1Tool x Ricola

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ricola recorded a sharp decline in sales, particularly in the pharmacy channel, due to the absence of the 2020/21 cold season. In addition, the presence of Ricola products in pharmacies was limited, which reduced visibility and therefore consumers’ incentives to buy. In April 2023, Ricola’s pharmacy distribution was therefore to be restructured and the German pharmacy landscape completely realigned. In cooperation with MARVECS GmbH, the decision was made to set up a dedicated, national Ricola sales team to provide optimal support for over-the-counter pharmacies, pharmacy wholesalers, etc. In order to implement Ricola’s new sales strategy in the best possible way, MARVECS GmbH was looking for an intelligent software solution that would allow it to record pharmacies’ orders directly on site and track sales performance at a glance. When selecting the system, the main focus was on the possibilities for optimal customer care and efficient order processing.

With 1Tool, MARVECS GmbH implemented a mobile order entry system with which sales staff can now create orders directly at the pharmacies on site using a smartphone or tablet – without delays or paperwork. The quotation can then be immediately checked, corrected and digitally signed by the customer on the mobile device. Finally, all orders are clearly laid out in the system so that all responsible persons have an up-to-date overview at all times. Thanks to the direct link to the product warehouse of the parcel service provider DHL, MARVECS sales staff can call up real-time information at the touch of a button and provide pharmacies with immediate information about the availability of Ricola products and any delivery times. If the goods are not needed immediately, a desired delivery date can also be set together with the pharmacy. As soon as an order is in the system, it is sent directly to DHL, where a delivery bill for shipping the goods is generated from the offer with just one click. Once DHL has successfully delivered the goods to the pharmacy, 1Tool automatically sets the status of the order to “Delivered” so that the invoicing process can also be fully automated. Another 1Tool feature used by MARVECS is the so-called contact map, which has been specially enhanced for Ricola’s sales process. This allows the sales representatives’ routes to the pharmacies to be optimally planned around their opening hours so that the entire working day can be organized efficiently.

By introducing mobile order entry from 1Tool, MARVECS GmbH was able to streamline the sales team’s activities, increase efficiency and improve customer satisfaction. The sales staff experienced a significant reduction in administrative tasks, leaving more time for customer contact and sales promotion. The intelligent software solution from 1Tool also ensures that manual errors are avoided, which leads to faster order processing. The ability for the customer to check the quote immediately, amend it if necessary and sign it directly on the mobile device saves valuable time and significantly speeds up the order creation process. The use of the route planner also helps to increase productivity, so that sales tours with several customer visits in one day can be planned in an optimized way and travel costs and time spent in traffic can be reduced. Thanks to the availability of real-time information and direct order processing with the parcel delivery company, including automated delivery bill and invoice creation, the company was ultimately able to streamline its processes, increase productivity and already increase sales for Ricola throat and cough drops in the German pharmacy landscape.

“As a cross-industry solution, 1Tool’s mobile order entry is ideal for use in the pharmaceutical industry. Thanks to real-time data and seamless on-site order processing, the powerful sales solution has enabled us to optimize processes, improve the customer experience and sustainably boost sales of Ricola throat and cough drops in pharmacies.”

– Anja Serra, Director Finance & Human Resources MARVECS GmbH