: A Real Ava Story
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Nov 25, 2025
My First Day is a short, Pixar-inspired story from Aforza about Kobe, a young sales rep starting his first job. Overwhelmed on day one, Kobe finds calm and confidence with Ava, his AI mentor and coach. Guided by Ava’s real-time insights, Kobe learns faster, performs better and discovers how technology and talent can work side by side to help people succeed.
The Best Distributor Management Systems (DMS) for Consumer Goods Companies
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Oct 1, 2025
Discover the best Distributor Management Software for consumer goods companies. Learn how modern DMS platforms improve visibility, streamline secondary sales and connect distributors, warehouses and field teams across the entire route to market.
What is a Revenue Management Platform?
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Sep 15, 2025
Discover what a Revenue Management Platform is from Aforza’s perspective. Learn how our omnichannel engines for pricing, promotions, and order management, combined with Trade Promotion Management, mobile access, and Ava Vertical AI, help consumer goods companies drive profitable revenue growth.
Why KAMs Deserve Intuitive Tools: How Ava Helps Them Plan Smart and Fast
by [Alex Botwinick](/content/author/abotwinick/ "Posts by Alex Botwinick"/index.html) | Sep 3, 2025
Discover why Key Account Managers need intuitive tools to succeed in today’s data-heavy world. Learn how Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI, simplifies complex planning, automates tasks, and empowers KAMs to plan smarter, faster and with greater impact.
From Chaos to Clarity: How Ava Transforms the Planning Process
by [Alex Botwinick](/content/author/abotwinick/ "Posts by Alex Botwinick"/index.html) | Aug 29, 2025
Discover how Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI, transforms chaotic sales planning into clarity. Learn why Ava is the unbiased, fact-based voice of reason that eliminates human bias, unifies forecasts and gives consumer goods companies confidence in every decision.
Our Summer at Aforza: More Than an Internship
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Aug 11, 2025
Discover how Aforza’s summer interns turned expectations upside down — from real client meetings and software demos to leading innovative marketing campaigns for Ava. Hear first-hand from Carolina and Melayna on why this hands-on, three-month internship is more than just work experience.
Aforza Intern Insights: What I Learned in Week One at Aforza
by [cscarpa2307f91706](/content/author/carolinascarpa/ "Posts by cscarpa2307f91706"/index.html) | Jun 6, 2025
Discover what it’s like to intern at Aforza in marketing and solution engineering. In her first week, Carolina shares hands-on experiences, leadership opportunities and lessons from delivering a live demo.
How Ava Transforms Claims Processing in CPG
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Mar 26, 2025
Discover how Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI, automates Trade Claims Processing to cut BPO costs, boost accuracy and deliver 90% faster resolution times.
Unlocking the Full Potential of CLM with Ava
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Jan 22, 2025
At Aforza, our CLM capabilities deliver transformative value by automating, optimising and connecting contract processes end-to-end. Central to this is Ava, Aforza’s Vertical AI, who ensures smarter decisions and significant productivity gains at every stage of the contract lifecycle.
From Friction to Flow: How Ava’s Differentiated UX Transforms Productivity in Consumer Products
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Dec 18, 2024
Legacy systems create friction, slowing teams down with manual processes and inefficiencies. Ava’s Differentiated UX removes these barriers, delivering seamless workflows and real-time insights that empower teams to work smarter. Ready to move from friction to flow?
3 Key Highlights from the Promotion Optimization Institute’s 2024 Fall Summit
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Nov 15, 2024
At the POI 2024 Fall Summit in Dallas, Aforza’s team showcased our new Vertical AI assistant, Ava, while connecting with industry leaders and customers. This blog highlights our key takeaways, from Ava’s successful launch to insights gained from thought leadership sessions and networking opportunities.
Building Your Business Case for Vertical AI in Consumer Goods
by [Andrew Keleher](/content/author/andrewsimonkeleher/ "Posts by Andrew Keleher"/index.html) | Oct 10, 2024
Aforza Vertical AI (Ava) offers consumer goods companies a tailored AI solution to drive growth, reduce costs and increase profitability. This blog outlines the business case for Ava, showcasing its value across key personas and use cases while providing a simple, actionable framework to measure and maximise impact. Discover how Aforza’s industry expertise makes implementing Vertical AI a straightforward path to measurable results.
