Outsourced merchandising can extend coverage, but it also creates additional hand-offs. The brand defines an expectation, an agency schedules the work, a representative visits the store, and the report may arrive days later. Good partnerships replace that chain of assumptions with shared definitions, evidence and ownership.
Write a service brief that can be tested
Specify the eligible stores, visit window, expected duration, mandatory tasks, product or campaign scope, quality standard, evidence required, escalation contacts and reporting deadline. Agree what happens when a visit cannot be completed because the store is closed, staff decline access or stock has not been delivered.
A service-level agreement should not be reduced to "95% of calls completed" without defining a completed call. Does it mean the rep arrived, inspected, performed the required work or provided valid evidence? Use separate metrics for coverage and execution quality.
Use a shared exception vocabulary
A useful neutral set includes: no store access; stock not delivered; stock in stockroom but not on shelf; product not authorized; display material missing; incorrect price or label; system/data issue; other with explanation. Keep the categories specific enough to guide action but short enough for field users.
Assign each category an escalation owner: retailer, brand supply chain, agency supervisor or brand account manager. An agency should not be held responsible for replenishment decisions it cannot make, but it should be responsible for accurately reporting and escalating what it finds.
Review the right evidence
Use a common standard for visit time, relevant location, task status, photographs, store notes and issue closure. Quality-check a sample of evidence and train both organizations on what is acceptable. Do not demand photographs in situations where retailer policies or privacy restrictions prohibit them.
Hold a short operational review weekly and a strategic review monthly. Discuss the same data definitions, aging issues and changes to scope. Avoid parallel spreadsheets and conflicting versions of the store list.
Commercially fair performance management
Include a process for canceling ineligible visits, changing campaign windows, documenting retailer restrictions and reviewing scope changes. Judge the agency on controllable actions and the quality of the hand-off, not only final shelf outcomes.
Where FieldKo fits
FieldKo records planned visits, proof of work, photos and reports in Salesforce, and brand partners can get their own view through a client portal built on Salesforce Experience Cloud. Agree the service standard, permissions and privacy terms before the portal goes live.
See how FieldKo supports this →Further reading
Next: Build an in-store visit standard | Agency quality checklist
Reviewed October 26, 2026. Examples, scores and thresholds are illustrative, not benchmarks. See the research and sources library for independent references.