Questions to ask in customer meetings
This needs to be about them as much as it is about you
In the last few weeks, we have provided a framework for your customer meetings. This is a journey and every meeting needs to get you further along. Not sure there is really a finish line but you need to use this valuable time to keep improving the relationship and growing your sales and profits with each customer.
If I think back to a number of meetings I had with suppliers when I was at Loblaw, it surprised me how many people would come in my office and talk all about their business and their products. They never took some of the time to ask me where our business was going or what was important to us. I understand these are stressful situations but your sales people also need to make the most of it.
Asking questions is a great tactic. Your people will learn a lot, they send the message your business is interested in their business, you will uncover opportunities and you can set up positioning for a future meeting. This week we wanted to share some questions we believe are good to ask and why.
A question for every meeting:
1. What is your definition of success?
Probably the most important question that can be asked. Your customer will decide if you stay on the shelf. You need to know what they see as success for sales, service level etc. You might not always like the answer but you need to know.
We see many examples of where the supplier thinks 4 units per store per week is a great sales number. The retailer believes it should be 8 units per store per week. It is never going to work. At some point in the meeting your sales people need to ask this question and they should probably ask every meeting. They can say, “last meeting you said success was a 96% service level and 8 units per store per week. Has anything changed or are these still the two biggest priorities?”
Questions to show you are engaged with their business:
2. We got a chance to see your new location that just opened. How is it doing?
You want them to know you are in their stores. They like to hear this and the fact you know the most recent store opening and made the effort to visit sends a positive message. By asking how it is going you open the door to learn about new offerings, new programs etc. There might be opportunities there for your business
3. We really like the new merchandising units in the department. Are they delivering the results you are looking for?
Again, you are telling them you are in their stores which is important. The fact you noticed the units have changed demonstrated engagement and awareness. Perhaps the purpose of the units is to reduce shrink or drive incremental sales. They might have shared this in a previous meeting.
These new units might be o&a space for you to go after or require some modifications to your shipping case. You need to know if they will continue to roll them out or if they are one and done.
4. We were in the store and saw all of the signage showcasing Canadian suppliers. Are you looking to grow this focus?
Given more tariff talk this week we might hear more rhetoric in the upcoming weeks. Canadian consumers will respond with more shifting to Canadian products. Again it demonstrates you are in the store and looking for opportunities.
You can offer to participate in a program and provide any information they need or even back it up with media interviews.
5. Your department manager in ABC store said this item was selling well and that there could be an ad opportunity for it?
Retailers like it when you are in stores and talk to their people. Be careful not to jump to conclusions because one department manager is positive, but you can let your category manager know it is working ‘out there’.
Use their names and get to know the people in the stores. They are very knowledgeable. It hgas been interesting recently on Linked in to see Loblaw posting a lot of photos of long term employees in Atlantic Canada as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of Superstore in the region. I know many of them and remember working with them. It is great to see people who were department managers when I was there now as store managers.
Next week we will share more questions focused on sales and the category that we like to ask in retailer meetings.
I do have travel coming up to Toronto, Guelph, Winnipeg and Vancouver so if you want to connect or have an event in any of these locations give me a call or send me an email.
Peter
SKUFood Recipes for Success Podcast
In this episode of SKUFood Recipes for Success, we explore how a new generation of brands is rethinking hydration through ingredient integrity, format innovation, and clear positioning. As the electrolyte category continues to evolve, standing out requires more than functionality, it demands a differentiated product and a brand consumers can trust.
We dive into what it takes to build a real ingredient electrolyte product, from sourcing directly with farmers to formulation and creating a clean label offering without added sugars, dyes, or artificial flavours. This conversation also unpacks the strategic decision to innovate beyond traditional formats, introducing a freezer based approach that challenges how and where consumers engage with hydration. By combining fruit first ingredients with functional electrolytes, this model highlights how format can become a powerful lever for differentiation in a crowded market, while navigating the real trials and tribulations of building a business from the ground up.
We also explore how brands can scale while staying true to their core product and positioning, particularly outside of traditional beverage aisles. From maintaining quality and consistency to making thoughtful, detail driven decisions at every stage of growth, this episode highlights the discipline required to build something new in an emerging format. It’s a look at how strong foundations and attention to detail can support long term success in a highly competitive category.
If you would like to be a guest send us a note. We are always working on the upcoming episodes.
We can always learn from other categories
We all focus on the category where we compete. This is good but remember you can learn from other categories too. The large beverage alcohol companies do have money to spend. They are also struggling with a consumer who wants less of their product in a time when prices are going up and people are cutting back on the discretionary items.
The response to smaller cans/bottles probably does not take a genius to figure out but it is interesting. In a volume business it is tough to downsize. It goes against a lot of what we strive for in food and beverage. What it does accomplish is to keep you in the game. Probably more important than being shut out all together. They are finding interesting options to continue to be in the fridge.
When you are looking for ideas go beyond your own category. Does not mean you have to do everything you see but you never know when you might get a good idea.
Government of Canada Strategic Response Fund
Last week we watched an online session from the government fo Canada to explain the details of the strategic response fund to support the national food strategy. Organizations can access $10 million to $50 million per project in federal funding to support transformative investments that enhance domestic food resilience, with up to $350 million available overall.
If you are considering a project with this program, give us a call. We can help you figure out the sales component and what resources you need in place to support the sales as you improve your capacity. This is a great opportunity for Canadian food and beverage.
From the website:
We are seeking organizations with 10 or more employees that are incorporated in Canada and are pursuing commercially viable projects in key industries, such as:
- food and beverage processing
- food-grade packaging and materials
- industrial manufacturing systems
- agricultural inputs and critical food-system components
Applicants must demonstrate:
- support for one or more of the initiative’s areas of focus
- financial capacity to complete the project
- a clear commercialization or operational pathway
- strong economic and strategic benefits to Canada
- Canadian industry participation
- the ability to begin implementation within a few months
Projects will be competitively assessed based on how well they support the National Food Security Strategy’s objectives, including strengthening Canada’s food production and processing capacity, improving supply chains, and creating economic benefits.
Projects must align with one or more of the following strategic investment areas:
- building new domestic capacity
- modernizing existing capacity
- strengthening supporting infrastructure
With the focus on Canadian food and beverage we wanted to share a program we have developed with Alain Bosse, the Kilted Chef. We partner to share insights about Canadian food and beverage at conferences and events. We talk about where products come from, share insights about some hidden gems and of course Chef Alain has great tips for using the products at home. This is designed to be entertaining and engaging. Not just for food industry audiences, it works for everyone.