Interview with the IT director of the distribution company RDB group – the official distributor of sausage and meat products of one of the leaders in the Uzbek market, the Rozmetov brand – Sanjar Javliyev.
Sanjar, please tell us about the company RDB
Our company RDB is a distributor of the Rozmetov Z.M. brand – one of the leaders in the Uzbek market for the production of meat products. The Rozmetov brand was created in 1989 in the Uzbekistan Hotel and became famous for its Asl Farhod product. Thanks to its innovative approach to production and high product quality, the company has become a leader in the domestic meat processing market. In 1989, the company was the first to develop and introduce a recipe for Halal sausage products in Uzbekistan. This year, the Rozmetov Z.M. company celebrates its 35th anniversary.
Today, Rozmetov Z.M. – a family company that has 3 large factories for the production and processing of meat products, 12 trade branches, its own distribution company, more than 600 employees, a hub and a fleet of 70 cars.
One of the key factors of the company's success was the fundamental decision to manufacture products only from natural products and according to exclusive recipes. The Rozmetov enterprise is a family business that is passed down from generation to generation. This is reflected in the company's motto "From family to family". The range of manufactured products includes semi-smoked, dry-smoked, cooked sausages and meat delicacies.
At the beginning of this year, the Rozmetov company opened its trade branch in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Today, our products are sold in more than 200 retail outlets in Kazakhstan, and are also represented in 60 retail outlets in the Magnum and Gramad supermarket chains.
Sanjar, what are the key IT challenges facing the RDB distribution company, which deals with food products such as sausages?
Now imagine - this business should work like a clock mechanism. A huge number of branches, retail outlets, forwarders, field employees, this is timely delivery and shipment, this is control over the display on the shelves and control of stocks in warehouses, delivery to the most remote corners of Uzbekistan and timely shipment in Kazakhstan. Daily reports, electronic invoices and a lot of analytics. You can't do without automation of business processes here!
I have been in the IT field for more than 15 years and every time, together with our partners from Smartup, we develop and implement something new. There are quite a few companies that already work in an organized manner and use programs like Smartup. Although from the moment I joined RDB, and that was in 2019, we have been implementing everything from scratch. And now the company is already 5 years old, and we grow and expand every year.
The first thing we implemented in our company was electronic document management, where we automated the exchange of data with clients to speed up and improve the accuracy of processing orders and contracts. Smartup also automated order and sales management, which accelerated order processing and allowed us to analyze customer preferences. Another important point is that cybersecurity is very important to us. Smartup allowed us to protect customer data and the company itself from threats related to data leaks and cyber attacks.
Sanjar, please tell us about the company RDB
Our company RDB is a distributor of the Rozmetov Z.M. brand – one of the leaders in the Uzbek market for the production of meat products. The Rozmetov brand was created in 1989 in the Uzbekistan Hotel and became famous for its Asl Farhod product. Thanks to its innovative approach to production and high product quality, the company has become a leader in the domestic meat processing market. In 1989, the company was the first to develop and introduce a recipe for Halal sausage products in Uzbekistan. This year, the Rozmetov Z.M. company celebrates its 35th anniversary.
Today, Rozmetov Z.M. – a family company that has 3 large factories for the production and processing of meat products, 12 trade branches, its own distribution company, more than 600 employees, a hub and a fleet of 70 cars.
One of the key factors of the company's success was the fundamental decision to manufacture products only from natural products and according to exclusive recipes. The Rozmetov enterprise is a family business that is passed down from generation to generation. This is reflected in the company's motto "From family to family". The range of manufactured products includes semi-smoked, dry-smoked, cooked sausages and meat delicacies.
At the beginning of this year, the Rozmetov company opened its trade branch in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Today, our products are sold in more than 200 retail outlets in Kazakhstan, and are also represented in 60 retail outlets in the Magnum and Gramad supermarket chains.
Sanjar, what are the key IT challenges facing the RDB distribution company, which deals with food products such as sausages?
Now imagine - this business should work like a clock mechanism. A huge number of branches, retail outlets, forwarders, field employees, this is timely delivery and shipment, this is control over the display on the shelves and control of stocks in warehouses, delivery to the most remote corners of Uzbekistan and timely shipment in Kazakhstan. Daily reports, electronic invoices and a lot of analytics. You can't do without automation of business processes here!
I have been in the IT field for more than 15 years and every time, together with our partners from Smartup, we develop and implement something new. There are quite a few companies that already work in an organized manner and use programs like Smartup. Although from the moment I joined RDB, and that was in 2019, we have been implementing everything from scratch. And now the company is already 5 years old, and we grow and expand every year.
The first thing we implemented in our company was electronic document management, where we automated the exchange of data with clients to speed up and improve the accuracy of processing orders and contracts. Smartup also automated order and sales management, which accelerated order processing and allowed us to analyze customer preferences. Another important point is that cybersecurity is very important to us. Smartup allowed us to protect customer data and the company itself from threats related to data leaks and cyber attacks.
How does the company's IT infrastructure help to cope with the challenges of distributing perishable products, and what solutions have you implemented in this regard?
The minimum shelf life of sausage products is 15 days, so they start to spoil quite quickly, and our main task is to provide retail outlets with tasty and fresh sausage products in the most efficient way. To solve these problems, we use the following Smartup tools:
1. Shelf life management: We control the expiration dates of products, which helps minimize losses due to expired goods
2. Supply management: we optimize supply processes and inventory management to ensure uninterrupted delivery of food products.
3. Tracking and monitoring of delivery: thanks to this, we track the movement of goods in real time, control the conditions of transportation.
