Amalgamated Food Distributers Case Study

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Summary
Name :	Amalgamated Food Distributors
Business :	Distributor of FMCG products
Reps :	8 reps
Comms :	Telecom CDMA
Financials :	Prophet

Device
	Tungsten T5

Business Situation

Amalgamated Food Distributers had reps on the road throughout the South Island however they weren't able to provide superior customer service.

Solution

Using SalesLink software the field reps can enter orders in and utilise Telecom Mobile Jetstream packet based network to transmit their orders back to the office

Return on Investment

The total investment paid for itself in "well under twelve months and that was some years ago, so it's been a bonus ever since" said Managing Director David Scurr in Janurary 2005.

Introduction

Amalgamated Food Distributors were one of the first users of SalesLink, back in 2001. David Scurr saw the benefit early and we talked to him again in 2005. AFD (Amalgamated Food Distributors Ltd) is a privately owned wholesale food distributor that supplies customers from Kaikoura to Clinton in the South Island. This distribution services carried out from its two temperature controlled warehouses, one based in Dunedin and the other based in Christchurch. The company trades under two identities - Amalgamated Food Distributors Ltd in Christchurch and Link Food Service in Dunedin.

Company Background

An automated sales processing system was required for AFD's sales reps.Based throughout the South Island they travel to restaurants, caterers, supermarkets, and dairies in their territory. The existing invoicing system was a paper-based system subject to a number of problems including - lost/inaccurate paperwork and delays in the ordering and delivery process. Some of these problems stemmed from double-handling of information.

Business Operation

AFD sales reps were able to remotely enter, send & receive sales information from wherever they were. Running SalesLink Mobile software using a Handheld Computer connected to a CDMA mobile phone. SalesLink has improved the efficiency and accuracy of sales ordering

AFD sales reps use their handheld device to generate quotes, orders and complete transactions with no further data entry required in the office. They also look up current price lists and updates on specials. As well they can check current stock availability, refer to customers sales history to monitor sales patterns.

	On their mobile devices, the reps are also able to access CRM information (eg. customer database, visits, follow ups, prospective customers etc) as well as generate sales reports and check outstanding order information on demand.

Return on investment has been another benefit to the company “The solution is brilliant, it has paid for itself in its first six months” says AFD’s managing director David Scurr “We have experienced a remarkable increase in business efficiency through the increased productivity of our sales force, and a dramatic improvement in the service we can now deliver to our customers”.

Testimonial

"Payback was less than a year - it`s ben a bonus ever since."
David Scurr, Managing Director of AFD.