資料來源
http://mannatech.com/DMNews_14Articles.asp
標題
A World Of Possibility (8/11/2006)
副題
Helping consumers wake up to wellness, one country at a time
What do folks in Germany and Denmark have in common with people in South Korea and Taiwan?
Ask executives at Mannatech, the Coppell based manufacturer of innovative nutritional supplements, and they’ll tell you that people the world over, from the environment-conscious families of Northern Europe to the factory-floor managers of Asia, have an equal yearning for one of life’s most precious possessions: good health.
“The world as a whole is becoming much more aware of the need for wellness, rather than just the need to manage illness,” says Ronald D.
Norman, Mannatech’s vice president of international finance. “And with science increasingly validating the essential role of the glyconutrients in our patented and patent-pending products, Mannatech is uniquely positioned to provide the missing ingredient in the wellness puzzle.”
That’s why, Mannatech’s executives say, the company is not limiting its activities to markets close to its Texas home. Mannatech now operates in 10 countries, with many more on the way as associates eagerly spread the news about glyconutrients to consumers.
While other firms might dread the thought of dealing with a multitude of consumers with unfamiliar shopping habits, Mannatech has found that its existing business model — network marketing — works effectively in almost any culture.
One-on-one interaction has always been key to Mannatech’s model, executives say, because the benefits of glyconutritional supplements require some explanation. As it happens, that’s a natural fit in many societies.
“In Korea and Taiwan, for example, people are very open to the concept of network marketing,” says Mannatech president Terry Persinger. “Small, family-owned shops are still very common, and from what we have seen, when consumers have good experiences with a product, they almost feel it’s their obligation to share it with their family and friends.”
Regardless of the country, he says, Mannatech overcomes the challenges of local languages and business customs by staffing operations with “highly motivated, well trained local staff.”
“We want to create an organization that thinks globally, but acts locally,” he adds.
Though the human touch is indispensable, Mr. Persinger says, Mannatech has invested heavily in upgrading its global IT network, because technology frees associates to interact directly with customers while
speeding other types of transactions and allowing flexibility for local customs.
“We get about 70 percent of our orders from the Internet,” Mr. Persinger says. “But in Japan, for instance, many of the people we do business with prefer to access the Internet from their cellphones. So we’re updating our systems to handle wireless orders, and that should allow for more automation.”
With new members regularly joining the club of developed nations and millions of consumers attaining standards of living their parents could only dream of, there’s every reason to think that orders will keep pouring in, Mannatech’s leaders say.
“As the emerging field of glycobiology continues to expand, we believe the demand for Mannatech’s products will continue to grow at an amazing pace,” says CEO Sam Caster. “We have a remarkable product that’s improving the quality of life for people everywhere.”
