SAB transforms township economy with free supplier app
The South African Breweries not only makes it easier for liquor retailers easier to do business but rewards them for doing so with its BEES South Africa app
Mobile technology has revolutionised the way businesses connect and communicate with their customers and their suppliers. If your business has not yet begun migrating from the physical world to the mobile realm, your time is running out, said Lorraine Van Zyl, Director of Bu Tech Sales at the South African Breweries (SAB), referring to the organisation’s BEES South Africa App; a ground-breaking mobile platform that helps liquor retailers and tavern owners run their businesses.
“We have always known that liquor stores and taverns form a very important heart of the informal township economy in South Africa. As every one of them has a smart phone, the integration of innovative technology and mobility advantage offers retail business a competitive edge,” Van Zyl adds.
According to Johnny Matsaba, owner of Johnny’s Tavern in Mamelodi, North East of Pretoria, SAB’s BEES App has been instrumental to the success and growth of his business.
“This app has truly transformed my business. I am now able to track stock and deliveries in real time and I am able to see my invoices, in real time, as well as manage my finances effectively,” he says. “BEES has made it easier to do business with SAB, and it has boosted the performance of my business. I have been using it for close to two years now and it has made a significant impact.”
Van Zyl believes BEES is that competitive edge for South African liquor retailers, giving them the ability to use mobile devices to place orders from SAB, at their convenience; while benefitting from features that will help their businesses grow.
The BEES South Africa app is available for SAB liquor retailers and can be accessed via the Play Store and Apple App Store. With it, comes a rewards programme that allows retailers to earn points for their orders. These points can be redeemed into cash paid directly into the retailer’s trading accounts allowing them to further increase their profits by going digital. Most importantly, Van Zyl says BEES allows the retailers to browse a selection of products, see custom prices, places orders at any time, reorder to save time, as well as view credit information.
With more access to innovative applications, South African Breweries is creating streamlined ways of working for the tavern owners, which in turn will revolutionise the way they run their businesses.
