When it comes to consumer packaged goods execution at retail, it seems like everyone is thinking about mobile apps. With new reporting features and instant uploads from the field, smart phones are making execution on the shelf and at point of purchase more efficient. Meanwhile, on the back end, analytics can crunch the numbers, and show you just how effective your last campaign was.

Like the ads say: there’s an app for that. And these days smart phones are plenty smart, with built-in intelligence that enables geolocation and time stamping with the push of a button. But what really puts the smarts into smart phones are the people behind the tool. And when it comes to “the last mile” at retail, that’s where people can really make a difference. Mobile apps combined with a large pool of workers able to swing into action at a moment’s notice are revolutionizing the way merchandising works.

Effective merchandising depends on qualified people able to perform consistently in widely dispersed geographic locations.  Unfortunately this is an industry that regularly experiences 30 to 40% turnover.  No matter what app you choose, or what mobile solution you deploy, your ability to roll out promotions, keep shelves stocked, and product in inventory depends on maintaining a merchandising staff of qualified people, with reliable track records.

That’s where Gigwalk can help. We provide a pool of workers across the country that numbers more than 300,000. While a large pool of workers is valuable, it’s the ability to find the right workers, with the right skills that make the difference at retail. Our mobile technology tracks worker performance, reliability, quality of work, punctuality, and accuracy.  With Gigwalk our clients can use our mobile data sets to get the best quality work without guesswork. Using proprietary data analytics that rival the approach made famous in Moneyball, you can find the workers you need, with the right skills, a track record of proven results, and quantified experience, backed up by hard data. That means you can hire people based on their observed work history, before they start on your project.

We use technology to take the work out of workforce hiring. We spot talent, and put people to work. Instead of spending time advertising and responding to Craigslist help wanted ads, recruiting, and training employees, Gigwalk technology can filter our enormous database of trusted Gigwalkers and pinpoint just the ones with the skills you require to get the job done right. We don’t just eliminate guesswork, we eliminate paperwork, too. Because Gigwalkers work for us as independent contractors, you don’t have to hassle with paperwork, training, and the expense of bringing on new employees.

At the end of the day mobile is a tool like any other. It takes a skilled person to get the best out of it. That includes reliability, quality of work, punctuality, and accuracy – the things that matter most when it comes to merchandising at retail.