T&G Global has launched an online ordering platform that allows its New Zealand-based wholesale customers to buy fresh produce in real-time from a desktop, tablet or smartphone at any hour of the day.
While online ordering is commonplace in retail environments, T&G believes the FirstPick system is a world first for the wholesale sector, where orders are still commonly placed by phone, followed by email and fax.
Around 30 per cent of T&G’s wholesale customers visit its 12 market floors each day. While these operations will continue, T&G’s executive general manager New Zealand, Andrew Keaney, expects a tipping point will occur within two-years, with the company targeting 40 per cent usage of the web-app over the next 18 months.
“Our customers have been coming onto our market floors for over 100 years to inspect produce, see what’s in season and talk with our produce specialists,” said Keaney.
“The changing business landscape means people have less time and we need to look at ways to leverage technology to allow our customers to spend more time in their stores servicing their customers, rather than battle traffic or having to physically be at the markets at 2am in order to secure stock.
“FirstPick future proofs our market business and is an easy, alternative ordering system offering customers real-time visibility of what’s available on our floors, at what price and from anywhere.”
FirstPick uses a colour-coded dashboard to alert customers if their order is pending (blue), allocated (green), modified (yellow) or unavailable (red). The order status is highlighted as un-submitted (yellow), processing (blue) or complete (green).
The platform has already proven a hit with customers, with T&G running trials in Auckland, Hamilton and Taupo. FreshChoice Half Moon Bay in Auckland was among the stores involved in the trials. FreshChoice produce manager, Matt Burity, said the technology has revolutionised the way he orders fruit and vegetables.
“I walk through the chiller each morning and note down what I need to order. Then I go on my laptop, get on FirstPick and place my order,” explained Burity.
“I start at 6am and generally my truck leaves from T&G around 7am. That gives me an hour window. If something is missing I can see it on my screen and call the guys immediately. Previously the truck had often already left so it was too late to order more produce from T&G.”
FirstPick also has a number of other user-friendly features including; a built-in calendar allowing users to place an order in advance, visibility of user history to review past orders, and a ‘favourites’ folder and filters for fruit, vegetables and herbs.
T&G said the web-app is fully secure and customer information is only visible to the user and the company. While only New Zealand customers can access the technology at the moment, T&G has already had interest in the platform from overseas markets.
