In Nigeria, supermarkets exist mostly in bigger cities, with more remote areas dependent on local markets and street vendors, or SSEs. Henkel's research showed that local buyers prefer the personalized experience of this micro-market sales model, which is also the case in many other countries.
Finding a successful way to leverage this existing infrastructure in Nigeria would allow this project to serve as a business case to be replicated across multiple markets, but focusing on remote, rural areas presented a key challenge to be overcome: a shortage of access to mobile internet.
Setting up real-time sales tracking without reliable mobile internet access is no small feat, as there's no way to establish ongoing communications with a server under these conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic also added to the project's challenges, making on-site meetings and training sessions impossible—a particular problem with so many stakeholders involved.
What we did
Research was performed locally with buyers, SSEs, and distributors. This research provided validation that implementing a new sales business model in the Nigerian market was feasible, and that this model should see Henkel no longer relying solely on supermarkets for sales, but also on street vendors—especially in more remote areas of the country.
With a shared understanding of how the app and dashboard should work, a roll-out plan was defined and the final product developed. Extensive training of local personnel was held remotely. The challenge of limited mobile internet resulted in the creation of an offline mode: the app can be used with the phone’s internal GPS, storing data with a timestamp ready to be updated later at the SSE's discretion.
A mobile app was created to allow SSEs to track their sales, and a dashboard to give Henkel administrators and local distributors an overview of sales statistics. Basic tech solution features were established in close collaboration with the Henkel project team, using feedback sessions to take user interface options, user journeys, and overall UX topics further. Additional iterations were made based on this feedback, and a prototype created.
Value delivered
Together with Henkel we contributed to the validation of the “MyShare'' sales model.
Together with Henkel we contributed to the validation of the “MyShare'' sales model in Nigeria, allowing local vendors to earn a living wage and developing sales beyond the previous limitations of Nigeria’s supermarket infrastructure.
We developed tech products that enabled the digitization of the overall process, while also adding value to the user journey. The free app allows SSEs to track their sales, even when internet access is limited.
The humans behind this project
