Business is a competitive and often cut-throat world, and whatever industry you are a part of, it can feel at times difficult to stand out as a company that is reputable, friendly, helpful, supportive, morally good – without fading into the background. Other companies that shout louder may win more votes, so how do you strike the right balance?
Today we look at a case study with office fruit supplier “Fruitful Office”. Fruitful Office have managed to achieve international success over the past decade despite a lot of competition and even an economic recession. With the help of the brand’s business development manager, Vasco de Castro, we look at how this small company achieved such positive results.
(Vasco on the product inspection line)
Having the right team on board from the start
When recruiting your team, you need to be careful about who you choose. Do they fit with the brand? Will they deliver the results you need? Are their ethics in line with your own? According to de Castro, “As the business grows you simply can’t do everything and be everywhere – so you have to surround yourself with a great team that you trust and feel comfortable delegating to.”
Let staff know how valued they are
Fruitful Office ensure that they empower their staff members so they always know their value. They also ensure to continue to offer opportunities for development and training. This is known as investing in staff happiness and allows you to build a loyal workforce around you. Staff retention is key to a positive and stable working life.
Be strict where you need to
Whatever your business specialises in, there will be something that needs serious control and processing, and it is important to recognise what this is and ensure it is done properly each and every time. For Fruitful Office, for instance, this lies in the quality and consistency of the service. “We have to keep the cycle from buying to delivery as short as possible so the fruit does not perish”, explains de Castro. This makes logistics very important to the business – there needs to be strict processes in place that everyone follows. “The entire logistics around this is incredibly challenging, especially as you commit to delivering nationwide with your own vans. It involved setting up complex management systems and local distribution hubs throughout the country so that we could act locally to our customers.”
Ensuring you keep on top of these processes can help you to deliver the best possible product or service, which keeps your customers happy – which is ultimately what builds your brand and helps you stand out from the crowd.