4. BI and data analytics. Without data analysis, it will be difficult for you to analyze demand, how effective are logistics processes. Without data analysis, it will be difficult to track
How is the Smartup platform integrated into your company's business processes and how does it help automate the management of sausage product distribution? What platform tools do you use and what are the results?
We have been working with the program for quite a long time. Probably, today it is the most effective program for high-quality distribution development. First of all, we try to use all the possibilities and tools of Smartup together with our partners.
The Smartup platform integrates into the business processes of the distribution company and automates them. Thanks to this, the possibility of making mistakes is minimized, we save a huge amount of time on receiving and processing orders that come from different parts of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In general, Smartup can offer such tools as:
- Order management.
- Monitoring the movement of goods.
- Customer management.
- Mobile solutions for sales representatives on Android and iOS.
- Visit steps for field employees.
- Control of trade equipment. Probably a pressing pain point for many distributors in the segment of sausages, water and drinks, ice cream? Smartup offers a solution to this problem - accounting of trade equipment in real time. We always know where and what is located, and the system will tell you when it is necessary to carry out preventive maintenance on the equipment, you can also upload photo reports on repair work. Equipment loss with Smartup is simply impossible.
What performance indicators or other benefits can you note after implementing Smartup in your management system?
First of all, we reduced costs and improved the quality of customer service. Since we operate throughout Uzbekistan, we have a branch in each city. With Smartup, we integrated our branches into a single program. And also began to receive more accurate data in a fairly short time. We also optimized the number of staff units. In a highly competitive environment, it is simply necessary to promptly receive data and respond to it, improving the quality of customer service, and thereby the company's profit.
After implementing the Smartup platform, we have observed the following improvements:
- Reducing order processing time. Automation of the process allows you to process and deliver orders faster, reducing delays.
- Optimization of warehouse stocks. Thanks to better analytics and forecasting, stocks are maintained at an optimal level, which minimizes losses from expiration dates.
- Increased productivity of sales representatives. Mobile solutions help sellers work more efficiently, and this leads to increased sales and an increase in the number of satisfied customers.
- Reduction of operating costs. Automation of logistics and warehouse processes leads to a reduction in errors and cost reduction.
I would like to note that since 2016, Rozmetov has been the Brand of the Year according to consumers every year. We think that this is also due to the business process automation system, which helps us always work quickly, minimizes errors and provides us with accurate analytics on the demand of retail outlets and consumers! And in the conditions of tough competition, this is very important!
First of all, we reduced costs and improved the quality of customer service. Since we operate throughout Uzbekistan, we have a branch in each city. With Smartup, we integrated our branches into a single program. And also began to receive more accurate data in a fairly short time. We also optimized the number of staff units. In a highly competitive environment, it is simply necessary to promptly receive data and respond to it, improving the quality of customer service, and thereby the company's profit.
After implementing the Smartup platform, we have observed the following improvements:
- Reducing order processing time. Automation of the process allows you to process and deliver orders faster, reducing delays.
- Optimization of warehouse stocks. Thanks to better analytics and forecasting, stocks are maintained at an optimal level, which minimizes losses from expiration dates.
- Increased productivity of sales representatives. Mobile solutions help sellers work more efficiently, and this leads to increased sales and an increase in the number of satisfied customers.
- Reduction of operating costs. Automation of logistics and warehouse processes leads to a reduction in errors and cost reduction.
I would like to note that since 2016, Rozmetov has been the Brand of the Year according to consumers every year. We think that this is also due to the business process automation system, which helps us always work quickly, minimizes errors and provides us with accurate analytics on the demand of retail outlets and consumers! And in the conditions of tough competition, this is very important!
How do you see the further development of technologies in the field of food distribution, and what IT solutions can play a key role in the future?
Large distribution companies such as RDB Group will have to be more flexible when working with partners in the face of fierce competition and slowing market growth. Without technical competencies, companies will lag behind.
The future of food distribution promises to be revolutionary thanks to the rapid development of technology. And this process has already begun. Today, it is important for manufacturers and distributors to provide consumers with not only high-quality goods, but also to deliver them on time and fresh! Expiration date is an important factor in choosing a product. And if we are late even by a couple of hours, we risk losing some of our customers, because competitors do not sleep, they are also constantly on the move!
Key IT solutions that can play a decisive role in the development of distribution are robotics, which will automate manual operations in warehouses and during delivery, significantly increase efficiency, and at the same time reduce costs.
In my opinion, mobile applications will also become the main tool for interaction between consumers, stores and manufacturers. They will allow you to order products online, track deliveries and receive personalized data. One of the IT solutions is probably artificial intelligence (AI), thanks to which a personal offer will be made for each client.
-IoT sensors will allow you to more effectively control the storage and transportation conditions of products, as well as track their movement.
-Blockchain. To increase the transparency of supply chains, blockchain can be used to track the origin of products and their movement from the manufacturer to the end consumer.
All these solutions will help improve product quality control, reduce delivery times and improve overall business efficiency. Technologies will play an increasingly important role, transforming traditional models and creating new opportunities for businesses and consumers.
Your wishes to the Smartup system
I would like to wish the Smartup system further growth and continuous development. Your contribution to the automation of distribution is already bringing tangible results, making business processes more efficient and transparent. May each new functionality and improvement bring you closer to new heights, and may the development team continue to find inspiration in solving complex problems and creating innovative solutions. I wish Green White Solutions not to stop there, to open up new opportunities for users and become an integral part of the success of an increasing number of companies!
Thank you for the interesting conversation!
