P RO CTOR & GAMBLE
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Proctor & Gamble FEATURE
e People take the little things we base our lives upon for granted. It is thanks to companies such as Procter and Gamble, who provide the foundations for these little things, that we are able to continue with our day to day routines.
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rocter and Gamble, the company behind bringing South Africa such essential products as Head & Shoulders, Tampax, Vicks and Pampers, the company that is responsible for ensuring that every teenager can ensure their dandruff is sorted before a date and every parent can be confident that their child (and their breathable air) is protected. I spoke with Stanislav Vecera, who has the awesome task of heading operations for this globally recognized company in South Africa and it is a profound relief to know that the little things that form the very grounding for
Open communication is vital as it means we know what the market is doing and where things are going my day to day life are looked after by a leader as focused and sure as him. Having literally started on the ground and worked his way to where he is now during a www.southafricamag.com
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Proctor & Gamble FEATURE
career spanning over 19years he has created a team-ethic in Procter and Gamble South Africa which makes it not only a fulfilling and exciting place to work, but a place where open communication is sacred. This extends beyond the office, reaching from their customers- the retailers from whom they purchase their essential productsto the suppliers who provide them with their essential services. “Open communication is vital as it means we know what the market is doing and where things are going,� says Mr. Vecera As innovators and strategizers always on the lookout for new opportunities and possibilities Mr. Vecera and Procter and Gamble align themselves with like minded
businesses, lead by people they can trust and rely on to produce results. Such a business would be Eve Graham Marketing Services. Responsible for promoting marketing services for their Pampers product. Offering essential products is a highly competitive industry, with new brands and options opening up every day, so producing marketing strategies for a brand as recognized as Pampers must be carefully constructed and action and Eve Graham has the added challenge of keeping up with the high benchmark of Procter and Gamble, something that they manage with admirable grace and ease.
By investing in our people and our business expansion during a downturn allowed us to capitalize on the hidden opportunities and to advance past the competition
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Brand awareness must be carefully timed with production, and in 2009 a new manufacturing facility was opened to wholly support the Pampers brand. Indeed, while some businesses were fretting and suffering from knee-jerk reactions during the 2008 and 2009 downturn Procter and Gamble forged ahead following a very strong focus on investing. “By investing in our people and our business expansion during a downturn allowed us to capitalize on the hidden opportunities and to advance past the competition,” Mr. Vecera As a major employer Globally and in SA all decisions are made with the eye on development and expansion. There are plans to expand further into Sub Saharan Africa where they are already providing noticeable change for people living in remote areas. “The Nigerian stores are mostly outdoor, so we had to develop a new packaging for their products to maintain safety and appearance,” Mr. Vecera.
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Expansion into new territories is important and exciting, as it creates jobs and the opportunity to solve new and interesting challenges, providing the tools that can be used in the future. While we certainly would miss the products they provide, it cannot be assumed that it’s the brands that make this company so successful. One look at their operations can explain why this company is the major contender in this industry and one of the top employers worldwide. It’s because they look after their employees, offering continuous training and development to everyone. Promotion is always internal so Standa’s model of rising through the ranks is by no means a singularity and there are some employees who’ve been there longer than him. Only with every member of the team is doing their job at a 100% and by looking after the little things on their side, can this top company continue to keep our foundation of little things as solid as we need it to be. END www.southafricamag.com
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