Whirlwind at NAVC!

It was great to see everyone in Orlando last week. NAVC had record attendance this year! Could this be an indication of an improving economy? We hope so.

Update on Astro

We had an overwhelmingly positive response to Astro, our new compliance and loyalty software platform for pet owners. Astro is an innovative web-based platform that enables manufacturers to share marketing programs with veterinary hospitals and clinics, which in turn are offered to pet clients. 

Astro delivers a platform and useful tools for launching marketing programs, tracking and reporting by pet owner, delivering and tracking fulfillment, mitigating fraud, and providing mobile apps for pet owners. 

Questions from you surfaced regarding Astro and the brand MyVet. Astro is the software platform. MyVet is the Astro brand name for the veterinary industry. We have similar Astro products and brands in the works for other industries that we serve. For example, MyPet is the Astro brand name for the pet specialty industry.

Look for more updates from the Astro team coming soon.

Best regards,

Chris Glaser
COO, Focus Technology Group

Music City Blogging and Beyond

FTG Insights is a blog published by Focus Technology Group (FTG), an information technology and business intelligence firm based in Nashville, Tenn. Founded in 2001, FTG delivers data-driven technology products and sales and marketing solutions to clients in four industries—animal health, pet specialty, agriculture, and health care.


The mission of FTG Insights is to publish information, news, and content that is relevant to our clients and the markets that we serve. Our goal is to produce a quality blog full of compelling content that is useful, informative, resourceful, thought-provoking, entertaining, and easy to read. Fully integrated with our FTG website, FTG Insights serves as a hub and entry point for access to the company's online content, external communications, and social media.

Blog content for FTG Insights is mostly written by FTG executives in Nashville and Atlanta. Topics include best practices, market observations, data technology, marketing automation, supply chain, data analytics, sales strategy, industry solution, case studies, predictive analytics, cloud-hosted applications, data warehousing, EDI, online product training, industry trends, surveys, lessons learned, and more.

Blog content is delivered in multiple ways via articles, briefs, commentary, analysis, tips, lists, white papers, press releases, industry news, photographs, graphics, videos, slide shows, and polls. As a valued customer of FTG, follow our blog and add to the conversation, intelligence, and stream of content.

FTG empowers Independent Pet Retailers

Is it David vs. Goliath? Mass retailers in all industries serve a purpose, and yes, I do shop at many of these outlets from time to time. But I also frequent my local hardware store and independent pet retailer, Highland Pet Supply.

Why? It’s more convenient, they know me, and I believe it’s a good thing to have these stores thriving in my neighborhood.


What does it mean to the industry? Consumers spend more than $10 billion annually on pet supplies and over-the-counter pet medicines, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Industry sales are roughly distributed 70% to big box retailers, such as Wal-Mart and Target, and 30% to niche pet retailers, specialty chains, and mom-and-pop stores.

Most manufacturers understand that independent pet retail remains a critical sales channel for pushing products to pet owners. Distributor partners are counting on it. At the independent pet retailer, margins are generally better. Plus, independents are not as fickle as buyers at mass retailers and they really appreciate your efforts to help them provide great products and service to their customers.

What is the strategy? We at FTG have a suite of products and services that bring clarity and actionable information to an otherwise chaotic independent pet retail supply chain. FTG provides access to distributor sales data that helps manufacturers understand their customers and make better decisions for attaining operational efficiencies and growing the business.

Also, FTG’s marketing automation suite, ChannelLink, allows manufacturers to easily connect with their channel partners for administering marketing and incentive programs, providing dynamic online product training, and measuring results—all from a user-friendly, cloud-based web platform.

With the right tools and technology, pet specialty products manufacturers can cost-effectively drive sales through the independents, while still serving the mass retailers.

Jimmy Haverstick
CEO, Focus Technology Group