Offence is the best Defence

George Washington in 1799 quipped “make them believe, that offensive operations, often times, is the surest, if not the only (in some cases) means of defense’.

Mao Zedong was of the view that ‘the only real defense is active offence’ bringing to light that often success rests on destroying enemy’s ability to attack. Another prolific military strategist and philosopher: Sun Tzu put it that “Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.”

A recent report by the KNBS (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics) as brought out in the local Daily Nation newspaper put pen to paper how harsh the Kenyan Economy actually is, behind the facade of growth and prosperity being echoed by the Government. In the article titled “Cheap imports, high costs: Why many businesses are closing shop’’, the writer summarized how over the past 5 years numerous companies have closed shop in the country leaving out numerous hard-working Kenyans out of employment.

Despite an improvement of 21 places in Kenya’s rankings in the most recent issue of ‘doing business,’ Kenya currently being ranked 92 (113 in 2015), the situation on the ground indicates that we have a long way to go. (World Bank 2013). We have since seen up to 2.2 million companies close up shop screaming harsh business climate. Companies that have since closed up shop include Softa Bottling Company, Sameer Africa’s Yana tires manufacturing factory (in September 2016), Eveready East Africa closing its Nakuru-based battery factory losing over 100 jobs (in September 2014), Cadbury shut down its factory in Nairobi losing 300 jobs (in October 2014).

Other companies that have bowed out blaming higher production costs include Procter and Gamble and Reckitt Benckiser, Bridgestone, Colgate Palmolive (in 2006), Johnson & Johnson and Unilever which subsequently restructuring or relocating their operations to cheaper areas of operations like Egypt, India or China.

FCL is also at war; at war to survive in this highly competitive environment of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods), and at the frontline leading our fight is our offensive sales team which is made up of a formidable capable constituent of individuals from the merchandisers, sales men, sales supervisors and sales management. We can proudly say we have the right stuff to take on the New Year and its surprises, only and only if we effectively support and utilize our sales team. Taking the war to them (our competitors) in efforts to defend our right as a company to survive the harsh times being presented to us by the economy and the uncertainty that follows any election year.