The nationwide lockdown has halted all mobility temporarily. To ensure grocery stores and food & beverage shop owners are able to service the need of consumers, Coca-Cola has launched a fast, easy & efficient ordering service via WhatsApp to accelerate automation of the ordering process and connect retailers and distributors in Bangladesh. Keeping the safety of shop owners and consumers in mind, this is an attempt to support the business of grocery stores, as well as support the Food and Beverage Sector in these unprecedented times.
Coca-Cola with its unique approach of supporting its business partners by introducing digital solutions, has moved ahead a step by adopting the ambition of digital Bangladesh. Through this initiative, retailers will be able to place orders with ease and directly to the distributors using WhatsApp. This solution will allow businesses to operate while improving communication and reducing the risk of physical contact. During this lockdown, while supporting the government’s directive to minimize people movement, this app based solution will help ensure constant availability of Coca-Cola products across outlets to meet consumer demand. This solution will hugely benefit shop owners to keep stocks available at all times while not having to wait for the specific delivery dates and maintain COVID specific safety measures.
Commenting on the initiative, Coca-Cola Bangladesh- stated, “Be it large or small businesses across the nation, 2020 was one of the most challenging years in history. As we continue to navigate the economic impact and pave our way to recover from this pandemic, it is crucial to support small businesses all over the country. Small businesses are an essential part of what makes our marketplace unique, and now more than ever, they need our support – which is why Coca-Cola has come up with this unique initiative to help support the economic safety net of shop owners. In order to find inspiration in these trying times, Coca-Cola is stepping into support the small businesses that are battling to stay afloat, and once again, can thrive at previously unheard-of levels.”
“Furthermore, this initiative is a step toward assisting shopkeepers in quickly regaining their business by encouraging people to buy from nearby outlets in a secure manner and by providing a variety of digital options for connecting with us and their customers easily.”- The Company added.
Digital adoption has become a significant differentiator and the pandemic has taught businesses to be prepared and operate effectively even during an unanticipated crisis to be agile and resilient. By leveraging exponential technologies like WhatsApp through a pilot initiative, Coca-Cola aims to create opportunity for the partners and customers to be engaged with their favorite brands seamlessly.
