Inline Plastics Playbook v2 JUL-21

Sales Stories

Sales Stories

• Haggen had an issue with all of their sandwich packaging, it was leaking, warping, and lowering the shelf life. I pitched the TS5x5, it was a huge success which led to them completely re-doing the entire program. They now use TS5x5, TS202, TS24, and TS35 across the board. As for the success in this, Inline has mad containers that do not leak, present amazingly, and offer a safe tamper package Haggen was thrilled and saw an increase in sales and lower shrink. • Another story would also be with Haggen, they used to wrap their smoked fish on a meat tray with film, there were many times the fish would rip through causing a re-wrap or the product was just dried out. Customers were no longer purchasing out of the case. I was tasked with finding a solution. I shared with them the TS8 and TS12. They were not sure about adding a plastic container but gave it a shot. Sales increased and demand surged all because we offered a solution to them. This also enhanced the shelf life.

• I always make the effort to talk to associates at store level about opportunities and challenges they may be encountering with either a competitor’s or Inline’s containers because the frontline personnel have the most experience and often report back to corporate. Through these discussions I have uncovered sizing / leaking / customer complaints on competitive containers. When we rolled out Wal Mart fruit cups we directed the retail team to visit stores and that’s where we observed bloating in the container that could have cost us the business. Immediate coordination with the customer, processor team, and manufacturing were critical to head off this issue. • I have had good luck laying a competitors tamper evident containers on their sides with brown napkins under them to show leaking to customers. Utilizing video is very powerful in this case too. • Bringing in food samples like candy and nuts packed in our containers for buyers usually brings a smile on their face and reinforces their confidence in our packaging. • We have prepared seasonal themes like Easter baskets with larger containers and New Baby themes when a stakeholder has shared upcoming news about babies coming to their family. For my golfer targets I have packaged golf balls and tees in containers. • I have often utilized a sell sheet or catalog to lay down on a buyer’s desk when demonstrating leak resistance between, for example our RoundWare STF line and competitors 2 piece with shrink band. I have opened a catalog on their desk and laid the containers on their sides side by side and inevitable the competitors starts to wet the sheet and make a mess.

S A L E S P L AY B O O K

Sales Stories

• Besides the SOP’s we do, I think one of the most valuable things we do I, we research our customers before going in. We set up google alerts for our top customers so we can be informed on their business and their needs or goals in the market. We always try to have something to talk about other than ourselves. • Another practice we’ve implemented, on first calls we come prepared to provide solutions but always lead with. “wanting to gain a better understanding of them and their business.” • Try not to let more than a month go by without touching our top focus customer/target relationships.

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