Monthly Retainer Advisory — RIDBS Retail Intelligence
03 — Ongoing Advisory

Monthly Retainer
Advisory.
Your Fractional Retail Director.

Ongoing C-suite strategic guidance — your fractional retail director, available for KPI reviews, supplier negotiations, category decisions, and expansion planning. Expert retail intelligence in your corner every month, without the cost of a full-time executive.

Start Your Retainer See What’s Included
2×
Monthly
strategy calls
100%
Remote —
no site visit
5
Core advisory
pillars
What a Retainer Client Gets
Monthly
KPI Performance Review Monthly Included
Strategy Calls 2× / month Included
Supplier Negotiation Support On demand Included
Category Guidance Ongoing Included
WhatsApp Advisory Access Priority Included
Landlord Negotiation Support As needed Included
Engagement model Monthly rolling retainer
The Concept

A Retail Director in Your Corner.
Without the Full-Time Salary.

Most independent retailers make their biggest decisions — ranging, renegotiating supplier terms, planning expansion — without access to senior retail expertise. A full-time retail director costs R600K–R1M per year. The RIDBS monthly retainer gives you the same quality of strategic guidance for a fraction of that, delivered remotely, every month.

🔭
Strategic Outside View
An independent, experienced voice on every major decision — pricing strategy, supplier negotiations, category changes, new site evaluation. No internal politics. Just clear advice.
📊
Data-Driven Monthly Reviews
Every month we review your actual KPI data — sales per m², GP%, shrinkage, stock turn, trading terms performance — and tell you exactly what is improving, what isn’t, and what to do about it.
⚡
On-Demand Expert Access
WhatsApp access to RIDBS between calls — for urgent decisions, quick sense-checks, supplier pressure situations, or when an unexpected challenge needs experienced input fast.
What’s Included

Five Advisory Pillars. Every Month.

Each pillar addresses a specific area where independent retailers consistently lose margin, miss opportunity, or make costly decisions without adequate expertise. Together they function as a complete retail advisory programme.

PILLAR 01
Monthly KPI Performance Review
+

Every month you send your trading data — sales, GP%, shrinkage, stock turn — and RIDBS produces a structured KPI review with a clear verdict on each metric against benchmark and the previous month. You always know exactly where you stand and exactly what to focus on.

Sales per m² tracked by department against format benchmark
GP% performance by department — leakage identified and quantified
Shrinkage rate tracked against target with root cause assessment
Stock turn by category — slow-movers flagged each month
Month-on-month trend analysis — what is improving vs deteriorating
Priority action list for the coming month based on the data
Sample Monthly KPI Dashboard
Sales per m² — Store avg ↑ R1,380 (+4.5%)
GP% — Store average → 22.1% (–0.3pp)
Shrinkage rate ↓ 1.9% (target: 1.5%)
Stock turn — Dry Grocery ↑ 17.2× (benchmark: 18×)
Priority this month: GP% erosion in Dry Grocery — investigate promotional execution
PILLAR 02
2× Monthly Online Video Strategy Calls
+

Two structured 45–60 minute online video calls per month with RIDBS — one focused on the monthly KPI review, one open for strategic discussion, decisions in play, and planning. These calls replace the kind of board-level retail input that most independent operators have never had access to.

Call 1 — Monthly KPI review: data walkthrough, findings, priorities
Call 2 — Strategic session: open agenda set by you each month
Pre-call notes sent 24 hours in advance so you come prepared
Post-call summary with agreed action items and owners
Rescheduling flexibility — calls arranged around your trading schedule
Additional call available on request for urgent decisions
Sample Call 2 — Strategic Agenda
AGENDA ITEM 01
Supplier renegotiation — Beverage supplier
RIDBS to prepare negotiation brief. Discuss approach and target rebate levels.
AGENDA ITEM 02
New category consideration — Ready meals / deli
Should we introduce a hot food counter? Review the margin model and space reallocation options.
AGENDA ITEM 03
Second site — preliminary discussion
Client has seen a potential second site. RIDBS to outline the feasibility process and timing.
PILLAR 03
Supplier & Landlord Negotiation Support
+

Supplier reps and landlords negotiate professionally every day. Most independent retailers do not. RIDBS levels this playing field — preparing your negotiation brief, setting target terms based on market benchmarks, and coaching you on how to have the conversation so you walk in knowing what to ask for and why.

