Page 16 - Logistics News - March_April 2022

COMMUNIC ATION

Ensuring customer-centric

communication

By Andrew Dawson, MD of MACmobile

Seamless integration across communication platforms helps remove supply chain friction and puts
customers first.

he route to market in South Africa, and Africa goal of an omnichannel communication strategy. It is
in general, faces unique challenges around line about having different layers of technology that enable
Tof sight, specifically relating to technology. distributors to engage with and meet the changing needs
One of these is the fact that there are multiple levels of of their retailers, ensuring that various customer groups
distribution, from the wholesalers that run large database are being satisfied.
systems to the spaza shop owners that often run their
businesses on paper and with a cash economy. This makes Consistent and seamless
end-to-end line of sight difficult to achieve. The ultimate goal is customer-centric, seamless integration,
from the manufacturer through to the wholesaler, the
To maximise returns, distributors need to be flexible in bulk-breaker and even last mile delivery that takes stock to
the methods they use to engage with their customers. There merchants. Aside from creating a smoother communication
is no one-size-fits-all approach to such a diverse market, system that helps to remove a common point of friction from
but seamless integration and consistent messaging are the chain, consistent messaging and seamless integration
critical in removing communication as a friction point in the also allows for integration of data. All parts of the platform
supply chain, while ensuring that the customer comes first work off the same data, providing the same view of the
throughout the process. customer, and giving the customer the same view of the
product or brand.
Levels of technology
Many providers are focusing on delivering cutting-edge Partners for success
apps that allow retailers to create a business environment Irrespective of the layer of technology retailers use,
that can easily manage stock, sales and other features. But distributors require a single solution that enables them
these communication platforms are only relevant to retailers to deliver consistent messaging around products, pricing,
that have access to a smartphone and a data connection. loyalty and strategy from a single engagement. This is key to
If distributors focus their efforts solely on this, they risk generating a return and growing a successful and prosperous
alienating the main market, which is a significant portion of customer base, from large retailers to the main market. They
their sales. also need a solution that breaks down data silos and provides
access to all of the data and intelligence that is coming out of
A solution that incorporates unstructured supplementary the distribution chain.
service data (USSD) into the platform can be useful because
it does not require a smartphone, a data connection or a web in bringing together these various data sets, centralising
Partnering with the right technology provider is essential
browser. In addition, for distributors looking to drive sales
L O GI S T I CS NEWS target all customers in the market. messaging strategy irrespective of the technology layer. The
them and enabling a single pool of data as well as a consistent
and engagement, a call centre can still be highly effective to
key is to make it easy for retailers to engage in conversation
through the medium they want to, when they need to, and
The key is to ensure consistent messaging across
the various communication channels, which is the end
that is preferred by their market. •

14 M A RC H/A P R IL 2022 www .l o g ist i csn e w s .c o .z a