The Seychelles Trading Company Ltd has urged its distributors for a new level of working relationship and to have more variety of STC products in districts.
This was said by Veronique Laporte, the chief executive of Seychelles Trading Company (STC) on Wednesday when the company met distributors from Mahé, Praslin and La Digue at the Coral Strand Hotel for a cocktail reception to commemorate the company’s two-year partnership with them.
It was also an occasion for STC to discuss any issues the distributors may be experiencing, how the year has been for them and what STC can do this year to establish a much closer working relationship with them.
Credit was another topic discussed at the meeting where distributors have been offered one month credit term where they are free to decide how long they want in that one month – one, two or more weeks for example. This will help them in their purchase, in their stocking up of products while making sure products are always available in districts.
The event provided networking opportunities while exploring potential business mechanism as the distributors continue to meet the needs of their customers in their respective districts.
Present at the meeting was the Minister for Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy Jean-Paul Adam, who also holds the portfolio responsibility of STC.
The reception was hosted by Ms Laporte, along with members of the STC board and other company officials.
STC implemented its new distributorship agreement on February 1, 2014 where about 165 retailers voluntarily registered as STC distributors. Its first meeting was held last May as the company finds it very important to touch base with them at least once a year.
Addressing the audience, Minister Adam said the meeting is a key element that the government wants to implement regarding STC.
He said STC plays two main roles in the country where firstly it is to support the government policy to assure food security, the availability of essential products at competitive prices and to provide more choices with regard to products.
Secondly it is to create ‘connections’ in our economy. To create opportunities for other entrepreneurs and a key element in the development of our economy through a liaison in the district. It is the capacity for a person when going home to have access with the necessary products at his/her doorstep which he also described as very important.
The minster also highlighted the importance of partners as STC reinforces its decentralisation capacity. Through partners the company can offer its services in a more larger spectrum, with maximum flexibility to also create opportunities for partners at the same time that STC is providing its services in the districts.
“The role of the STC is in favour the consumers and partners who create connections in communities,” said Minister Adam.
He also thanked them for that key role they are playing in the development of the economy.
“We want to see another level of relationship this year. We want to see more variety of STC products in the districts. And one way to achieve that is to work closer with our distributors,” Ms Laporte told the distributors, describing the meeting as very cordial.
She also said the distributors put forward certain constraints they are experiencing concerning delivery and availability and was informed of STC capacity.
The company also invited other entrepreneurs or private sectors to step in and seize those new opportunities and meet the demand that STC is not able to cope with at this instance.
A raffle of STC gift vouchers from R5,000 as a reward for the distributors was also held. Retthinasamy Elanchezhian of Rathna Store, Quincy Village, won the first prize.
Source : Seychelles NATION