Aforza Summer of Vertical AI
by [Aforza](/content/author/aforza/ "Posts by Aforza"/index.html) | Jul 11, 2024
Welcome to Aforza’s Summer of Vertical AI, an exclusive showcase dedicated to exploring and demonstrating the cutting-edge use of artificial intelligence within the consumer products industry.
How to Solve your Distribution Management Challenges across Primary & Secondary Sales
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jun 14, 2024
The traditional methods of simply tracking stocked and sold products are no longer sufficient. The sales process now involves a dynamic and intricate network of interactions between manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
What is Consumer Goods AI?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jun 3, 2024
In this blog, we explore the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the consumer goods industry, with a focus on front-office applications across sales teams. We’ll delve into the rise of generative AI, like ChatGPT, and the importance of industry-specific Vertical AI tailored to the unique challenges and use cases of consumer goods companies
Aforza Run Club: Breaking Through 1,000 kms Together
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Apr 26, 2024
This week, the Aforza Run Club reached a significant milestone: 1,000 kilometres collectively run as a team. We could have literally run from London to Berlin (932 kms) with this coverage!
Navigating the Pitfalls of End of Life (EOL) Software
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Mar 11, 2024
In the fast-paced Consumer Products industry, software solutions play a pivotal role in driving business performance. However, not all vendors can keep pace with the innovation needed and you can find yourself trapped with end of life (EOL) software.
Vertical vs. Horizontal CRM Software in the Consumer Products industry
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jan 24, 2024
Consumer Products companies face a unique set of industry challenges, and the choice between vertical and horizontal CRM solutions can significantly impact their ability to protect margins and seize growth opportunities.
Navigating the Age of the Zero Consumer and the Importance of Retailer Relationships
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Nov 10, 2023
In this blog, we delve into who “Zero Consumers” are, how retailers handle their expectations and Aforza can help to support the underlying retailer relationships.
How Do You Run a Commercial Excellence RFP in the Consumer Products Industry?
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Sep 21, 2023
Aforza transforms consumer product companies to grow confidently & protect margins. We have been involved in hundreds of RFx processes and want to share best practices to get you going quickly and drive the right decisions.
Unlocking the Power of SAP Integration with Aforza
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Aug 22, 2023
Aforza, being built on the Salesforce platform, emerges as a powerful solution tailored for the Consumer Products industry, enabling seamless integration with SAP. This blog explores why this integration is necessary, common use cases for the consumer goods industry, the challenges, and how Aforza uniquely addresses these challenges.
Consumer Goods Glossary
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jul 25, 2023
When it comes to working together, it’s important we are all on the same page and speaking the same language. What one company calls something can be different to another. To help with this, Aforza has produced this comprehensive Consumer Goods Glossary.
Omnichannel Execution with Aforza’s Microservices
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jul 13, 2023
By leveraging a microservice architecture and harnessing the power of Salesforce CRM and Google Cloud Platform, Aforza enables omnichannel promotion execution like never before.
Spring 23 Release Overview
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Apr 27, 2023
The Aforza Spring ’23 Release is out now and packed full of exciting new innovations that help Consumer Product Companies to control margins in uncertain times.
Cardiff Salesforce User Group Meeting – Spring’ 23
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Feb 8, 2023
Come along for an evening of networking and drinks at Aforza’s Cardiff office for the Salesforce Admin Group; join the gathering of like-minded Salesforce enthusiasts on Thu, Feb 16, at 6pm.
Aforza Winter ’23 Release Overview
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Dec 8, 2022
The Aforza Winter ’23 Release is out now and packed full of exciting new innovations that help Consumer Goods companies grow confidently in uncertain times.
5 Reasons to Attend CGT Sales & Marketing Summit 2022
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Oct 13, 2022
Aforza is excited to be sponsoring CGT’s Consumer Goods Sales & Marketing Summit, October 26-28, LIVE in New York.
Aforza Release 10 Overview
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Aug 1, 2022
The Aforza Summer ’22 Release is out now and packed full of exciting innovations that help Consumer Goods companies accelerate their time-to-value, from sales planning to execution.
Take Control with True Omnichannel Promotion Execution
by [Ursula Brady](/content/author/ubrady/ "Posts by Ursula Brady"/index.html) | Jul 6, 2022
In today’s market, many Consumer Goods companies are finding themselves on the back foot; vulnerable to external factors that could make or break them.