Abdul Rahim is no stranger to business.
In December of 1991, he founded Worldline Group, which comprises a few companies that cater as B2B wholesaling & distribution, retail businesses, warehousing, and import & export of chocolate and confectioneries.
Fast forward 30 years later, the company’s current portfolio consists of over 400 internationally recognised brands, including Toblerone, Daim, Cadbury, Mars, Ferrero Rocher, Hershey’s, and Goldkenn.
Naturally, 2020 was the year to reach even greater heights. Their primary focus was on the airline industry, as Worldline Group was the leading distributor for many airport industries. “Sales were growing more than 50% year-on-year,” recounts Rahim, and his team had plans to create even more promotions and campaigns to push vendor sales.
But then the pandemic hit the globe.
Overnight, operations for the airline industry ceased until further notice. This meant Worldline Group had lost one of their major sales channels.
“Covid-19 impacted our business tremendously.”
This is a story many business owners know all too well – and one where Rahim wasn’t going to put up without a fight. He’s been in the business for almost three decades now, and Worldline Group has survived both the SARs outbreak and the 2008 financial crisis.
To survive their next biggest challenge, the pandemic, Rahim knew Worldline Group had to pivot. Fast.
“If we wanted to survive, we had to look for alternatives to continue operating.”
This is where Dropee comes in.
“Dropee’s team has assisted us in digitalising our business units. Not only are we able to manage our inventory efficiently, but we can also get our price list to customers at a much quicker pace.”
Abdul Rahim, Founder at Worldline Group
Supporting Worldline Group, Every Step of the Way
Moving online, virtually overnight, is no easy feat — especially for a predominantly traditional business like Worldline Group. More often than not, the company’s internal processes were filled with paperwork, faxes, and face-to-face meetings.
What’s more, adopting a new online system introduces new processes too, such as directing buyers to purchase on Dropee Direct.
So while Rahim knew moving online was the solution to continuously operate and service their customers, it was also a challenge for the team. Which is why with Worldline Group, Dropee provided the necessary training on how to use the platform.
From managing inventory to receiving orders, Dropee assisted Rahim and his team to create their own e-commerce portal and streamline everything in one place.
“Ever since MCO was announced in Malaysia, Dropee’s team has assisted us in digitalising our business units,” says Rahim. “Not only are we able to manage our inventory efficiently, but we can also get our price list to customers at a much quicker pace.”
More Customers at Less Cost
Aside from servicing old customers, Rahim and his team had to find new ones to make up for lost sales from the airline industry. Reselling at marketplaces was the popular option, but most platforms offered steep commission pricing.
“Because we are a distributor,” Rahim explains, “our margins are relatively tight.”
Listing on Dropee was a viable solution.
Worldline Group already enjoys a 0% transaction fee on their own Dropee Direct e-commerce portal. On top of that, they get to list on Dropee for free, forking out only a fraction of the transaction fee when a new customer purchases.
More customers, less cost to pay.
“Dropee not only helps us to connect with the right buyers, but it also provides fair pricing.”
Easily Integrated into All Teams
Another feature that Worldline Group favours is Dropee’s easy-to-use interface. After all, Worldline Group needed to quickly move online, and a platform that was easy to use for its team members was key.
“Our team is small,” recounts Rahim. “We do pretty much everything from sales, stock keeping units, inventory, sales, operations, invoicing and sales. So it was important for us to have a platform to not only align processes, but also to boost productivity.”
Dropee fits the bill. With the introduction of Dropee Direct, all the team has to do is monitor the platform closely. When a new order comes in, the team is immediately notified, which means deliveries can be fulfilled with minimal delays.
“We are currently using Dropee Direct for our sales, operations and accounts department,” says Rahim. “Dropee Direct is relatively easy to use, and it has been a huge productivity improvement and boost for my team.”
Stronger than Ever
With Dropee, Worldline Group is not only operating more efficiently but has also successfully added a new sales avenue.
2020 may not have been the year for them to achieve greater sales numbers, but it was a year that further proved their resiliency, and dominance, in the industry.
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