It is an exciting time at Cantactix! We’re growing our team and focusing on how we continue to Make Space Management SimpleTM. We have lots of great content for you that will give you a better understanding of where we are headed and how we can help you.
Over the past 14 years, Cantactix has grown from a scrappy start-up to a trusted industry leader. This year represents a fresh start in many ways for us, with some key initiatives that we will drive to maintain our place as that trusted leader but also evolve into the company of the future, keeping pace with the changing markets and technology.
What makes Cantactix special is our great people, the desire to innovate, and our ability to build trusting relationships with our customers. Our mission truly is to make Space Management simple for all of you.
Part of this mission is providing content that helps educate you on space management best practices while providing insights on the changing factors that can impact success in our industry. We hope that you will find this newsletter educational and valuable.
On behalf of all Cantactites, thank you for being a supporter of Cantactix. Without you we would simply be a bunch of planogram enthusiasts without anyone to talk to! Just kidding…kind of.
Trends and Insights
The Category Management Association recently interviewed David. Read his Q&A below.
- Give us a brief history of your company, when and how did you get started and what is your high-level mission statement?
Cantactix was founded by Category Management veterans just over 14 years ago to fill a void in solution-based Cat Man consulting. Over time, Cantactix has become a multi-service organization with strong expertise in implementing and getting the most out of Blue Yonder software. Our objective is to make Space Management simple for our customers through our great people, a knack for innovating and solving complex problems, and by building strong relationships with our customers and partners.
- What would you like CMA and SIMA members to know about your brand/company?
Our company was founded by Category Management enthusiasts and has always wanted to lead the charge in making our industry a destination for ambitious, savvy professionals. One of our core values is to share knowledge. We want to give back to the industry that has been so fruitful to us by providing others taking an interest in Category and Space Management with advice, assistance and tips on how they can achieve more. We really see ourselves as stewards of our industry.
- What is the most common question you hear from current and potential customers, and how do you answer it?
“How do we do things quicker?” It’s not a new question but one that persists. Because of the changes in demographics, and ongoing financial pressures, our customers need to react quickly and predict better. They need to make more planogram and floorplan changes and do it in less time than before. The way you can do this is by having strong systems and processes that are supported by the latest technology. Having experienced partners that understand how to architect these systems becomes increasingly important.
- Any white space in the industry or areas you are looking to expand into?
We have always done exceptionally well helping manufacturers get the most out of their Category Management processes, but there is a lot of opportunity for us to help more retailers succeed in simplifying their processes This is a specific growth opportunity for us that we are focused on pursuing in 2023 and beyond. We have also been developing our own software and extensions and are seeing lots of success. We want Cantactix software in the hands of users as it has been proven to simplify difficult processes and reduce labor times by automating tasks.
- What is the most important thing that needs to be addressed in the category management and shopper insights disciplines going forward?
We are just scratching the surface of innovation in our area of expertise. There is so much untapped potential in new technology stacks and there are only a fraction of organizations taking advantage of the innovation. Blue Yonder, in particular, is spending over a billion dollars to continue increasing their supply chain solutions capabilities, making them a compelling option for many looking to upgrade their Cat Man solutions. This is important because more and more people are dropping out of traditional Cat Man roles, but there is still a need to replace their production. In turn, automation will continue influencing decisions when adopting new software and systems.
- How are you thinking about the next 3-5 years in retail?
Like all other industries, retail has become dependent on technology and innovation to stay competitive with customers. Technology companies like Cantactix play a pivotal role in helping retailers and manufacturers focus on executing in-store and online by doing the heavy lifting for them with space management processes. Space Management has always been niche, and having expertise in this area is vital to providing the in-store experience the shopper demands.
