KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH CONSUMERS

Nestlé, as The Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company and global food market leader, continuously invests in enhancing the quality of its dialogue with consumers. “In all Nestlé companies globally, the Consumer Services unit plays a strategic role in that dialogue. Nestlé puts a premium on meaningful contacts with consumers, beyond traditional mass communication, beyond point of sale, beyond the moment when consumers take home the products they buy. This is where our Consumer Services unit comes in,” says Aurora Alipao, Vice-President, Consumer Services at Nestlé Philippines, Inc. The company’s Consumer Services unit has three areas: Culinary Services, the Care Center, and Consumer Relationship Marketing (CRM).

According to Au, Nestlé Consumer Services as a unit is not bound by the stereotyped, kitchen-focused role. The unit’s activities are premised on the recognition that consumers are at the heart of the business, thus the Nestlé concept of innovation and renovation is constantly applied in reaching out to them. “Building a life-long relationship with consumers is important to Nestlé, and the Consumer Services function is key in developing this relationship,” Au says.

Sharing Good Food. Nestlé Philippines takes pride in the Julius Maggi Kitchen (JMK), a fully-equipped kitchen located at the Nestlé Center in Rockwell, Makati, where recipes made with Nestlé products are developed, tested and tasted, and cooking demonstrations are held year-round. The facility is named after Julius Maggi, who introduced the goodness of MAGGI foods and seasonings to consumers worldwide. “Before we share our recipes, we first perfect them at the JMK,” explain Chefs Tess Sutilo and Ajie Acorda-Mendoza. Chef Tess develops recipes using Nestlé products, while Chef Ajie handles cooking demonstrations and lifestyle sessions for the general public. In 2005 alone, the JMK developed over 500 recipes, now among more than 1,500 recipes found at www.nestlérecipes.com.ph

“Recipe development is an ongoing process that accounts for the dynamic tastes and lifestyles of consumers. At JMK, our objective is to share different ways to enjoy Nestlé products,” Chef Tess explains. Another distinct feature of Nestlé recipes is the “Good to Know” or “Good to Remember” panels that provide information on the dish’s nutritional benefits, or cooking and preparation tips. Similar messages are found on the labels of all Nestlé products.

Chef Ajie takes the tested recipes to the next level, by sharing them with the public in cooking demonstrations. “The JMK is Nestlé Philippines’ showcase for culinary lessons and lifestyle improvement sessions that include livelihood workshops,” she says. Nestlé also helps young, promising chefs to hone their skills at the JMK.

Getting feedback. The Nestlé Care Center is an important channel in the dialogue with consumers to welcome feedback. The facility is open Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Care Center’s most popular contact point is its telephone hotline, 898-0061. Nestlé Care Center Head Tess Banno says while most contacts are made through the landline, there is an increasing number of consumers who email at consumer.services@ph.Nestlé.com. The contacts are mostly queries, suggestions and comments on product features and promotions. The details of each consumer contact are entered into a proprietary data system called Consoplus, which enables the information to be kept on record for several years, available to Consumer Services staff and the Nestlé Quality Assurance laboratories online.

In attending to product complaints, Nestlé’s protocol includes visits by field representatives to consumers’ homes, and laboratory analysis of the products concerned. “The cooperation of consumers is crucial in enabling us to resolve complaints soonest,” Tess says. “When our Quality Assurance experts do evaluation, they test both the content and its packaging. If one is missing, or if the entire product is not given to us, we cannot do a complete and thorough evaluation. This is why we ask for the consumers’ full cooperation if they have complaints, to give us the complete product, together with its packaging, so that we can do the proper laboratory tests.”

Building a relationship. For Nestlé Philippines, Customer Relations Marketing means deepening the relationship with consumers, which involves extra effort in talking to and listening to them regularly. Au says that CRM involves acquiring members, building a database and keeping it updated, and growing a stronger relationship with members. The company’s CRM vehicle is the Nestlé Club, a community of mostly mothers who receive communications on a range of homemaking topics such as culinary tips, recipes, household management, and family rearing.

Membership to the Nestlé Club, according to CRM Executive Nina Pascual, is free. “A consumer just has to fill out and submit a membership form to us. Members get information from us regularly, which is tailored to their life stages and needs,” says Nina, “We are also able to listen to consumers’ preferences, so that we can give them more value.” Readers who are interested to join the Nestlé Club can call 898-0061 or email at nestléclub@ph.nestlé.com.

Keeping in touch. “Consumer Services is about serving our most important public, the consumer, whose needs keep evolving. Our goal is to help maximize the relevance and value of Nestlé to them, as summarized in our corporate slogan, Good Food, Good Life,” Au concludes.