Routes and visit frequency
Quick answer
Planning visits by potential and geography so each customer is visited at the right interval with minimum time lost in traffic.
Key takeaways
- High-potential customers with steady volume: weekly
- Mid-tier customers: fortnightly or monthly
- Small or distant customers: telesales, with a quarterly visit
What it is
A route is the sequence of customers visited in a day, built geographically. Frequency is the interval at which a customer should be revisited, set by potential rather than habit.
Setting frequency
- High-potential customers with steady volume: weekly
- Mid-tier customers: fortnightly or monthly
- Small or distant customers: telesales, with a quarterly visit
The measurable effect
A geographically optimised route cuts time in traffic by 20-30%, which translates directly into one or two extra visits per rep per day without longer hours.
Real-world example
By re-segmenting the portfolio on potential, an FMCG distributor moved 180 small customers to telesales and freed two days a month per rep for high-potential accounts.
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Frequently asked
Must the rep follow the route exactly?+
No. The route is a proposal based on frequency and geography; the rep adjusts it to the day, and deviations stay visible in reporting.
How do I know the frequency is right?+
Track order rate per visit. Below segment average, you are visiting too often; if volumes start dropping, too rarely.