Keith Mawby | Fresh Produce Wholesaler

Background 

Since 1972, Keith Mawby has been a cornerstone of Barnsley's fresh produce industry, supplying high-quality fruits and vegetables to restaurants, hotels, schools, and cafes across South Yorkshire. Built on a foundation of quality and reliable service, their business grew steadily over the decades. However, with success came growing pains - they needed a smarter way to handle increasing order volumes while maintaining their reputation for exceptional customer service.

Challenges

Keith Mawby was facing the classic growing pains of a successful family business. Their traditional ordering system - based largely on voicemail messages - was becoming increasingly problematic as they grew. The team was spending over 20 hours each week just listening to messages and manually typing orders into their system, precious time that could have been spent developing the business.

More concerning was that their current approach wasn't doing justice to their excellent product range. Without an effective way to showcase their fresh produce, customers often stuck to ordering the same items, unaware of new products or seasonal specialities that could benefit their businesses.

As much as they recognised the need to modernise, there was natural hesitation about making such a significant change. Many of their customers and staff members had been with them for decades, comfortable with the traditional way of doing things. As Oliver Mawby, their Field Sales Manager, puts it: "There's always a concern that you think, 'Oh, they're not going on it and then I'm wasting my time doing this.'"

Like many small businesses, they needed a solution that would improve efficiency without requiring major investment or disrupting their close customer relationships. They knew they had to adapt to remain competitive, but the transition needed to be manageable for everyone involved.

Solution 

After carefully evaluating their options, Keith Mawby chose Orderlion's ordering app to modernise their operations. The solution was exactly what they needed - simple enough for everyone to use, yet powerful enough to transform their business.

To ensure a smooth transition, Oliver and his team took a hands-on approach to implementation. They personally walked each customer through the app, showing them just how easy it was to place orders. The process was remarkably straightforward: download the app, scan a QR code, create a password - and they were ready to go.

Results 

The impact of Orderlion on Keith Mawby's business has been nothing short of revolutionary, delivering impressive results that exceeded expectations.

Within just three months of launching:

• Rapid Customer Adoption: They successfully onboarded 70% of their customers to the platform - a testament to the app's user-friendly design and their team's personal approach to training
• Enhanced Marketing Impact: The team now runs three active promotional campaigns each week through the app, helping customers discover new products and seasonal specials
• Empowered Sales Force: Their entire field sales team actively uses the Sales Pro features, allowing them to better serve customers whether they're on the road or in the office
• Time Reclaimed: Most significantly, they freed up those 20+ hours previously spent on manual order processing. "It's just been absolutely revolutionary in what we do," shares Jacob. "Orderlion freed up so much time for myself and other people in management to actually focus on growing the business"

Client Perspective

Oliver Mawby, Field Sales Manager, shared:

"It's just been absolutely revolutionary in what we do. We can't see us coming away from that now because it's just been so successful."

Looking Forward 

Building on this momentum, Keith Mawby continues to discover new ways to leverage Orderlion's capabilities. The team is particularly excited about using the platform's data insights to better understand customer preferences and identify opportunities for expanding their product range. They're also exploring additional features that will help them stay competitive in the rapidly evolving wholesale market.

The Bottom Line 

Keith Mawby's journey with Orderlion demonstrates how the right technology can transform a family business without sacrificing the personal touch that made them successful in the first place. By embracing digital innovation, they've not only streamlined their operations but also strengthened customer relationships and positioned themselves for sustained growth. Their success shows that with the right tools, small businesses can compete effectively in today's market while staying true to their values.