As part of the 2023 C&I Industry Leaders Forum, George Tsapoutas, General Manager, The Distributors, discusses the key strengths and opportunities for The Distributors within the P&C channel.
C&I: What have been some recent highlights for The Distributors?
Tsapoutas: One of the many highlights for me has been our sector’s ability to navigate through what was a challenging business period and at the same time invest in gaining and retaining new consumers to our segment.
C&I: What will be your main priorities for the remainder of the year?
Tsapoutas: Providing national coverage with localised service is what we pride ourselves on within The Distributors, as we emerge from all the current manufacturer supply chain issues, returning to our high standard of outbound service levels is what we will be focused on for the remainder of 2023.
C&I: What are the most important topics the industry should be discussing in 2023?
Tsapoutas: Right now, it’s all about how we can attract and retain more staff to our segment to enable retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers to continue to grow and deliver growth and customer service into the channel. We also need to be competitive in comparison to the major retailers, both in promotional pricing and stock availability.
C&I: What does your crystal ball tell you about the future of convenience in Australia?
Tsapoutas: Change will be a constant for the next few years, and if I did have a crystal ball it would be telling me this is a growth channel. It is one that we will continue to focus on as both corporate and independents look at new formats and offerings, we along with manufacturers, will also be looking at new opportunities for the channel.
C&I: What do you enjoy most about what you do?
Tsapoutas: Dealing with people and the constant changes that take place. I am lucky to work with a great group of people at The Distributors and within this channel, and that is what I enjoy the most.
C&I: Are there any other messages you’d like to share with the industry?
Tsapoutas: The Distributors as a group has been operating successfully for 42 years and continues to grow and develop its offering within the P&C channel. On behalf of the board, management, and staff of The Distributors, we would like to thank this industry for the support and opportunities afforded to The Distributors Group by all our customers, both corporate and independent. Thank you.
This article originally appeared in the June/July issue of Convenience & Impulse Retailing magazine, which is available online here.
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