In field sales and trade marketing, routing is not a map problem — it’s a business problem.
Below is the real cost breakdown every sales leader should understand — and how modern routing tools eliminate these losses.
1. Lost Sales Opportunities
When routes aren’t optimized, reps visit fewer stores per day.
Fewer stores = fewer facings checked, fewer orders captured, fewer displays built.
Impact
- 2–4 missed visits/day
- 40–80 missed visits/month
- Entire classes of stores never get serviced on time
- Priority locations receive inconsistent coverage
Sales Loss Estimate
Most brands lose 10–15% of potential sales simply because reps don’t reach the right stores at the right time.
Even when reps plan ahead, the day rarely unfolds as expected — calls for last-minute meetings, construction delays, schedule changes.
Reps are forced to rebuild their route on the fly, under pressure, and those rushed decisions hurt productivity.
A dynamic routing tool removes the stress and recalculates instantly, guiding them toward the most rational and profitable path.
2. Paying for Drive Time Instead of Sales Time
Poor routing means reps spend too much time behind the wheel instead of in front of customers.
Typical Breakdown (in weak routing setups)
- 35–50% of the day driving
- 10–20% dead time between visits
- Only 30–40% productive store activity
Cost to the Company
For every rep earning $200/day, you’re paying:
- $70–$100/day wasted on unnecessary driving
- $1,500–$2,000/month per rep
A 10-rep team easily loses $15,000–$20,000/month from inefficiency alone.
3. Inconsistent Visit Frequency
Stores with high importance or poor compliance need predictable visits.
Bad routing destroys that rhythm.
Consequences
- Shelf gaps stay open
- POSM expires
- Competitors gain facings
- Merchandising tasks slip
- Retailer trust decreases
Managers feel this pressure the most because you cannot enforce consistency without consistent routing.
Visits also rarely take the exact expected duration.
Some stores run longer, others shorter.
Every unexpected shift forces reps to make on-the-spot decisions that damage efficiency without a system that can adapt dynamically.
4. Poor Execution of Trade Marketing Tasks
When routes are weak, so is execution:
- Tasks get skipped
- Appointments get ignored
- Photos become inconsistent
- Managers lose visibility
- Promotions fail to activate on time
A missed task might look small, but missing a promotion in 20 stores means:
- Lost display opportunity
- Lower promo-week sales
- Weak compliance reporting
- Damaged brand performance
Every store has multiple tasks — and it’s unrealistic to complete all of them in one visit.
But when tasks are properly planned and intelligently carried over to the next visit, execution becomes far stronger, smoother, and more predictable.
5. Higher Fuel & Vehicle Costs
More zig-zagging = more kilometers.
Typical waste includes:
- 15–30% excess fuel
- Faster vehicle wear
- Higher maintenance
- Shorter fleet life cycles
For a 10-rep team, this easily becomes $12,000–$20,000/year of pure waste.
6. Lower Rep Morale
Reps feel the inefficiency instantly:
- Longer days
- More fatigue
- More backtracking
- No flow or structure
- More driving, less selling
Inefficiency is demotivating.
Demotivated reps sell less.
Poor routing directly drains morale and revenue.
7. Managers Lose Control
Without strong routing:
- Managers don’t know which stores are overdue
- Visibility into the field becomes vague
- Coaching becomes reactive
- Results become unpredictable
And the worst part:
Managers only learn about missed visits when retailers complain — far too late.
Many managers only discover what was done by visiting the field themselves or relying on rep notes, which are not always objective.
Delays cost money, and catching execution gaps early is crucial.
The Solution: Modern, Logic-Based Route Optimization
Great routing isn’t just plotting stops on a map.
It must factor:
- Store priority
- Visit due status
- Geography
- Rep availability
- Store working hours
- Appointment commitments
- Planned tasks
- Historic visit durations
- Real-time changes
- Competitor activity checks
- Task deadlines
This is exactly the logic Navimate was built on.
When routing reflects business rules — not just geography, everything changes.
Expected Gains from Proper Routing
- 20–30% more visits per day.
More stores serviced without longer hours. - 10–20% lift in sales.
Better coverage → stronger execution → more orders. - 25–40% reduction in drive time.
Less fuel, less fatigue, more productivity. - 100% predictable visit frequency.
No overdue stores. No surprises. - Full visibility and accountability.
Live routes, real-time photos, verified execution.
CONCLUSION
Poor routing feels like a small operational detail — but it is one of the largest hidden costs in field sales.
Fixing routing isn’t just about efficiency.
It’s about giving managers control, giving reps smoother days, and giving the company a predictable, repeatable way to increase sales without increasing headcount.
Smart routing pays for itself in days, not months.
