After attending a national tradeshow at McCormick Place in Chicago, Jill Hebert knew exactly what she wanted to do: Work in the tradeshow industry.
Relying on her diverse skills in art and engineering, she founded Matrex Exhibits seven years after entering the industry. She uses two main strategies to beat the competition.
* Technology investment. Hebert’s business model is to invest heavily in technology to enable the company to streamline processes prior to adding overhead. She invests profits in technology and continually upgrades the company’s manufacturing and design software.
Matrex is the first in its industry to implement an online design studio that provides customers a real-time 3-D concept of each design. This innovation has enabled Matrex to interact with its customers in real-time to change design appearance, options and colors, and also limits unnecessary travel expenses.
* Quality commitment. Hebert focuses on quality instead of price. She makes sure every employee understands her vision of exceeding client expectations by delivering a high-quality product. She believes her quality service has enabled the company to outlast larger price-only competitors. In the past 18 years, the company has never lost a customer because of a service issue.
The company has experienced a low turnover rate because Hebert holds every employee in the highest regard and encourages a people-and-family-first environment. She also strives to bring out the best in her employees without micromanaging them.
