Teena Farrell, Product Manager

My role is essentially to build and maintain supplier/manufacturer relationships and to work towards getting useful and timely product data to present via XCODES. That sounds pretty simple, but actually it’s a bit trickier than you would think.

In the first instance establishing the right contacts and maintaining a productive relationship with the manufacturers, when everyone is already stretched to the limit, requires a great deal of persistence! Mostly working with the Marketing and IT departments, when the data is received it has to be manipulated to present in XCODES in the best possible format. With its volume and complexity, it can take a great deal of time, effort and organisation to get it ready to use in a timely manner. Suppliers are starting to see XCODES is not just for the benefit of the retailers though. As well as making things easier for retailers, we have improved the way that their processes work, by encouraging the use of barcodes and centralising data.

Typically customers come directly to me if they can’t find products they would expect to see in XCODES from major brands. I’ll follow up by investigating why it’s not showing and typically liaise with the suppliers to see if they can provide relevant data.

XCODES of course! It holds an amazing amount of data that ultimately makes retailers' lives easier!

• Reduces administration
• Creates structure with accurate product data
• Stocks and manages products more accurately
• Provides accurate management reporting helping to improve businesses

Lived in Colorado, USA, love to travel, love the outdoors, always been keen on sport. Will have a go at most at the moment tends to be cycling, running and Netball (playing for a superb club called Olveston Netball Club that’s gradually rising up through the Avon Netball League divisions.