CON TACT SES FOAM
Direct any questions about business
management strategies to SES Foam:
Phone: 855-335-2440 / 713-239-0252
Website: www.sesfoam.com
When you ask if your supplier is in your
corner, the question really is whether
the supplier is investing in your business
or only theirs. Are they supporting
you in advertising your business as
they advertise their own? Does their
investment have your success in mind
or have they invested in a manner
that insures their success regardless
of your performance? There is often a
message from the marketplace that this
investment is not valued.
A QUESTION OF PARTNERSHIP
As customers, do we reward investment
in our business or do we simply look for
the lowest cost alternative? This is truly a
business decision and there are advocates
for both sides. As a consumer, it is often
difficult to envision a supplier or vendor
truly being on your side. The traditional
customer/vendor relationship is more
adversarial than aligned with common
goals. In the downstream model, both
parties must overcome this traditional
relationship. The true partnership
opportunity must be embraced and
practiced. In a true partnership both
parties must give. Does the supplier
sell to all his customer’s competitors or
does he choose to support and invest
in one champion? At the same time,
does the customer continue to purchase
from his supplier or does he switch due
to short-term income gain? These are
very difficult questions for both parties,
and there may not be a correct answer
as they simply may be differing business
decisions. If the consumer does not see
value in the supplier’s investment, then
why not accept lower pricing if indeed
there will be no change in the resources
available to the customer? At the same
time, if the supplier is going to be
constantly at risk, then why not sell to all
opportunities that present themselves?
How do these parties ensure that they can
truly form a partnership and that linked
downstream and upstream relationships
can be achieved? Communication is
key, and the supplier and customer
need to openly discuss business issues.
This level of relationship is difficult
to achieve due to several reasons. The
sales personnel either need to have the
wherewithal to engage customers from
a business perspective or the supplier
needs to have management available to
engage customers in these discussions.
The buy-sell relationship has to grow to
the point of being a business discussion.
SES Foam LLC (SES) has invested
in understanding the contractor’s
business. This investment has led to
the development of a new standard
of customer support with the highest
ratio of technical support personnel to
sales personnel in the industry. SES’s
new online contractor support portal
will provide their customers access
to significant contractor-focused
support services. They have invested
in key industry specialists focused on
supporting their contractor base. This
means that SES is poised to tailor
support to the individual contractor,
meeting them in their market and
providing services directed by the
contractor to be utilized specifically in
their market. This focus on downstream
business is the foundation of the vision
that SES has for the market.
The request for constant input from
the customer base, coupled with
communication regarding future
investment by the company, set the
stage for the downstream relationship to
work. Reviewing customer performance
and needs ensures continuing
development of programs designed
to support customer growth. In this
manner, the company remains flexible
to design business relationships and
services to meet individual customer
needs. Listening to the marketplace
and requesting feedback is a critical
component to this program.
The
downstream
business
model is an
example
of a true
partnership
at work.