Articles

Why Consumer Goods Companies Should Stay the Course on Investments in Gross-to-Net Revenue Management Technology 

Par Ken Accardi

Résumé analytique 

As trade tariffs loom and inflationary pressures mount, the instinctive response for many Consumer Goods (CG) companies is to pause or delay investments—especially in areas like technology and SaaS-based operational platforms. The uncertainty around tariffs, coupled with retailer resistance to price increases, is creating a pressure cooker in the C-suite.  What is needed, however, when storm clouds gather is fast, detailed, clear insight into customer investment and performance.  Accurate information is needed to make decisions for the future. This is what Gross-to-Net Revenue Managment systems deliver.    

This paper explores the risks of standing still and outlines the long-term benefits of continuing to invest in Gross-to-Net Revenue Management capabilities that drive efficiency, clarity, and improved financial performance—especially important in times of economic volatility. We will focus on perspectives for CFOs, CEOs, and CCOs, recognizing their unique mandates but shared need for operational resiliency and intelligent decision-making tools. 

The Current Climate: A Perfect Storm of Market Uncertainty

The Consumer Goods industry is being hit from multiple angles: 

• Tariff ambiguity: The timing of government policy updates are unpredictable. This leaves CPG companies with little visibility on future costs.  Tariffs imposed by the United States in early-2025 were sweeping.  A 25% tax on Canadian goods, and up to 245% on Chinese imports. This led to significant disruptions in supply chains and increased costs across various industries.  

• Retailer pushback: Many retailers are outright rejecting tariff-related price increases, forcing CPG companies to absorb more cost or boost promotion activity. Retailers like Target and Walmart have warned that where prices are increased the change will likely be passed onto customers, affecting sales and profitability. (Source:  Business Insider) Inflationary cost pressures: Increasing input costs and supply chain volatility are squeezing margins.  JPMorgan’s analysis indicates that the new tariffs could lead to a 1% increase in inflation and a 0.7% reduction in GDP in 2025. (Source:  Nasdaq) 

• Currency volatility: Dollar fluctuations are introducing new challenges in international markets.  

• Shopper reaction: Higher retail prices will change shopper behavior as they consider higher prices and make tradeoffs.  

The combined effect? Chaos.  For executive leadership, deprioritizing, avoiding, or cancelling technology investments in can feel like prudence. But with stagnation comes lost opportunity.  And if you don’t have the right information when you need it, decisions will take longer, and you will be less informed. 

CFO Perspective: Operational Efficiency is a Hedge Against Uncertainty 

CFOs are understandably cautious when external variables are in flux. But the reality is: waiting for perfect visibility is a luxury no business can afford. 

Key considerations: 

• The cost of inefficiency compounds: Without tools to adequately manage trade spend, improve productivity, and more accurately forecast, the business bleeds margin in slow, untraceable ways.  

• Increased scrutiny on ROI: In volatile markets, you need real-time visibility into what’s working—and what’s not. Investment in systems that measure promotional effectiveness and improve forecast accuracy enables better decision-making under pressure.  

• Deferred investment creates backlog: Postponing modernization projects now could lead to a crunch later, where multiple investments are needed simultaneously, straining both capital and internal bandwidth.  

CEO Perspective: Capability Today = Competitiveness Tomorrow 

The CEO’s job is to chart a course through uncertainty, not merely wait it out. Growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it happens by building capacity that compounds over time. 

• Agility is built, not bought at the last minute: Companies with strong operational systems in place can react faster to retailer demands, supply chain disruptions, and consumer shifts.  

• SaaS scalability: Unlike physical CapEx, SaaS investment is scalable and adaptable, which allows for gradual rollouts and phased implementation aligned with business needs and resource constraints.  

• Investor confidence: Public or private, stakeholders value proactive leadership. A clear plan to maintain competitiveness—even amid turbulence—instills confidence.  

CCO Perspective: Trade Spend is a Strategic Lever, Not a Black Box 

Chief Commercial Officers face a particularly acute challenge. When pricing flexibility is restricted by retailers, promotions become the key lever to maintain or grow volume but unmanaged; they’re also a major cost center. 

Key considerations: 

• Promotion spend must work harder: With inflation driving up list prices, the effectiveness of every trade dollar becomes even more important. Insights into ROI, cannibalization, lift, and deduction resolution are mission critical.  

• Reactive strategies erode brand value: Over-reliance on promotions as a response to pricing pressure can damage long-term brand equity. Systems that provide holistic visibility allow for smarter planning and sustained brand integrity.  

• Cross-functional coordination is critical: Gross-to-Net Revenue Management platforms enhance collaboration between sales, finance, and marketing—ensuring that promotional strategies are aligned with financial and brand goals.  

The Cost of Doing Nothing 

• Eroded Margins: Manual processes and blind spots in trade spend lead to inefficiencies that directly impact bottom-line performance.  

• Delayed Transformation: Every quarter delayed is a quarter further from realizing the benefits of automation, integration, and strategic clarity.  

• Talent Burnout: Asking teams to do more with less, without better tools, results in low morale and high turnover.  

• Competitive Disadvantage: Competitors who move forward with capability-building initiatives will be better equipped to adapt, negotiate, and win.  

Conclusion: Invest with Purpose, Even in Uncertain Times 

Capital investments by CPG manufacturers, especially in Gross-to-Net Revenue SaaS platforms, are not a leap of faith—they are a calculated decision to improve visibility, efficiency, and competitive advantage. While it’s tempting to wait for clarity, the companies that continue investing in their operational capabilities today will be the ones leading tomorrow. 

Tariffs will come and go. Market cycles will fluctuate. But the need for better decision-making, increased efficiency, and smarter trade fund investment is permanent. 

The question isn’t “Can we afford to invest right now?” 
It’s “Can we afford not to?” 

À propos de l'auteur

Basé à Los Angeles, Ken Accardi est responsable des ventes en Amérique du Nord. Ken apporte plus de 25 ans d’expérience dans le secteur des biens de grande consommation (CPG), avec une spécialisation dans les ventes, la gestion des relations commerciales, la gestion des catégories, la stratégie commerciale et l’optimisation des processus métier.  Ken a acquis son expérience au sein de grands fabricants, partenaires et fournisseurs tels que Bayer Consumer Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Clarkston Consulting et Kantar Xtel. Au cours de la dernière décennie, Ken a collaboré avec des dizaines de fabricants de biens de grande consommation pour la conception, la mise en œuvre et le soutien de solutions liées aux capacités TPM, TPO et RGM. Pendant son temps libre, il aime passer du temps avec sa fille et faire de la randonnée sur les nombreux sentiers du sud de la Californie.

À propos d'UpClear

Chez UpClear, notre mission est de donner aux marques de biens de consommation les moyens d'optimiser leurs performances en termes de chiffre d'affaires et le retour sur investissement de leurs actions commerciales grâce à un logiciel intelligent et collaboratif, offrant une source unique d'informations fiables, une automatisation rationalisée et des analyses exploitables. 

Le logiciel de gestion des revenus BluePlanner prend en charge l'ensemble des processus, de la planification opérationnelle annuelle à la planification et à l'exécution des comptes.