PPMS Turns On-Ground Data into Retail Intelligence with Its FRAMe Platform: A CX Revolution
In retail, customer experience (CX) challenges hit hardest on the ground, inside stores where sales happen. Brand visibility, audit compliance, and performance measurement suffer from inconsistent execution. Field teams struggle with scattered data collected manually, often too slow to influence dynamic retail realities. This disconnect between data capture and actionable insights is a prime barrier to optimizing shopper engagement and sales outcomes. PPMS, India’s largest in-store merchandising and field execution company, is bridging this gap with its proprietary FRAMe technology platform. FRAMe is setting new industry standards by transforming vast amounts of ground-level retail data into precise, real-time retail intelligence. It is a remarkable case of technology-powered CX innovation that packaging and retail professionals can learn from.
Understanding FRAMe’s Impact on Retail Execution
Founded over 25 years ago, PPMS has grown into a powerhouse with 15,000+ professionals spanning 1200+ towns, serving 170,000 outlets with over 1.5 million store visits monthly. This massive on-ground presence generates over 3 crore photos each month, a treasure trove of visual merchandising and execution data. The FRAMe platform automates the collection and analysis of this data through a mobile app ecosystem that integrates FRAMeAI and FRAMeIQ modules backed by computer vision and advanced analytics.
These AI-powered modules identify and interpret images captured in stores to measure compliance with merchandising standards in near real-time. They automate audits, inventory checks, promotional displays, price compliance, and route mapping, eliminating errors linked with manual reporting. With 100% execution enabled across General Trade and Modern Trade channels, FRAMe ensures data reliability and completeness that was previously unattainable.
Mahimm Gupta, Founder and Managing Director of PPMS, highlights how the in-house ownership of FRAMe allows tailor-made customizations for each brand and retail channel. This agility in design enhances usability for field teams and transparency for brand managers—two pillars essential for transforming retail execution into a strategic competitive advantage.
Data-Driven Intelligence: The Heart of FRAMe’s Advantage
The FRAMeIQ analytics engine powers deeper insights beyond performance snapshots. It gauges franchise-wide compliance, adherence to merchandising protocols, and inventory dynamics. Brand teams get actionable dashboards reflecting execution quality, stock availability, and promotional effectiveness by product, outlet, and geography. This granular visibility uncovers bottlenecks and success pockets enabling rapid intervention to improve store-level CX.
Recent industry trends affirm this approach, showing that retail chains leveraging AI and real-time data analytics improve On-Shelf Availability (OSA) and shopper satisfaction scores by a significant margin. By integrating machine vision with field reporting, PPMS has created an operational feedback loop where every photo snapped inside a store isn’t just evidence but a strategic input to drive continuous improvement.
Expert Insights: Why FRAMe is a Game-Changer for CX and EX
Retail observers note that execution excellence hinges on seamless coordination of people, process, and technology. FRAMe transcends traditional field execution by combining:
- Robust data capture through camera-enabled mobile apps used by trained merchandisers
- AI-driven image recognition eliminating human bias and manual error in audits
- Real-time data flow into centralized analytics for performance measurement
- Intelligent route planning and task automation that optimize merchandiser productivity
This integrated technology system allows brand managers to interpret complex retail landscapes effectively and empower merchandising teams with instant performance feedback, motivation, and focused corrective actions.
Field teams benefit from immediate insights into task completion rates, compliance gaps, and merchandising benchmarks. This transparency fosters accountability, improves employee experience (EX), and aligns store-level efforts with broader brand strategies.
Case Study Snapshot: PPMS and Leading FMCG Brands
Several FMCG clients engaged with PPMS report substantial sales uplifts after implementing the FRAMe platform. For example, one national beverage brand saw a 12% increase in on-shelf availability within the first quarter post-deployment. Visual merchandising compliance improved by 18%, enhancing the in-store experience and purchase likelihood. Merchandisers appreciated the simplified reporting workflow, which reduced manual paperwork and enabled focus on value-adding activities such as shopper engagement.
Operationally, brands gained deeper visibility into geographical market performance enabling precise allocation of marketing budgets and resources to underperforming regions. This dynamic reallocation created meaningful ROI improvements and reduced wastage.
Actionable Takeaways for CX/EX Professionals
- Leverage real-time data: Speed and accuracy in data collection are non-negotiable for modern retail CX. Tools like FRAMe exemplify how AI-powered, photo-based reporting can elevate data reliability and relevance.
- Customize technology for your context: In-house ownership of tech platforms enables bespoke modules that address unique challenges of each brand, product category, and retail channel.
- Empower field teams with transparency and feedback: Use technology to provide merchandisers with instant execution metrics, enabling agile corrections and positive reinforcement.
- Invest in AI-driven analytics: Advanced analytics that measure compliance and performance at scale reveal hidden insights in large retail networks and guide targeted interventions.
- Integrate operations with technology: Streamline merchandising workflows with AI-automated route mapping, audit scheduling, and task management to boost productivity and consistency.
PPMS’s FRAMe platform is a vivid example of how technology can turn on-ground retail data into business intelligence. That drives tangible CX and EX outcomes. Retail and CX leaders must look beyond conventional audits. And invest in integrated, AI-powered systems that transform merchandising into a competitive differentiator. This approach is especially critical in India’s diverse and fragmented retail ecosystem. This is where execution consistency can make or break customer loyalty and sales growth.
In conclusion, embracing retail intelligence platforms like FRAMe helps CX professionals close the gap between field realities and executive strategies. Thus enabling smarter decisions, better shopper experiences, and stronger brand performance.
