James Clarkson, CEO and founder of Software as a Service (SaaS) firm Adventoris, shares what’s happening digitally and the major impact on the shelves of convenience stores.
IN THE POCKET
As consumer use of on-the-go digital purchasing increases, with almost three quarters of Brits citing this as their preferred buying method[1], these habits are spilling into trade sales processes, with buyers expecting the same conveniences they use personally to be available professionally.
And convenience is at the heart of so many business decisions, whether simplifying and improving processes, or putting your brand right in a consumer’s pocket to make their purchasing journeys quicker, easier and better.
This type of ordering has become the norm for consumers in their everyday lives and there’s no reason we shouldn’t expect the same when we go to work.
At Adventoris, we often see food & drink wholesalers and distributors struggling to keep up as they still operate with outdated sales processes that rely on pen and paper or site visits. In a world where everything is at our fingertips, buyers don’t want to wait for a quarterly visit to place orders or sit on hold for ages; they want to order at a time, place and pace that suits them.
This is one of the reasons why we created SwiftCloud. Having a background in FMCG and finance, I saw the struggles that both sides faced with inefficient, outdated platforms and wanted to create an app platform that could easily integrate with modern ERP systems, save time and create value. Now, 13 years later, we’re supporting over 220 clients and have developed SwiftCloud even further to create a full B2B sales platform. SwiftCloud now includes the Mobile App, Web Portal and Sales Manager App, with a range of modules to suit varying needs – including email ordering, PO authorisation, quotations and push notifications.
TIME-SAVING TOOLS
When we started working with Spanish food importer and supplier Brindisa in 2015, they were looking for a robust system for smaller customers who would previously submit orders via phone or email, saving time for internal teams to alleviate resource pressures.
A key consideration was ensuring the accommodation of variations on product weights and minimisation of administrative requirements. With SwiftCloud, Brindisa stockists can place orders on the go however they like, scan existing product barcodes to easily reorder popular stock, view previous activity and repeat orders with ease, as well as place orders in advance for future specified delivery dates.
Tom Szubert at Brindisa said: “In the decade since we’ve worked with SwiftCloud, we now have over 1000 active customers on the platform. It has really helped us streamline our ordering process and ensure a better customer experience all round. Orders processed through SwiftCloud now total over £19m – incredible growth from where we were pre-digitisation.”
Deloitte Digital and commerce tools’ Food & Beverage B2B Report revealed that with 49% of all B2B purchases originating online, it’s no surprise that more firms are looking to digitise sales processes. Just last year, a HOKODO report found that 93% of food & beverage B2B buyers made their purchases via online platforms. With figures like that, it’s hard to understand why there are users out there still reluctant to adopt digital.
FINDING A BALANCE
But it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. A recurring concern is some customers being left behind – with not everyone at the same level of digitisation. Finding a platform that can cater to various types of customers and their ordering processes is key to a successful transformation.
When we were approached by distributor Dayla Drinks, the company was enjoying a really strong period of growth and struggling to keep up with increasing order volume. Traditionally, customers would submit orders in a variety of ways, including voicemail or email.
Although its specialist telesales team was able to handle the increase in phone orders, those placed after cut-off times or when the office was not manned were having a knock-on effect on transport fleet efficiency.
There were also order spikes, which saw customers struggling to get through at a time convenient to them. Since digitising their ordering processes with SwiftCloud, Dayla Drinks has seen in-app purchase value increase by 41% and, on top of that, saved 184 valuable expert team hours in one month alone. This means that the time can be used as a real value-add, allowing the company to direct it to customer service and profitable upselling.
Digitalisation is no longer a futuristic ambition; it’s the key to thriving in today’s food & drink retail landscape. By embracing digital tools, businesses can streamline operations, strengthen supplier relationships and unlock valuable data insights that drive smarter decisions. From automated ordering to improved customer relationships, digital transformation empowers teams to work faster, serve customers better and stay ahead of competitors. Those who invest now won’t just adapt; they’ll lead the next wave of growth in a more connected, efficient and resilient industry.
1 ciandt.com: The Digital Dining Era
[1] CI&T https://ciandt.com/uk/en-gb/press-release/digital-dining-era-nearly-three-quarters-74-brits-use-apps-or-websites-go-meals-or