We are commuted to achieving the ‘Three-Way-Win’ model and to developing long term relationships of trust with customers. It guides us to make marketplace decisions that deliver for our consumers, customers and our business.
We make it our business to understand our customers because we need to ensure our brands are readily available to consumers in the outlets they would expect to find alcoholic beverages in.
This is where the owners and operators of stores and venues, our direct customers, are so vitally important because they provide us with opportunities to influence the consumer to purchase our brands.
It is here, at point of purchase, that all the upstream work we do comes together to generate revenue and profit for our customer and Lion Nathan, and to satisfy the needs of consumers, our customers’ shoppers.
The more we can repeat the 3-way-win, the more sustainable and successful our business and our customers’ businesses will be.
That’s why we have identified and worked on four areas where value creation, in the spirit of the 3-way-win, can be achieved. They are:
1. Identification of shopper needs and behaviours and category drivers and how to achieve an optimal outcome in store
2. Differentiated plans by channel that capitalise on insights
3. Developing complementary plans with customers that drive the things that add the most value – Joint Customer Business Plans
4. Cost of business interaction reduced to minimise inflationary pressure
Extensive research provides us with in-depth understandings of customers, shoppers, channel segmentation and the beer category - insights fundamental to developing clear channel strategies that deliver Lion Nathan sustainable growth over the longer term. This research also helps us understand our customers' needs, which is instrumental in enabling us to engage our business partners through joint business planning.
Our joint customer business planning process aligns the Lion Nathan channel and brand strategies with customer category strategies. The aim is to deliver to the unique needs of all category stakeholders, resulting in a tailored and differentiated approach to each channel and customer.
Joint Customer Business Plans are underpinned by our 3-way-win philosophy to ensure that consumers, our customers and Lion Nathan all benefit. The plans also provide a constant reference point to track joint performance and monitor the implementation of the strategies.
The unique needs identified through channel insights and joint customer business planning create opportunities for Lion Nathan to work closely with customers to differentiate how they reach consumers. Customer differentiation is executed at a customer and channel level and can come in the form of product offerings, packaging formats, brand ranging and point of purchase solutions.
On top of these processes, we're also continually looking to drive efficiencies by simplifying transactions and reducing administrative time. Our delivery charging structure, for example, enables our customers to see the benefits of ordering in economic lots such as full pallets such as reduced handling costs at both ends and a more efficient supply chain.
It’s about continually improving the way we work, both with customers and internally.
We recognise that customers want more than price, quality and customer service. They want to work with companies with sound values who wish to build strong relationships that will delivery mutual benefits. Put simply, sustainability is good for business.