RAJA®: ¿Cómo actuamos en el confinamiento?

A few months ago we started a series of posts in which we interviewed e-commerce managers to tell us about their experiences during the confinement. We thought you would also like to read how the leading European e-commerce in packaging experienced it… Us!

RAJA® Spain in figures

how did RAJA® react to the declaration of a global pandemic?

RAJA® acted quickly and with internal consensus, a crisis office was set up, where the department heads contributed and created protocols adapted to the new situation, as we could not waste a single minute, and preventive measures were established given the little information available to us in the face of a major global health collapse.

how has the crisis situation caused by the pandemic affected turnover?

Due to the diversity of products and customers, we have been able to adapt to different needs and although there are companies that have seen their business and, consequently, their orders with us reduced, others have seen their business increase, affecting their orders.

what measures were put in place as a priority?

The entire office team started teleworking, but in the logistics department, of course, it is not possible and, moreover, because of our sector, we were considered an indispensable company and we had to work in confinement.

So we guaranteed the preparation and supply of our products, we started by reducing the schedules of the warehouse team in order to spend as little time together as possible, eliminating lunch hours and creating a decalogue of action with preventive measures: guaranteeing the use of PPE (when they were scarce on the market), continuous hygiene, we installed screens in the work areas, hydroalcoholic dispensers, we guaranteed the distance between the staff working in our facilities, we controlled the temperature daily, etc…

Of the measures that have been taken, which do you think will stay and why?

In the offices, we think it is very feasible that teleworking is already a convenience for the worker. And in the warehouse, the layout of the new shifts is better for logistical flows, it gives us more margin in the operations of preparation and dispatch against the dispatch of orders in the commercial department. They also allow a more orderly growth of the structure of the teams and, best of all, it allows a greater reconciliation of work with the family and availability of free time, as they are intensive and rotating shifts every fortnight.

have you had any stock problems?

The truth is that no, we took a risky decision due to the uncertainty of the moment, and the management, together with the Purchasing and Logistics department, decided to have a 6-month overstock of top sales products, in other words, to have products available in the event of a possible closure of manufacturers or restriction of logistical mobility, or border closures.

We are committed to having what no one else had when no one else had it, and we even increased our storage area by more than 5000 m2, with a presence in Portugal to guarantee supply on the Iberian Peninsula.

how did you have to adapt your logistics organisation to the new situation?

Above all, a lot of transparency, support and constant dialogue with the teams, there was a lot of fear at the beginning, panic I would say, trying to reassure them as much as possible, they saw you there with them, working as one of them, in the same circumstances, emphasising the need to take care of us and our team, which was vital at that time.

Adapting to the new shifts and the extra effort for what was coming at us meant managing double the amount of goods in reception with the same team, with limited space capacity, and managing up to 7 external warehouses at the same time.

On the transport side, how did you experience the situation?

Well, at the beginning, there was a bit of uncertainty, we worked perfectly with the customer service department to ensure that the orders could be delivered to the indicated address, if there were time constraints, special instructions, etc… At the beginning we had a high number of returns when we found the delivery point closed, but we were able to manage it well because we have a dedicated fleet that allows us greater control and more reliable management of reverse logistics.

As we have several partners, we set up a split system so that if one operator failed, we could instantly replicate the delivery of our goods by other operators. In the end this was not necessary, but we had to have a plan B and even a plan C.

how did you communicate with your customers about delivery?

We confirmed all orders by telephone, the sales representative explained how and when the delivery would be made, including the necessary security measures to ensure that there were no contacts, and these instructions were also attached to the order confirmation email.

We use all our available channels (website, blog, social networks, email…) to keep in touch with our customers and inform them of any new measures or products that may be of interest to them to keep their workplaces safe in the new normality.

In this new situation, what are the challenges for your business and, more generally, for the world of e-commerce?

This pandemic has overtaken us in the access and purchase through e-commerce in a few years, telework has entered in a flash to stay, we have more time to use laptops, tablets, smartphones, so it is easier to access electronic shopping, I do not need to expose myself to have my order, at the same time, it is proven that when the human being is exposed to a situation of stress or fear of the unknown, as this pandemic, he has the need to satisfy his fear with compulsive purchases, and has all the facilities with e-commerce.

Our challenge is to help these small start-ups that have had to adapt in record time to develop their business with another service channel, B2C.

We also have a department specialised in e-commerce & Retail, where we put in the hands of e-commerce our entire range of products that guarantee and cover their needs with solvency, as well as not forgetting the big monsters of this sector that already have our products.

In terms of delivery service, we guarantee 24-hour delivery in a large part of the national territory, and in Barcelona we practically have a Same Day service in a matter of hours, with a daily shuttle to Madrid guaranteeing the same service.

In your opinion, what new challenges or opportunities do e-commerce companies face after COVID-19?

COVID-19 poses a new scenario, a new purchasing pattern and a new e-commerce user profile. We must be aware, above all, of what I generate when I place an order online, that is, we cannot saturate last mile logistics, which is also vital for the delivery of food products, pharmacies, basic products, etc…

We do not need this urgency, the delivery of a leisure product cannot be urgent, we cannot stress the logistics chain in such a way that we make transport more precarious, due to a lack of professionals, resources, costs, etc…

The development of this sales channel is vital, but it must be made Eco-responsible by the consumer, we can not collapse our streets with vehicles parked anywhere, managing deliveries in «2 hours» and returns without regard.

do you think the online consumer has changed, or will change in the post-pandemic phase?

During the pandemic consumers have started or increased their online shopping, many of which will continue to be online as e-commerce is here to stay.

which product, or range of products, experienced the greatest growth in sales during the months of confinement?

Boxes have been our star product during the confinement, especially for e-commerce shipments. PPE as well as warehouse signage products have also been in high demand.

We will soon be expanding a range of products that we are convinced will be successful: food products, which will help restaurants and bars that are being affected by the new restrictions.

From your perspective as an established e-commerce with an international presence, what advice would you give to e-commerce companies that are just starting out?

Well, if they want to remain competitive, they must give visibility to their products and market them through this new channel. The restriction on physical purchases forces us to work with simple and manageable portals that are clear and transmit confidence to the end consumer.

We put at your disposal our entire catalogue of products aligned with this segment, as well as being able to advise you on your particular logistical needs with solutions for packaging, protection, identification, handling, etc… even with your transport needs.

Total adaptation and professional development in this market with a department specially built to meet these needs.

thank you very much for your time!

If you want to read more testimonials about confinement, here are all the e-commerce interviews:

• TradeInn: The e-commerce that despite COVID-19 has been on Black Friday for 3 months now
• Carethy: The e-commerce that multiplied by 6 its sales in the confinement
• Vinissimus: The wine e-commerce that increased its online sales by 193% during the confinement