In most retail businesses, what brands plan and what actually happens in-store are not the same thing.

A brand might invest in pricing, promotions and displays. Retailers are expected to carry that through. But once it moves into stores, it becomes hard to see what’s really happening. Some stores get it right. Others don’t. And by the time updates come back, things have already moved on.

That gap sits between brands, retailers and the teams on the ground.

ConnectGroup focuses on closing it.

MAX is a platform that shows what’s happening in-store while it’s happening. Work gets assigned, tracked and checked as it’s done, whether it’s a field rep visiting a store or a store team setting up a promotion.

It’s built for how retail works in South Africa. Different store types, mixed levels of technology and a lot of moving parts.

The platform is split by role:

• MAX for Brands helps field teams manage visits, capture data and report back straight away
• MAX for Retail helps store teams stay on top of tasks, pricing, promotions and compliance
• MAX for Impact runs through WhatsApp, which makes it easier to work in informal or lower-tech environments

There’s also QikScan AI. You take a photo of a shelf, and it turns that image into data. You can see what’s in stock, what’s missing, share of shelf versus market share and competitor activity. It cuts out manual checks and speeds things up.

The system can be used in parts or as a full setup, depending on how a business is structured.

ConnectGroup is part of MegaVision Media, which has worked with FMCG brands and retailers in South Africa for over 20 years. The product comes from that experience. It’s built around how things actually play out across both sides of the shelf.

It gives brands a clearer view of execution, and it helps retailers and field teams stay on top of the work without adding more admin.