Rebate renegotiation briefs — per supplier, with specific target terms
Trading term benchmarks — what your volume should command
Lease renewal preparation — market-rate analysis and negotiation strategy
Promotional co-op identification and claim support
New supplier onboarding — term structure guidance from Day 1
Post-negotiation review — did you achieve the target? What next?
Sample Supplier Negotiation Brief
Supplier Beverage Supplier A
Annual purchase volume R2.4M
Current rebate 1.8%
Target rebate 3.0–3.5%
Additional annual income +R28.8K–R40.8K
PILLAR 04
Category Management Guidance
+

Your product range is your biggest margin lever after supplier terms. RIDBS guides you on which categories to grow, which to trim, how to planogram your shelves for maximum productivity, and how to identify and act on slow-moving stock before it becomes a write-off. This is ongoing — not a one-time exercise.

Monthly range review — identify slow-movers vs high performers
New listing evaluation — should you take this product or not?
Space reallocation recommendations based on sales per m² data
Planogram guidance — shelf sequence, facing, height allocation
Seasonal ranging — what to bring in, what to phase out, and when
Promotional planning — which promotions make margin, which destroy it
Sample Category Action — Month 3
Remove — 12 Household SKUs
Sub-4× annual turn, <0.6% category contribution. Free up R18K working capital.
Add — 4 Beverage Extensions
Premium water and craft range. Benchmarks show +R4,200/m² additional productivity.
Reallocate — 2 Bays from Household → Beverages
Estimated monthly uplift: R14,000 based on productivity differential.
PILLAR 05
Ongoing WhatsApp Advisory Access
+

Between the monthly calls, retainer clients have priority WhatsApp access to RIDBS for sense-checking decisions, responding to urgent situations, or getting a quick expert read on something happening in the store. This is one of the most valued parts of the retainer — having an experienced retail voice available when the decision actually needs to be made.

Priority response — replies within 4 business hours
Urgent situations — same day response where possible
Quick decision support — “should I do this?” answered with context
Supplier pressure situations — immediate coaching on how to respond
New opportunity evaluation — is this worth pursuing or not?
Staff situations — senior input on difficult personnel decisions
Sample WhatsApp Advisory Situations
CLIENT
“Supplier rep is here offering me a 3-month exclusive deal on a new product range. Says I need to decide today. Should I take it?”
RIDBS
“Don’t decide today. Ask for 48 hours. Send me the product list and I’ll check the margins and your current range overlap. ‘Today only’ is always a pressure tactic.”
CLIENT
“Landlord just sent a lease renewal at R210/m². My current rate is R168. Is that reasonable?”
RIDBS
“That’s 25% above current — excessive. Market rate for your strip type is R180–190. Counter at R178 with CPI escalation. I’ll prepare a full negotiation brief for our call Thursday.”
Who This Is For

The Retainer Is For Operators Who Are Ready to Grow Seriously.

This is right for you if
✓You operate an independent supermarket or cash-and-carry doing R10M+ annually
✓You want to improve margin performance consistently — not just once
✓You have supplier negotiations coming up and want expert preparation
✓You are considering expansion and want experienced input on site and financial decisions
✓You want a senior retail voice available between formal meetings
This may not be right for you if
→Your store is doing under R5M annually — start with the Store Profit Audit first
→You are looking for someone to manage the store — this is advisory, not management
→You do not track sales and margin data — the KPI review requires basic trading data each month
→You want a one-time solution rather than an ongoing relationship
How It Works

Simple. Structured. No Surprises.

Step 01
📞
Discovery Call
Free 30-minute call. We establish your situation, current performance, and whether the retainer is the right fit. No obligation.
Step 02
📊
Baseline Assessment
Month 1 starts with a baseline review of your current KPI data so we know exactly where you are starting from.
Step 03
📅
Monthly Rhythm
Two calls per month, a KPI review report, WhatsApp access, and action items agreed. Same structure every month so nothing falls through the cracks.
Step 04
📈
Measurable Progress
Quarterly review of progress against baseline. Every retainer client should be able to track exactly how much additional margin the advisory has helped them recover.
MONTHLY RETAINER ADVISORY

Expert Retail Guidance.
Every Month. No Gaps.

The decisions you make every month — on range, on suppliers, on staff, on pricing — compound over time. Having experienced retail input on those decisions consistently is what separates operators who grow from those who stand still.

2×
Monthly Calls
5
Advisory Pillars
100%
Remote
Book Your Free Discovery Call

No commitment required · RIDBS responds within 24 hours · Rolling monthly — cancel anytime

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