Rewarding Trade Partners

In response to competition in the market and government policies, Nigeria’s wine and spirit market has continued to witness a varied degree of innovations and customer reward schemes to sustain brand loyalty, writes Raheem Akingbolu

Consumers and trade partners are always the greatest beneficiaries in any competitive market. As brand owners and service providers are pressured by competition to remain on their toes, consumers and trade partners are getting the best in goods and services. This is so because competition makes brand owners strive to develop cutting-edge products and services that are suited to their customers and gives them a marketplace advantage. After all is said and done, businesses with competitors know they need to work hard to maintain their customer base. 

Apart from striving to give consumers the best, one of the ways to sustain relationships with consumers is by giving consistent support to trade partners, as recently demonstrated by Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL). Deployment of basic customer relations strategies by organisations is with the understanding that consumer loyalty is prerequisite for success in a highly competitive environment like the Nigerian market. But more important to customer reward and promotions is the drive of value and trust.

Trade Partners’ Reward

Though an annual tradition for the management of the Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL) to set a day aside to celebrate and reward its trade partners, the event of Friday, November 8,  2024, was conceived to achieve two things. One, it was an opportunity for the management to appreciate trade partners who stood by them while the debate over ban of sachet drinks lasted. The other reason is to fulfil the annual tradition of rewarding the distributors for the company’s success in the year under review.

The event also featured the relaunch of one of its prominent brands, Commodore Original Aromatic Schnapps – “The Spirit of Answered Prayers.”

The ceremony was attended by His Royal Majesty, Oba Alayeluwa Abdul-Kabir Adewale Shotobi, The Ayangburen of Ikorodu Kingdom, who led a prayer session in Yoruba, praying for the business with the rebranded Commodore Schnapps. In his opening remarks, IDL Managing Director Patrick Anegbe expressed his gratitude to the distributors, acknowledging their significant role in IDL’s accomplishments despite challenging business conditions.

Anegbe stated, “Today, we gather to celebrate and honor our distributors, who have played a pivotal role in our success over the years. Your unwavering loyalty and commitment have been instrumental in driving our business forward. We are truly grateful for the trust you have placed in us, and we remain dedicated to providing you with the highest level of service.” 

Outstanding distributors were awarded cash prizes and gifts. Anegbe also noted the increasingly difficult business climate, sharing the challenges faced by IDL and the manufacturing industry throughout the year 2023. He cited rising material costs, increased electricity tariffs, and high diesel prices, along with the burden of multiple taxes, levies, and inadequate infrastructure that complicate logistics across Nigeria. 

IDL’s Head of Sales, Aare Hope Gbagi, encouraged distributors to actively support the company’s success across all product lines, emphasizing IDL’s ambition to lead in every wine and spirits category it serves. Head of Marketing, Mr. Mobolaji Alalade, announced an aggressive marketing strategy to ensure Commodore Aromatic Schnapps is widely available nationwide. He described the schnapps as “a spirit crafted for consumers with refined palates who appreciate true craftsmanship – it is ‘The Spirit of Answered Prayers.’

Two Lagos-based distributors YTTT Distributions Ltd and Biola AY Stores, were winners of the Diamond category.

Feedback

The event, themed: “The Spirit of Answered Prayers,” was a subtle way of getting feedback from the public and this was achieved as trade partners spoke glowingly of how their relationship with IDL has grown their businesses.

The high point of the ceremony was when Oba Shotobi rendered the traditional blessing for the reintroduced drink in Yoruba to market success.   

Managing Director, IDL, Patrick Anegbe, thanked the distributors for their exceptional role in helping the company achieve greater heights.

Anegbe said the event was a testament to the amazing partnership the company had with the distributors leading to outstanding achievement despite unfavorable business environments.

Anegbe said: “Today, we gather to celebrate our honour to the exceptional institution of our distributors, who had played a pivotal role in the success of our company in the past years. Your unwavering loyalty and commitment has been instrumental to the driving of our business forward. We are truly grateful for the trust that you have placed in us, and we remain dedicated to providing you with the highest level of service.”

He added: “To show our appreciation, we are pleased to present you with various prizes and gift items today as a token of appreciation of your exceptional efforts in 2023 business year.”

Two veteran Nollywood thespians, Richard Mofe Damijo and Yomi Fash-Lanso, attended the event.

“It is important to acknowledge the significant hurdles we all encountered during the 2023 business year. The business landscape was increasingly becoming uncivil with rising cost of materials, frequent hikes in energy prices due to high cost diesel and increased electricity tariffs. Additionally the burden of multiple taxes, levies and fees from various government agencies amidst most uncharitable infrastructure, have made the movement of goods from one part of the country to another more challenging,” Anegbe further said.

Head of Marketing, IDL, Mr. Mobolaji Alalade, stated that aggressive marketing drive would be used to ensure the re-launched Commodore Aromatic Schnapps is made available in all the picking points across the country.

Alalade said the drink, “is made for our elders. It is a spirit that they can use to pour libations.” He also promised intensive marketing of the product, while urging Nigerians to be prepared for the beautiful experience, which according to him, is ‘The Spirit of Answered Prayers’.

In spite of the challenges facing the industry, IDL, according to its MD, has worked hard to ensure that the company’s products are always available and customers’ complaints promptly resolved at all times.