INTERVIEW WITH CEO OF MANNASTORES.COM

                        

AYO BENSON OLAREWAJU FCCA

Question: Could you tell us about you sir?

In a nutshell, I trained as a Chartered Accountant and I am a Fellow of ACCA in UK and a member of ICAN and CITN. I also have MBA from Oxford in UK and several other qualifications. I currently live and work in UK as an Accountant and Business Consultant.  I am an investor in ecommerce and my unrelenting pursuit now is to make sure Nigerians are not left behind or isolated in the global internet trade.
 There are limitless opportunities on the internet and we can redirect the energy of our youths to embrace these opportunities and where there are constraints, we work hard to either remove or ameliorate those constraints through innovative ideas like the MannaStores procurement services.

Question: Could you please tell us about your company in order to clarify your reference to opportunities above.

Answer: We have released our highly functional and secure website (www.MannaStores.com ) where Nigerians can shop online without the challenges of payment cards acceptability or delivery. 
The website is already making waves as we have received a lot of orders and a lot of waiting list as I talk to you. It is a very simple to use process of registration and then finding what you intend to buy and we help you buy it and deliver to your doorstep; alternatively, you may pick it up in our office at A&B Plaza 88 Ekoro Street Lagos and the full direction is on our website. 


We also have an office in UK which does the purchasing and shipping for the customers. This innovation makes the need to waste time and money travelling to buy goods abroad unnecessary and a lot cheaper for retailers of all kinds of products.


 We also pay school fees, subscriptions, gifts etc on behalf of our Nigerian customers to Universities, dating websites, clubs, software websites etc. or any other websites worldwide. Nigerians are also reluctant to use their cards online for fear of security but we take the risk on their behalf and deliver the goods to their homes. More after the break

Question: Your company also owns www.MannaMart.com and the blog www.MannaMart.blogspot.com  and now www.MannaStores.com so it seems the Manna Group is taking over ecommerce in Nigeria, is that the aim?

Answer: There is synergy between www.MannaMart.com and  www.MannaStores.com ; our aim is for retailers to buy in bulk through MannaStores and sell them in retail through our online classified website www.MannaMart.com so it was a deliberate plot to start Mannamart.com first and it is doing very well and then introduce www.MannaStores.com  which is a bigger project. This allows young entrepreneurs to start trading without the need for huge capital, therefore they can put all their resources in stock to get quick and higher returns. That’s why our vision is ’ to provide a platform of wealth for our customers and do good for society’ 

Question: What sets your company apart from others?

Answer: We find values for our customers and we have a department who does the research of which company is selling good quality items at low prices. In the Western world, companies produce for seasons and towards the end of the season, they dispose of the seasonal products at ridiculously low prices sometimes at reduction of up to 80% and it is called ‘Sales’; this is a big opportunity for our customers to buy at these times and make good profit. We constantly update our blog www.MannaMart.blogspot.com with information on where to find the ‘Sales’. There are also other secrets of finding values which we would not disclose now but our customers would always find them featured on our website and blog periodically; so our customers should constantly check to find them.  We deliver first class service to our customers from the first point of contact to delivery of goods and also ensuring that you are happy even after delivery. This is the basic TQM and we implement it to the letter. We set example of gold service that is difficult for anyone else to replicate and you may test it out and see for yourself. We aim to deliver everything we promise at all times.

Question: Why do people need your services since they can buy on the internet themselves?

Answer: We enjoy economy of scale in terms of our purchasing logistics and therefore we are able to offer customers quick quality service than they are able to do themselves. There is also a challenge regarding jurisdiction; if a customer in Nigeria buys from a seller in UK, it is difficult to pursue the seller for a refund if he defaults because of different legal systems and the legal cost of doing so.  As a registered company in UK and in Nigeria we can pursue default by sellers in UK to get justice for our customers.

Question: Why do you have a special delivery package for wedding materials?

People like their wedding materials to be of good quality and also affordable, we source where they may get it and offer to deliver at short notice at a little cost than ordinary delivery if time is tight on their side. We realise that it is difficult to know the value of rings especially if you are not an expert; therefore, we have a link to reputable companies selling quality rings and you will get good value for your money.

Question: What are your charges?

It would surprise you to know that we charge only 10% for the incredible service level that we provide to our customers.  Henry Ford said ‘ the surest way not to make money is to be greedy for it but when you focus on rendering incredible service to your customers, money will naturally flow to you’ I totally agree with Henry Ford and therefore I base my business model on rendering excellent service first and foremost and one of the way to do this is to make good service affordable to many. Small to medium size companies may grow very quickly by taking advantage of our services by investing their money in buying stock instead of spending it on travel and accommodation abroad.

Question: What are the vision and mission of your company?

The focus of our business model is to build a business that delivers value to the customers, our vision is to ‘to create a platform of wealth for our customers and do good for the environment’ and our mission is to ‘generate outstanding returns to our shareholders, create a fantastic work environment for our employees, uphold reciprocal relationship with our suppliers and exceed the expectation of our customers with due regard for the environment. I hope to integrate Nigerians with the rest of the world through this platform and create one of the most outstanding company in Africa .

Question: Do you help customers to buy cars?

Cars are very cheap in UK because of the right hand steering mode and you may get quality cars from £300 to £600 for some makes and models; I understand it is also straightforward to change it in Nigeria. There are many auto dealers and individuals selling cars at reasonable prices so customers decide on what to buy and we help them buy it. The cost of shipping varies depending on the size of the car from £500 to £700. There are some links on our website for automobiles websites.

Question:You protect your customers with goods in transit insurance, why do you do that?

It is in our interest to protect our customers and ensure that their goods get to them and in case of an accident or incident we are able to refund their money or place replacement order for them. It is part of our focus of delivering quality services to our customers.

Question:Why did you choose internet as your vehicle for delivering your services?

The future of businesses is on the internet and the quicker we embrace it the better for our economy. The market reach on the internet is limitless, we have had hundreds of thousands of visitors on our MannaMart classified website in less than 6 months and even a lot more on our Mannamart.blogspot; it would take years to accomplish that with a lot of advertising budget offline. The era of sellers’ market is over and now you have to cater to your customers to build a successful business and the internet allows you to do that effectively through payment convenience and prompt delivery. Customers may now order from the convenience of their homes and expect prompt delivery in a few days at a cheaper price than going to the market directly. We are determined to bring the benefits of internet trade to our customers and ensure Nigeria is not left behind in the global trade phenomenon.

Question:What is your message to your customers?

My message is that they should take advantage of the value available on the internet and they should be wary of unscrupulous elements as well. As a business focussed on long term sustainability, we would support them to achieve their business goals through our excellent service delivery.

Question:  What is your hope for Nigeria?

Answer: I am a strong believer in Nigeria. I want Nigeria to become prosperous by individuals getting up to do something about their situation and not just blaming government for everything. If you have a little money, don’t use it to buy expensive lace material you cannot afford; come and find something you can buy from MannaStores and go and sell it on MannaMart and start creating wealth for your future. The future of Nigeria is not in oil but in individuals doing their bits for our dear country. Government should endeavour to provide infrastructures like electricity, good road networks and railway link throughout the country to support the private sectors which I believe are capable of outstanding productivity.There are many Entreprenuers like me who believe in Nigeria and would continue to invest in it because we want to make a difference and I know we can!

 www.mannamart.com , www.mannastores.com