Integrated RGM Strategies With AI and Automation

As revenue growth management (RGM) becomes increasingly central to profitability in consumer goods, companies are moving beyond isolated tools and tactics toward more connected, enterprise-wide strategies. In a recent CGT Expert Exchange, Joel Cartwright, industry principal of consumer products at Vistex, spoke with Lisa Johnston, editorial director at CGT, about what it takes to build an integrated RGM framework and where automation and AI are creating new opportunities.Cartwright, who brings nearly 30 years of CPG experience across sales, finance and operations, defines an integrated RGM strategy as one that manages the end-to-end process across sales, operations, supply chain, finance and accounting. The goal is to align teams around a common view of the business and enable data to flow seamlessly from planning through execution.That requires a modernized data infrastructure, which is something many brands are still working toward. In fact, harmonizing internal and external data sources remains one of the biggest hurdles. Disparate formats, manual processes and inconsistent data quality limit the effectiveness of advanced analytics and AI, which is further complicated by the need for multiple sources of data to work together in real time.While predictive analytics has dominated early AI investments, Cartwright believes the next frontier is “smart automation.” Tasks such as contract validation, settlement reconciliation and claims processing — traditionally manual and error-prone — can now be automated at scale. Even automating 80% of these workflows dramatically improves efficiency and frees teams to focus on higher-value activities.Still, technology alone isn’t enough. Cultural and process changes are just as critical. Resistance to new ways of working, concerns about accuracy and difficulty quantifying efficiency gains remain common obstacles.According to Cartwright, the companies leading in integrated RGM share several characteristics: they’re cleaning and simplifying their IT infrastructure, moving aggressively to cloud platforms, and investing heavily in both data and talent. These companies know this is the future, while those failing to invest are only falling behind.

Integrated RGM Strategies With AI and Automation

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