You Said, We Did. | August 2023

The fastest way to request supply from Fonterra

Through our Voice of Customer programme, we’ve been listening to our customers to understand their needs and identify areas for improvement. In our “You Said, We Did” publication, we share what we've been doing differently based on our customers’ feedback.

In the August 2023 edition of “You Said, We Did”, we unpack how we're helping our customers request and confirm the supply of products faster and easier through myNZMP.

myNZMP is a personalised online platform that makes it more convenient to manage your NZMP™ orders online.

With just a few clicks, myNZMP simplifies the way you plan, buy, and manage your NZMP orders, by offering direct access to NZMP’s information and services.

What our customers were saying:

Some customers said it can be frustrating when the products they're looking for are not available for re-purchase on myNZMP. Previously when this happened, if a customer wanted to order an item that was unavailable online, they would need to call their Account Manager to find out whether Fonterra can help meet their needs. These customers felt that through this process, sourcing supply and agreeing on a price could sometimes be slow and time-consuming.

Who we talked to:

We spoke to our NZMP customers and internal sales representatives in China, the Northern Cone and the Middle East. Through these conversations, they told us that calling Account Managers to request support for unavailable products usually takes too long and they often need an answer quicker than the existing process provides.

Instead, they want a way to request supply for unavailable products online with a price provided up-front. If their request can be fulfilled, the customer doesn't want to be asked to re-confirm their order, they simply want to secure the supply. Lastly, the customer wants to receive notifications after submitting a request to track the progress and outcome.

How we acted on customers’ feedback:

Last year, we delivered a feature on myNZMP that allows customers to see their entire re-purchasing catalogue, even the products they normally order which are out-of-stock. 

Now, we have added a function for customers to request supply of products that are not available for immediate purchase, without needing to leave myNZMP.

If the supply request is successful, it will automatically turn into a binding contract, eliminating the multiple conversations that customers previously had to have with Account Managers. We have also added a notification feature to confirm customer supply requests and keep customers up-to-date on how their request is tracking.

Success results:

Reduced time and administration involved in re-purchasing

By having the ability to request supply online, NZMP customers get a response within three working days, so they know if their request can be met without having to go through a lengthy process. Turning successful requests into binding contracts means customers know quickly that they have confirmed supply. These features cut through uncertainty and reduce the need to search for supply elsewhere.

Price confirmed at the time you submit a request

To provide full transparency, the landed price is listed up-front for all products that have the request option. If a request is successful, this is the final price the customer will pay. This removes the time historically spent on price negotiation and allows customers to make supply decisions up-front.

*At this time, the request supply functionality only applies to customers across the world buying products directly exported from New Zealand.