Dalson foods operates entirely online, but Buckley emphasises that bricks and mortar will not going away. “Customers enjoy shopping in stores, trying things out and knowing that their purchases are to a large extent safeguarded,” he points out. “So retailers are required to integrate the two options and find balance between them.” This is underscored by a 2013 survey that revealed 70 per cent of New Zealanders between 25 and 34, and 68 per cent between 35 and 44 were choosing online shopping over tradition retail. All Dalsons Foods processes are automated, and at most the business will have up to 20 of one of its products up for disposal. “We have a website that works and inventory that works, enabling us to work from home or travel around without paper, store or warehouse to think about,” exclaims Buckley. “This ensures we are not bogged down by administration and have time to meet our customers’ needs.” To ensure customer fulfillment, Dalson Foods permits customers to choose their online payment method and takes pains to ensure high quality products get to customers within three to four working days. “Service is the main differentiator between competitors,” explains Buckley. “So to be efficient requires keeping your finger on the pulse, understanding how shopping decisions are made in an online environment, and creating a pleasant and stress free experience for the shopper.” Buckley says that the company has built its brand and kept customers and browsers in the loop through social media. He emphasises that the company does not use social media to create noise on news feeds but to provide the public with relevant information to make informed decisions. “ Through social media we have received large orders,” he says. “We have paid a lot of attention to Instagram, which has helped us to locate  products.” Buckley says Dalson Foods’ focus in on the customer because it always tries to understand and listen to the customer, ask the right questions, and treat the customer like a human being while providing rich content, shared experience, background and nutritional information on researched products and trialled recipes. “Because everything is automated, we really have time to focus on the needs of customers and to anticipate their next moves, thereby future proofing the business.”