Adding value

Any successful product supplier needs to address what additional value it can provide to its customers — any value that can exceed expectations and turn a first-time customer into a lifetime customer.

Voss Industries Inc. — led by President Daniel W. Sedor Sr. — has focused its efforts on providing that additional value to its customers through its engineering capabilities, test lab facilities and integrated manufacturing processes. Through its capabilities, Voss has been able to create awareness of its products, accelerate the delivery of its services while reducing product delivery windows and focusing on customer service.

The company’s focus is the result of customer requirements for a greater emphasis on service and flexibility, which have become areas of increasing importance in recent years.

Voss’ ability to meet and exceed the requirements of current and potential customers has been achieved through the defined focus on better processes and leveraging of capabilities. However, the real challenge lies in taking those changes to market.

Using better systems and processes won’t have a great effect if the customer doesn’t see improvements in the end result. With that in mind, Voss has placed an emphasis on training, communication and an aggressive and proactive marketing plan. Those strategic prongs are coupled with a focus on trade show exhibits and on-site visits that show customers how Voss is able to meet the challenges that are necessary to succeed.

The initial effort toward the development of a marketing plan was a historical analysis of sales activity, complemented by an overview of markets, product mix and competitors in the company’s target venues. Voss’ leaders also spurred research in the area of market shares and potential business to give the organization a better overall picture of the business landscape in the markets that the company serves.

Those markets aren’t just limited to the U.S. Voss has ramped up its sales and marketing in international destinations, through the use of international sales representatives, in-house experts and a partnership forged with the U.S. Department of Commerce.

By providing product brochures, continuous updates on product information and working hand in hand with their representatives to provide technical assistance, Voss has been able to steadily increase its market share in Canada and overseas.

How to reach: Voss Industries Inc., (216) 771-7655 or www.vossind.com