A desire to keep raising the bar When CCBPI launched its Mission 100 in 2004, manufacturing line efficiency (LE) across its bottling facilities averaged 87%. It had been an uphill battle for over two years for the manufacturing team to reach that point, made more difficult by market conditions, and their effect on sales, and the self-imposed ban on capital expenditure.

So when Management challenged the team to further raise the bar, many thought it would be next to impossible. No one on the CCBPI Manufacturing Operations team thought that aloud, however, and instead plunged head first into the daunting task of achieving what Mission 100 stands for: “1” for 100% attainment of manufacturing key performance indicators (such as line efficiency, beverage product quality index, concentrate, sugar fuel and electricity yields, water usage); “0” for zero wastage; and “0” for zero consumer complaints or inquiries.

The continuous improvement that had already become a way of life took on a life of its own. In each nook and cranny of manufacturing operations, teams tried to outdo others in finding winning solutions while keeping fixed costs under control. In Carlatan, La Union, little improvements like simple innovations in valve use and water management greatly improved concentrate and sugar yield. In Manila, changes in maintenance practices further reduced operating costs. In Davao, practices like the weighing of carbon dioxide cylinders before and after usage and proper use of a flush pump brought C02 yield within acceptable parameters. And the list goes on and on.

Driving the attainment of Mission 100 are the members of the manufacturing team who care for the Company’s facilities as if these were their own. Even the tending of equipment is not left solely to the maintenance personnel. And cost efficiencies being a constant consideration, resourcefulness and ingenuity are naturally part of the CCBG culture. malasakit for the team means pitching in When the situation calls for it, CCBG employees do not mind performing tasks initially assigned to others. When one Cosmos salesman had to go on sick leave, his District Sales Supervisor (DSS) Cirriaco Garrido Jr. pitched in, riding the route during the day and still attending to his tasks as a DSS after. (Garrido covers six conventional routes, one missionary route and two dealers in Batangas.)

Because of many instances of teamwork like this, last year’s route achieved 118.1% over target and his district was able to hit sales-to-trade by 114.9% and volume sales by 114.7%. Close encounters with the “enemies of the state” During his days as a Territory Sales Manager (TSM) assigned to the second territory of South Luzon Area, one of the biggest challenges of CCBPI Selling Systems and Training Manager Ronnie Tulud was visiting his area dealers. The distance, geographical conditions, and security risks were factors he had to consider.

He often traveled in plainclothes and only wore his shirtjack upon arriving at the sales office as a precaution. News of rebels kidnapping representatives of well-known companies had hogged headlines many times.

On several occasions during his trips to Mindoro, he was caught in the middle of encounters between members of the military and the New People’s Army. Luckily, he was unharmed and continued to lead his team in serving the requirements for Coca-Cola products.

One of the biggest feats of the CCBPI sales force was penetrating Camp Abubakar in Maguindanao and other areas controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and Abu Sayyaf rebels in North Cotabato long before the military invaded their camp.

It was a daunting task as well for the South East Mindanao team to sell and distribute Coca-Cola products to customers and consumers in the critical areas of North Cotabato and Maguindanao, specifically the towns of Sarmiento, Barrera, and Buldon. Besides the security threats, the team had to cope with the area’s geographical conditions. Unpaved and winding roads lead to interior municipalities. Rivers, mountains, and forests were traversed to reach barangays. But more than these, the CCBPI sales team was challenged by competition’s control of North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

With unrelenting focus and hard work, the South East Mindanao team was able to increase market share by nearly tenfold in three years. The group eventually penetrated Camp Abubakar and its nearby base camps, improving market share from 5% to 70%. They have not only penetrated the domain of the Muslim rebels, they also established goodwill among our Muslim brothers in the region with community-based activities and even the establishment of two Little Red Schoolhouses in Central Mindanao Meanwhile, fresh from his Mindanao assignment and newly assigned to South GMA, PhilBev TSM Dean Valera intends to know by heart all the districts in his assigned area. He utilizes the route riding to evaluate the capabilities of the local DSPs and business. One time, he rode with a DSP to what turned out to be an offlimits area of the Muslim community in Quiapo. He went through with the familiarization, exiting the area better informed of its security concerns and glad about completing the day’s route riding.

Leav ing no stone unturned Amid a competitor soft drink’s aggressive sales and marketing campaign, CCBPI North GMA sales team managed to achieve 122% of its sellin- volume target and 116% of its salesto- trade budget last year (compared to the area’s performance in 2004). The NGMA Tiger sales force also trimmed down its accounts receivables (AR) by 47% from its level two years ago. “We improved our distribution by directly serving more outlets. We enhanced our products’ availability by placing Coke Sakto (200ml) in stores or retailers where our strongest competitor is,” said Area Sales Manager Emil Garcia. To heighten consumers’ awareness and promote off-take of Coke Sakto, the NGMA team merchandised outlets with streamers, posters, and tin plates. Ingenuity and creativity take center stage in product displays. “We motivated our Conventional Route Salesmen (CRS), District Sales Supervisors (DSS), and Dealer Sales Personnel (DSP) to increase Coke Sakto’s availability by tracking individual sales performance and publishing these in our area’s sales and dealer sales offices,” Garcia added.

The team developed slogans for the campaign to push Suggested Retail Price compliance for this package and posted these in all their sales offices. “Pre-take off meetings at our dealers’ warehouses became part of our regular daily activities. To further develop our DSS and sales crew’s competencies, we conducted free training sessions every Saturday afternoon last quarter.” By utilizing the Coke Sakto package, ASM Garcia’s team grew their sales volume, including achieving a 25% improvement over its sales-to-trade level in 2004.

Time and again, the Coca-Cola Beverage Group shows that, for them, partnerships and a commitment to mutual successes overcome all challenges.