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instance , but as they don ’ t operate their own fleet , partnering with us means that we can help to strengthen their coverage .
“ It ’ s crucial that we prioritize quality , especially as consumer behaviors are constantly evolving . Customers are typically eating out less , so when they do dine away from home , they want to make it count ; they ’ re looking for high-quality food , value for money , and most importantly , a memorable experience .
“ We also have to ensure that we play into trends and emerging demands ,” he adds . “ The growth of vegan and plant-based diets has been absolutely huge , for instance . While the primary driver of veganism was once ethical reasons , health consciousness and mindfulness are now also crucial aspects at play . We consider ourselves at the forefront of such trends , as we can get products to market very quickly and have historically taken risks that have fortunately paid off . “
Delivering solutions
Turning to Elite ’ s recent investments , Tim continues : “ We ’ ve had some phenomenal change in terms of investment over the last 12 months . We ’ ve recently transitioned to a brand-new ERP system , which means our systems are much more methodical in the ways we service our customers . If we take the picking process , for instance , it was previously a manual task and we had to rely on staff knowledge to locate the products , whereas the digitized system automatically provides the correct location and quantities . It not only reduces the impact of human error , but also enhances our ‘ green ’ credentials , as we move towards clean , paperless invoicing , so it has had an enormous impact on efficiency in terms of how orders are placed , picked , delivered , and invoiced .
“ We ’ ve also reinvented and built a new online platform to align with how our customers want to place orders in the current digital age . Although we ’ ve had an online ordering system for a few years , we ’ ve upgraded it to be super slick and efficient , as the growth of online giants like Amazon means customers now expect to see stock levels , product specifications , and order updates .
“ To enhance this further , we ’ ve recently launched a new mobile app , which features a live system to monitor stock availability , as well as a platform to highlight our promotional activities . We ’ re already receiving great feedback from customers regarding the app , with specific advantages being the ease of ordering and seamless online platform .
“ Lastly , we ’ ve invested around £ 1 million into a new fleet . While we have some HGVs for our bigger deliveries , the fleet is predominantly made up of smaller vehicles like Sprinter vans and seven-and-a-half ton trucks to enable us to be nimble and agile when delivering in local areas .”
With a series of investments over the last year , Elite is sure to continue experiencing
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