TakealotToday, Takealot is the leading e$-$commerce retailer in South Africa and one ofthe largest, most innovative e$-$commerce retailers on the African continent. Thebusiness was initiated with a simple vision in mind: to be the largest, simplest,most customer$-$centric online shopping destination in Africa. Takealot expandson who they are and what theyve accomplished below.Our mission and strategic intentWere takealot.com, and weve built our business on the simple principle that ourcustomers come first.Our business is retail, and we strive to have the widest range of products andthe best possible customer service on the African continent. Were doing this byemploying great people and developing innovative, cutting$-$edge tech. But thatswhat we do; its not who we are.We are all about our customers. We want to be the most customer$-$centric onlineshopping destination in Africa to make online shopping so easy and seamlessthat everyone will feel comfortable doing it$.$ We want to know our customers. Wewant to be a part of their lives. We want each experience they have with us toleave them with a smile, whether its a confirmation email, an added detail onthe packaging or even the return of an unwanted or damaged order.Sure, were only human and we make mistakes, but when we do$,$ we confrontthem honestly, openly and immediately, doing everything we can to make thingsright.Were takealot.com. Welcome.There is moreThe success of the business is based on its ability to delight customers withamazing customer service. Takealot.com is dedicated to improving customerexperience, from the moment you arrive on the website or app and place anorder to when it arrives at your door.The Takealot group in South Africa includes three major businesses: Takealot$($general online retail$),$ Superbalist $($apparel and footwear$)$ and Mr Delivery$/$Mr D$($food delivery$).$Besides investing in its warehousing and logistics capability, Takealot has alsoinvested in its technological capabilities. The company hires artificial intelligenceexperts who work on features such as algorithms to create personalisation $($suchas recommendations based on a users browsing history$).$ The company hasemployed $1200$ employees; most of them work in the supply chain and $200$ arein the call$-$centre department. There are also $1000$ drivers who work with MrDelivery Courier and provide delivery services.LogisticsThe success of Takealots business model also rests on the companys strategywhen it comes to logistics$.$ In January $2013,$ takealot.com acquired a controllingstake in Mr Delivery to build out its own in$-$house logistics expertise under itsown delivery team. Currently, the e$-$commerce company contracts over $4000$delivery drivers and completes over $1\mathrm{.}6$ million deliveries every month.The company has distribution centres $($totalling $75000$m$2)$ in the Western Cape,KwaZulu$-$Natal and Gauteng. The distribution centre in Johannesburg can storealmost $4$ million products at any time and about $10000$ parcels are dispatchedper hour. Takealot has three large warehouses, in Cape Town, KwaZulu$-$Nataland Johannesburg, and also several branches throughout the country that handleorders for Takealot.com and its sister company Superbalist.com.In April $2019,$ the online retailer opened its first series of collection points,branded Takealot Pickup Points an innovative alternative option to delivery.This way customers can collect and return orders any day of the week. So far,more than $50$ Takealot Pickup Points are available in all nine provinces to enablethe company to serve its $1\mathrm{.}8$ million customers all over the country and createemployment.Customers place orders on the Takealot.com website, and the products are thenshipped and received at the distribution centres receiving depot. Takealotsbusiness model ensures that, on average, $80\%$ of the orders are already in stockin the warehouse. A smooth process takes place between the delivery centresreceiving depot, all the way to the storage of goods on shelves, boxing andpackaging, as well as classifying each order according to its delivery destination.The online retailer makes use of conveyor belts to systematically track the goodsand correctly classify items before the collection trucks arrive. Takealot trucksthen collect orders and distribute them to local branches. Thereafter, the itemsare either taken to the collection points or delivered directly to the customer.Looking forwardAs more and more people move online in South Africa, Takealot is at the forefrontof this transformation. Looking ahead, the focus across all three businessesremains the same to provide satisfying customer service, value andconvenience and, in so doing, continue to lead and grow for long$-$termsustainable success.Takealot is aware that their customers are under severe financial pressure arisingfrom the global economic downturn and the COVID$-19$ pandemic. They are alsoaware that many other competitors have upped their game and introduced alternative online shops Question $3$ Discuss the importance of the six components of a mission statement inrelation to Takealot and practically indicate whether these are evident atTakealot. Also provide one example for each component from the casestudy to support your answer.