June 2013
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
24
cover story
I
n support of this strategy, the company
has launched an intensive in-house
Customer Value Management (CVM)
initiative which seeks to unlock value
for customers across the board in new
and innovative ways. The initiative has
resulted in the creation of a new sales
organisation for the company.
“A real priority for us is to ensure that
our company becomes more customer-
centric,” says Malose Chaba, who is the
head of AfriSam's constructionmaterials
businessunit. Weintendtoachievethisby
creating a single sales organisation
and concentrating our operational
functions to ensure that we deliver on
customer requirements.
“Regardless of what product cus-
tomers wish to purchase, their deal-
ings with AfriSam will now be through
a single point of contact. This ‘single
sales organisation’approachmakes the sales
process easier and more convenient for our
customers, and saves time by eliminating the
multiple channels previously necessary to
process an order. The single service concept
is complemented by the introduction of one
customer service centre where all customer
queries may be directed.”
Chaba adds that in order to implement
the new strategy, AfriSamchanged its organi-
sational structure. Combining aggregates
and readymix into one business unit was just
one of the changes introduced to adapt the
company’s internal efficiencies to the chang-
ing business environment and to grow the
company sustainably.
AfriSam has realigned its sales organisa-
tion with three main customer-specific mar-
ket segments: retail sales; building, civil and
manufacturing sales andmulti-product solu-
tion sales. Previously the company deployed
a sales consultant for each product line, but
now sales personnel sell all three products
lines in the geographical areas where they
are available.
friSam gears up for growth in
aggregates and readymix
AfriSam, the leading Southern African
black-controlled construction materials
group, has embarkedona robust strategy to
grow its aggregates and readymix business
across Africa. The company is currently
the number one aggregate producer and
the second largest readymix producer in
Southern Africa, respectively. The revitalised
strategy is aimed at strengthening the
company’s market penetration, expanding
its footprint and adding more variety to its
existing product lines.
“We have adopted a ‘Territory Manage-
ment’ customer servicing approach
and have re-allocated sales team mem-
bers to specific geographic areas for
optimum customer management,”adds
Chaba. “Each sales consultant has full
responsibility and is accountable for a
specific territory.”
Leading position
AfriSam is positioned as the leading
aggregate producer in Southern Af-
rica, both by revenue and by volume,
with the capacity to produce more
than 10 million tons of aggregate per
annum. This stems from a strong local
aggregate and readymix footprint in
the major metropolitan areas of Cape
Town, Johannesburg and Durban, as
well as facilities in more outlying areas.
The business comprises 16 aggregate
quarries, with access to several mine dumps
and one sand pit, located throughout South
Africa in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western
Cape and Mpumalanga.
“We have been able to maintain this
leading position primarily as a result of the
broad product rangewe offer and the quality
of these products,” says Chaba. “Our offering
comprises road stone, concrete aggregate,
road layer works material and speciality
aggregate. Road layerworksmaterial includes
the base and sub-basematerials that provide
AfriSam’s Customer Value Management (CVM) initiative aims to unlock value for customers across the board in new and innovative ways.
