By Florencia Cattelani – Chief Operations Officer (COO) at Cloudgaia

The Consumer Goods (CG) industry is undergoing a seismic shift. Amid inflationary pressures, fragmented data ecosystems, rising customer expectations, and a digitally dominant marketplace, CG leaders are being forced to evolve or risk irrelevance.

90% of global CG executives expect profitable growth by 2025, yet achieving this growth requires more than incremental improvements—it demands transformation. This whitepaper explores how Salesforce and Cloudgaia are empowering CG brands to overcome industry challenges and unlock a new era of intelligent, sustainable, and connected growth.

The State of Consumer Goods: Disruption Meets Opportunity

Based on Salesforce’s global survey of 1,500 CG decision-makers, the sector is battling a convergence of external pressures and internal inefficiencies:

Top Challenges:

  • Supply chain disruptions and rising input costs
  • Increased competition and consumer price sensitivity
  • Ineffective trade promotions and poor return visibility
  • Disconnected data systems that hinder agility
  • Low consumer loyalty: 83% say it’s harder than ever to retain customers

 
Despite these headwinds, CG companies see digital transformation as the lever to unlock efficiencies and deepen consumer relationships. Brands are doubling down on:

Top Opportunities:

  • Product innovation
  • DTC and digital selling
  • Personalized marketing and loyalty
  • Merchandising improvements at the shelf
  • Smarter, data-driven trade promotions

 

Key Industry Pain Points — and How to Solve Them

 

1. Fragmented Data & Disconnected Insights

Many CG companies collect data from 18+ sources—up from 10 in 2021. But most struggle to activate that data meaningfully.

Solution: Salesforce Data Cloud + MuleSoft

  • Unify structured and unstructured data from ERPs, POS systems, ecommerce, and field tools
  • Enable real-time identity resolution and audience segmentation
  • Activate data for use in AI, personalization, and operational dashboards

 
Outcome: Faster decision-making, reduced redundancy, and a unified view of consumers and customers.

2. Ineffective Trade Promotion Spend

CG brands spend up to 30% of revenue on trade promotions—but less than half are satisfied with the ROI. Often tracked via spreadsheets, these campaigns lack visibility and real-time responsiveness.

Solution: Salesforce Trade Promotion Management + Predictive AI

  • Centralize all promotion planning, claims, and deductions
  • Use historical and real-time data to optimize promo mix and scenario models
  • AI-driven insights flag underperforming promotions and suggest alternatives

Outcome: Optimized spend, measurable lift, and promotions that align with retailer and consumer behavior.

3. Inconsistent Retail Execution

On average, 38% of in-store initiatives are not executed as planned. This leads to lost sales, poor shelf compliance, and erosion of brand trust.

Solution: Retail Execution Tools + Mobile Apps (Salesforce CG Cloud)

  • Equip field reps with real-time access to planograms, checklists, and historical store data
  • Use AI for smart routing and task prioritization
  • Enable order capture and stock updates directly from store visits

 
Outcome: Higher compliance, reduced out-of-stocks, and stronger retailer relationships.

4. Underdeveloped DTC and E-commerce Channels

While 91% of CG companies now sell directly to consumers, many face hurdles like logistical complexity, high service expectations, and legacy infrastructure.

Solution: Salesforce Commerce + Personalization Engines

  • Deliver consumer-grade digital experiences through unified commerce platforms
  • Personalize every touchpoint using real-time behavior data
  • Integrate loyalty, customer service, and fulfillment

 
Outcome: Higher conversion, deeper engagement, and incremental revenue streams.

5. Static Planning & Forecasting

CG leaders say traditional planning tools leave them in reactive mode, with 80% lacking the analytics to identify emerging issues.

Solution: Agentforce AI + Customer Planning and Forecasting (Salesforce CG Cloud)

  • Consolidate all planning data into one CRM-native platform
  • Use Einstein AI to model different outcomes, recommend actions, and update forecasts dynamically
  • Align marketing, sales, and supply chain forecasts for synchronized execution

 
Outcome: Agile responses to demand shifts, accurate forecasts, and smarter resource allocation.

The Role of Cloudgaia: From Technology to Transformation

Salesforce provides the platform—Cloudgaia makes it real. With deep expertise in the CG sector and extensive Salesforce certifications, Cloudgaia helps companies:

  • Design cross-cloud architectures for scalability and performance
  • Implement AI use cases tailored to trade, field, and ecommerce teams
  • Drive adoption and change management across global teams
  • Deliver agile rollouts with clear milestones and measurable ROI

 
Cloudgaia brings the industry logic and executional know-how to turn digital ambition into operational results.

Industry-Specific Tools for Industry-Specific Needs

Unlike generic CRM systems, Salesforce Consumer Goods Cloud is pre-configured with objects like stores, assortments, trade plans, and visit histories—accelerating time-to-value and reducing the need for custom development.

By embedding AI in the flow of work, CG teams—from sales to service—gain real-time insights, automate tasks, and deliver personalized experiences at scale.

A Blueprint for Smart, Sustainable Growth

The most successful Consumer Goods companies will be those that evolve into intelligent, adaptive enterprises—integrating data, automating operations, and acting with precision across every channel.

With Salesforce and Cloudgaia, brands can:

  • Transition from gut-feel to data-driven decisions
  • Eliminate silos with unified platforms
  • Reduce operational costs while growing market share
  • Build lasting relationships with both retailers and consumers

 

Conclusion

The path forward for CG companies isn’t just digital—it’s intelligent, connected, and consumer-first. Salesforce and Cloudgaia together offer a proven roadmap to thrive in this new era.

Ready to future-proof your growth? 

Let Salesforce and Cloudgaia help you navigate the future with intelligent, connected solutions. Get in touch today and start transforming your business for tomorrow’s challenges!