Adhering to a certain level of professionalism can be as simple as ensuring a website is well-functioning. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out what one automation solutions provider deems as important in setting a company apart from others.
“There’s nothing you sell or do that can’t be done by another organisation,” Andrew Godber from Bunbury Industrial Controls (BIC) said. He is a sales manager who believes
that being the best at a trade also means providing the best service to customers in order to make sure they don’t jump ship to a competitor.
“It’s how well you do it, how quick you respond and how competitive you are that makes the difference.”
BIC, based in Western Australia, is an automation company that provides instrumentation and electrical services to heavy industrial and mining companies.
Ensuring clients get the best repairs and value for products is key to the company when serving its customers, but Godber explained that this also means he and his team look for suppliers that serve them in the best possible way.
“ifm plays a big part in that.” He said ifm supports BIC by having knowledgeable sales people that are always available and by having a well-functioning website, which is something that Godber highlights several times when speaking to Manufacturers’ Monthly.
“Their people are excellent. Their website is also awesome. I can go on there and do whatever pricing and checking I need.”
Godber said a good website can be hard to find, but in a place that is regional, such as Bunbury in Western Australia, it gives companies the freedom to research the best products for their business.
“We are a small company and we have a couple of salespeople. We do our own research. The information is all on their website. It just means I can get something in a couple
of minutes.
“It’s a strong point when the websites are really good. There are plenty of bad ones out there. If you are just looking for a price or the product’s ability and you are just after one item and you’ve got to spend 5-7 minutes for a website to load, that’s a pain.” Where Godber can, he prefers to purchase ifm products such as the company’s range of sensors and IO Link products.
“We still buy products from other companies that don’t have as well functioning websites. That’s because we are governed by choosing products that are in the customer’s best interest.
“In a lot of places, companies are cutting down the number of sales people.
Because companies are cutting down on those people, a well-functioning website is really important.
“Before I make a product sale, I have to let the customer know what the pricing and the ability is. With the ifm website, I can do that,” said Godber. Where possible, Godber also connects with ifm staff over the phone or when they visit Western Australia.
“Occasionally, I might also take someone from ifm out to a customer to provide a bit more advice.
“We are a system integrator for ifm. We know a lot about a selection of their products, but the ifm team know a lot more about all of their products.”
Working in collaboration with ifm, BIC is able to deliver on its values to provide a holistic approach to its customers through a combination of customer and automation services.
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