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**UK water cooler supplier business 4 Aces took to the road recently to experience the true needs of its customers.
**4 Aces Managing Director Chris Penn arranged to spend the day with an Angel Spring's delivery driver to find out which products are really useful for the distributor's customers.
Chris Penn explained: "The day was suggested as suppliers can sometimes lose track of which products our customers really want.
"The most important part of any business which services an end user is the person delivering the final goods, so in the water cooler industry this means the delivery drivers themselves. So I thought it would be useful to follow one these guys to see what their typical day is like and how we can work together to increase business."
Chris and long-serving Angel Spring's driver Andy Gomm set out early from the Chiltern Hills depot, headed for the heart of London's financial sector, Canary Wharf. The lorry was loaded up with 45 water drops.
"The speed of delivery was exceptional given the parking and access difficulties in London," Chris added. "The number of customers who actually looked forward to their delivery was unreal. Many of them knew Andy and were glad to see him as their bottle counts were low following the recent mini heat wave."
Chris also noted the abundant opportunities for up-selling bottles and ancillary items. Customers responded well to suggestions as to how they could improve their water deliveries, especially by carrying bigger floats through installing racks where possible.
"It was a mild day with little sunshine poking through the city clouds so we were spared the sunshine rush but I can feel it coming," Chris added. "Good luck to Andy when it does as he has his hands full from what I saw!"
4 Aces has also boosted its product line and customer service as well as performing top of its class in the supplier audits.
The company recently added an 8oz PP and PS cup to compliment choice for customers. The 8oz cup now sits alongside the super sized 9 oz and the smaller 7 oz size. "We realised the need for a size in between for customers less concerned about the water consumption a 9oz gives but more worried about its higher price versus the 7oz," Chris explained. The cup is available in ice blue and packed 10 x 100 and 20 x 100.
The company also now offers a cup collector and a new sugar cane cone, which is aimed at the more environmentally conscious consumer.
In an effort to boost penetration on cup and cone sales, 4 Aces has now appointed a telesales executive to concentrate solely on this area.
4 Aces also boosted its Supplier Audit score to a faultless 100% pass in 2008. "This was a direct result of the 4 Aces team's hard work to ensure we stay on top of our game. "We are serious in the business of beverage packaging and recognise that a good supplier will attract a good customer. Most of our customers are expected to reach a level of quality so we should too," Chris added.