7 Reasons You Should Care About 37 Years
Ken Buechele 10.18.2017
In today’s fast-paced business world, things change on a daily basis. When you walk through the shop door each morning, surprises often lurk, from changes in operator schedules to changes in production flows, cancelled orders, rush orders…you name it. Amid the chaos, if there’s some aspect of business that remains steady and reliable, that’s a treasure. Which brings me to this idea about “37 years.” Okuma and distributor Gosiger have a partnership that has lasted 37 years, and counting. To me, this stands out as a rarity in terms of commitment, but it also demonstrates that something good must be happening in this longstanding business relationship. More importantly, these 37+ years are powerfully meaningful to our customers. Here are 7 reasons you should care about 37 years.
- Trust: Having worked together so long, Okuma and Gosiger have a high level of mutual trust, which fosters good teamwork. This strengthens and streamlines deliverables to our customers.
- Two Layers of Support: Gosiger does a lot of problem-solving without any assistance from Okuma. But, when a really difficult situation arises, Okuma is very receptive to jumping in and helping solve these issues in the most expeditious way for the customer.
- Inventory Mix: Years of experience have developed good instincts for the characteristics of Gosiger’s markets; what will be needed, and which machine tools/specifications should be held in inventory.
- Automation Capabilities: Gosiger brings significant capabilities to Okuma in automation, and serves as an expert resource for customers.
- Depth of Knowledge: As any operator or shop owner knows, there are certain things one needs to know that can’t be found in the manual. Gosiger has people in their call center that have been with the company over 30 years. Okuma has the same. I myself have been with Okuma over 30 years and in fact, I like to say I grew up at Okuma. Today I work as the Senior Regional Manager and liaison with Gosiger. Our mutual customers have access to folks who “know things”, and deeply. We also actively pass on our knowledge to young staff who are coming up through the ranks.
- Product Expertise: Based on their years of experience, Gosiger has become quite expert in understanding the entire Okuma package including the machines, controls and what each machine is best suited to do. In our industry, lots of people are out there selling the catalog and selling specs. Gosiger goes further – they sell outcomes.
- Vision and Values: Over the years these two companies have come to share a deep understanding of one another, and share a similar vision and set of values. This serves as an important foundation for the working relationship and how we operate.
To Us, It’s Personal
With all our years of collective experience, and all the scenarios we’ve seen and solved, most certainly our brains and knowledge will serve you well. But there’s one more important aspect to consider here, and that’s heart. I operate on the front lines with Gosiger every day and I see how all of us care about your business, like you’re family. That’s because, above all else, to us, it’s personal.
Ken Buechele is Senior Regional Sales Manager, Okuma America Corporation.
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