1. You have recently taken up the position of sales director in Coca-Cola HBC Serbia and Montenegro. From that position, what is your current view of the consumer goods market and existing trends and what are the biggest challenges for companies?
What certainly has the greatest impact on the consumer goods market currently are inflationary pressures and their impact on product prices, and eventually on total consumption. Companies are facing the big challenge of maintaining their business through the necessary price increase without losing consumers or leading to the overall category decline. The soft drinks market, in which our company is the leader and therefore has a huge impact on the entire category, is proving, for the time being, to be very robust in the context of price increases. We will pursue a very careful approach to the overall pricing policy, focusing on maintaining a balance between the company's financial goals, market trends, and most importantly - creating value for our consumers. So far, we have successfully brought added value to our customers and consumers through both innovation and a responsible approach to pricing policy, and that will continue to be our focus.
2. One of the core values of Coca-Cola HBC is CUSTOMER FIRST. What does that actually mean?
Our starting point in everything we do is the customer. Because when our customers grow, we grow. We put this into practice primarily by actively listening to customers, their needs, and solving challenges in everyday business. In Serbia, our network consists of more than 37 thousand customers. The fact that last year, we managed to close about 60% of specific customer cases and requests within 48 hours testifies to our dedication to their satisfaction and quick issue resolution. This confirms that our business is not just about transactions but also about building trust, common goals, and honest partnerships.
3. It is for customers that you developed Coke Academy, a program unique in many aspects. What is the value of this academy, and do you plan to make it an ongoing initiative?
Although we launched this unique initiative last year, as a response to the current market challenges caused by the COVID pandemic, it turned out that its potential is much greater. For this reason, we decided that Coke Academy will continue to empower our customers, providing them with the most valuable thing we have - a wealth of experience and knowledge they can use to transform their businesses. Perhaps the best confirmation of Coke Academy importance is that the customers themselves network and continue to apply the best practices learned, actually keeping the Academy alive even after it is finished. I am proud of the team leading this initiative, once again putting the customer at the focus of our activities.
4. Is there room for sustainable practices in sales? Is sustainability talked about in the field as well, not just in corporate offices?
Not only there is room, but it will become a future trend. We already have examples of joint initiatives in sustainability we implement with our customers, because by joining forces we get more power to achieve a visible impact. It is encouraging that we have more and more customers who are looking for more sustainable packaging, are willing to help us better position sustainable products, and really care about resources. As a company, we continue to work on innovations promoting sustainable alternatives and develop solutions that will enable our customers to achieve their goals and minimize the impact on the planet.
Our interviewee has almost two decades of work experience. He gained rich experience and knowledge both in the country and abroad, working in leading consumer goods and technology companies. He has been with Coca-Cola HBC Serbia and Montenegro since 2020, and since June of this year he has been appointed sales director. In this position, he is responsible for achieving sales at the whole business level and leads a team of more than 700 people.