This document proposes adding a distinguishing mark near the top of bags to allow retail store route sales representatives (RSRs) to more quickly rotate bags and remove stale products. Currently, RSRs must pull bags out to read expiration dates, taking time. The proposal suggests symbols like checks or letters that would aid faster identification of bags. It estimates savings of $7 million annually if RSRs save just 5 minutes daily. Next steps include discussing the idea within the company, refining estimates, gaining support from other functions, and finalizing an implementation plan.

1. 1Jay Martin SeamMark.ppt
Date: Fall 2004 Reference: SeamMark.pptPresentation:
‘SeamMark’ Proposal
Labor and Stale Reduction
Old New
The dot is used as a representation, this presentation
spells out options and presents some ideas.

2. 2Jay Martin SeamMark.ppt
Existing Code Date information is used by the RSR to rotate bags and
pull stales – but for ‘in-store’ operations, it could be improved.
SeamMark Problem & Impacts
Existing Code Dates are by no means inadequate, but our objective is
to show how our packaging could possibly be improved and how.
Existing Code Date Objectives
• Show ‘Good’ Date
• Support Customer, Retailer &
RSR
• Display Price
• Rotate bags
• Assist in identifying and pulling
stales off the shelf
• Provide measure to identify
plant, shift and production day
in case of any ‘issues’
Opportunities
• Position of Code Date on
impression forces pulling bags
out/off shelves to read them
• Size of dates requires reading
• Ink of a single color does not
provide greater contrast
• Using the ‘Month & Day’
requires closer analysis and
more thought processing in
decisions to move/remove

3. 3Jay Martin SeamMark.ppt
Add a distinguishing mark close to the top of the bag to permit faster
rotation of bags and stale removals by the RSRs in the field.
SeamMark Proposed Solution
Given the size and scale of Frito-Lay’s fleet, direct savings from this
should easily reach into the millions of dollars per year.
Benefits
• Reduce time in-store spent by
RSR
• Higher identification of ‘stales’
by RSR
• Reduced ‘stales’ sales –
customer complaints
• Reduced ‘stales’ due to better
rotation of bags in-store, also
resulting is less administration
time to track and record them
Where is the money!?!
Reduced Time
• RSR labor
• RSR OH burden, including truck
• Pulled stales processing
Stem Product Losses
• Losses due to stales
• Turns for product
Improve Customer Satisfaction
• Complaints from stales
• Stales sold but no complaint filed
• Store pulled stales

4. 4Jay Martin SeamMark.ppt
Some of questions to support justification to continue and answer
issues around the possible feasibility and execution.
SeamMark Major Questions
• What is this worth?
• (‘A’ minutes/per RSR/day saved) x ‘B’ RSRs x 365 days x ($’C’/minute)
• = 365(A*B*C); using (A=5, B=4,000, C=$60/hour or $1) = $7 Million/year
• (Number above does not include stale, loss and customer benefits!)
• What to do? What symbol, method to apply and when in the process?
• Where to put it on the bag? (recognizing aesthetics issues)
• What kind or printing or other process to do this with?
• How to incorporate the process into existing machinery?
At this stage we are looking for guidance on whether further
investment of our time (or others) is justified to continue research.
Note: RSR is lower and days is higher (365 vs 200) since we are not sure how it is broken up.

5. 5Jay Martin SeamMark.ppt
There are a number of variations of what, where and how to do this?
SeamMark Possible Options
• What - ‘Symbols’ to use – Check Mark, A, Smiley Face, Logo, Line(s), #?
• Where - Location of the seam or bag – top seam corners, center seam, top
edge of seam, back of seal/seam, off seam top area of impression front
• How - Use existing Code Dater equipment or packaging machines?
Imagine you are walking up to an aisle to sort product/pull stales.
Which group would you guess you could sort faster?

6. 6Jay Martin SeamMark.ppt
Below are graphical examples of what we are thinking of.
SeamMark Possible Options
Color, absence and position will also provide additional variations.
‘Dot’
‘Check’
‘+’
‘A’
‘Logo’
‘Rounded’
+
A

7. 7Jay Martin SeamMark.ppt
The major challenges in evaluation, planning and implementing have
begun to be identified.
SeamMark Challenges
• How to do this, and cheaply?
• How to decide, given an inexpensive option to roll-out, whether this is justified?
• Putting an additional ‘mark’ on bag without damaging aesthetics?
• How to get Sales & Marketing support?
• How to avoid the ire of Operations?
• Decide on whether it should be a single or multiple colors.
This proposal should be investigated properly – how to do it and who
to involve should be considered.

8. 8Jay Martin SeamMark.ppt
Below is a list of preliminary next steps.
SeamMark Next Steps
• Discuss merit of idea within Technology
• Review any Intellectual Property issues; complete a patent search
• Refine presentation; develop accurate cost/benefit analysis
• Present to other functions (Operations & Marketing)
• Form a cross-functional team to review the idea
• Finalize a plan of execution
• Implement