Duplicate outlets caught by photo
A salesman adds a shop that is already there under another name. The AI compares its shop photo with the photos of the outlets nearby and lists the likely pair. An area manager merges them, and the shop's history ends up on one outlet.
PLANSScale only
The problem it solves
- The same kirana is on your list three times, under the owner's name, the shop's name and a misspelling.
- Outlet counts and UBO look better than the market really is.
- Incentives for new outlets are paid for shops you already had.
- Phone and GSTIN checks miss the shop because the second entry has neither.
How it works
- A salesman adds a new retailer request in the app with a shop photo and a pin. Retailers added in the back office with a photo and a pin are checked too.
- Every hour, the job compares the new photo with the photos of up to 6 nearest outlets within 100 metres. Only the photos go to the AI service, made small; no names, phones or addresses.
- The AI gives each nearby outlet a score from 0 to 100 and a short reason, such as same sign board and shutter. A score of 70 or more lists the pair under Market > Retailers > Possible Duplicate Outlets.
- On the request, Possible Duplicate names the outlet and Photo Match gives the score. Compare Photo on a request does it at once.
- The area manager looks at both photos, the distance and the reason, and presses Merge Into the Outlet Kept or Not the Same.
Everything it does
Checks before the photo
- A new retailer with the same phone or GSTIN as one already there is refused
- A retailer pinned within 15 metres is shown as a possible duplicate
- The photo check catches what these miss: another name and a pin a little away
What is compared
- New retailer requests (draft or waiting approval) with a photo and a pin
- Retailers added in the last 30 days with a photo and a pin
- Against up to 6 nearest outlets with a photo within the radius
- 40 photos a run, every hour; each photo is one AI call
- A pair marked Not the Same is never offered again
Each pair
- New Retailer Request or New Outlet, and the outlet it looks like
- Both photos, the distance in metres, the match score and What Looks Alike
- To Decide, Merged or Not the Same, with who decided and when
Merging
- The new outlet's secondary sales, visits, orders, retailer orders, loyalty points, gift requests and beats move to the outlet kept. The new outlet is removed
- A request not yet approved is rejected as the same shop, with the outlet and the score in the reason
- The market measures of the months the outlet sold in are worked out again, so the shop counts once
- Area managers and distribution managers decide
AI used, and what is saved without review
- One model call per photo checked, to the AI service of your subscription (task dist_outlet_dup, fast tier); the model is chosen on our side
- Saved without review: the score, the reason and the pair in the To Decide list
- Never done without a person: merging or rejecting; both need Merge or Not the Same
- Each call is logged in AI Usage and counted on the plan's AI credits
- Without AI in the plan, or with the credits used up, nothing is listed and the job tries again later
- Built and tested on our test systems with a stand-in for the AI service; not yet tried at a customer
Who uses it
SalesmanAdds new shops with a photo and a pin, as today; nothing extra to do.
Area managerReviews the pairs, runs Compare Photo on a request, and merges or marks Not the Same.
Distribution administratorSwitches the check on or off and sets the radius and the score that lists a pair.
Where you use it
- Web: Market > Retailers > Possible Duplicate Outlets; Possible Duplicate, Photo Match and Compare Photo on a new retailer request
- Web: Settings > Dealer Reporting > Duplicate outlets by photo
- The SmartMy Distribution app: the shop photo and pin taken with the new retailer request (built and in testing, not in the app stores yet)
- Not decided in the app: pairs are reviewed on the web
What you control
Settings
- Compare Shop Photos for Duplicates: on
- Duplicate Search Radius: 100 metres
- List From Score: 70 out of 100
Questions
Does the AI merge outlets by itself?
No. It only scores and lists likely pairs. A manager decides each one: Merge Into the Outlet Kept, or Not the Same.What is sent to the AI service?
Only the shop photos, made small (512 pixels). No names, phone numbers, GSTINs or addresses.What if a shop has no photo?
It is not checked by photo. The phone, GSTIN and 15-metre checks still apply. Ask salesmen to take the shop photo with every new retailer.Two shops side by side look alike. Will they be flagged?
The AI is told that neighbouring shops often look alike and to score above 70 only when the shop itself clearly matches. If a pair is still listed, mark it Not the Same and it is not offered again.Can we check our old outlet list for duplicates?
The job checks new requests and retailers added in the last 30 days. A one-time sweep of older outlets is not built.Related features
RETAILERS AND FIELD SALESNew retailers and the outlet censusA salesman pins a new shop at its door, or a dealer names one on its portal or in its sales. Each is checked for duplicates and waits for an area manager.MARKET INTELLIGENCERetailer names matched in dealer uploadsWhen a dealer's sheet, Tally or BUSY names a retailer, SmartMy finds your retailer by GSTIN, phone, the dealer's own spelling or a close name. Clear matches are taken; doubtful ones wait on a short review list, and every answer is learnt.MARKET INTELLIGENCEUBO, ECO and numeric distributionSee each month how many outlets your dealers billed (UBO) and how many bought enough to count (ECO). See what share of outlets carry each item, how far must-sell and new items reached, and which outlets went quiet. By area, dealer, salesman and outlet class.LARGE NETWORKSAI suggested orders, shelf photos and stock-out forecastAt the shop, Suggest fills the order with what the shop is due for and what shops like it buy, each with a reason. The AI reads shelf audit photos for your share of the shelf, missing items and competitor prices. Each dealer item gets a run-out date, with the season counted.RETAILERS AND FIELD SALESOutlet classes and outlet reachEvery month your retailers are ranked by 90 days of sales into classes A, B and C, each with its own visits a month. Outlet Reach shows which retailers are active, lapsed, never bought or new.
See your market on it.
Tell us how many dealers and salesmen you have, and how orders and claims reach you today. We will set up your dealers, price lists and beats with you.