What participation in the German trade fair has given us, what has surprised us in the past 6 months, and what is yet to come- Paulina Sadowska, DACH Area Department Manager, and Michal Pfeif, Business Development Manager, talked about their department’s recent challenges.
What were the biggest challenges during the first six months?
Paulina Sadowska: It was certainly crucial to keep customers informed about the current market situation, to keep up with the constant changes. We cared about making customers feel taken care of. We often worked together to find the best solutions. Maintaining the highest level of service while encountering so many difficulties was not easy. In the end, we lived up to our customers’ expectations and developed new ways of working together for such difficult situations. As a result, since the beginning of the year, three new people have joined our team, and they are a huge support in keeping in touch with customers.
Michal Pfeif: Yes, it’s true, the biggest challenge was to find ourselves in a situation where we have to wait a long time for new components. What worked great was our partnership approach to customers, we were able to openly discuss obstacles that arose and work out the best possible solutions.
How do you evaluate ELHURT EMS’ participation in SMT Connect?
Paulina Sadowska: This was the first event in Germany in about 10 years that we took part in, so we were very curious ourselves how it would be, what the results would be. In the end, I can say that we are very satisfied. Most of the customers who visited our stand have either already made inquiries, or we are in the process of negotiating offers, so we expect them to be finalized soon. In addition, SMT Connect turned out to be an ideal place to meet our customers with whom we didn’t have a chance to meet due to previous COVID restrictions.
Michal Pfeif: For me personally, it was a great experience. Finally, there was an opportunity to communicate directly with potential customers. Video conferencing can make our lives easier, but nothing can replace face-to-face contact. We hope that future events will be equally successful for us.
What good things can 2022 still bring?
Paulina Sadowska: A relational thaw. We can finally meet normally and discuss our offers face to face. You can see that many people have been waiting for this. Technology now gives us amazing opportunities, but nothing can replace personal contact. Our clients are very eager to confirm appointments. Foreign companies are counting on new contacts and building a network of suppliers in Europe. All this is conducive to attracting new customers, so we are counting on the second half of the year to be very good for us.
Michal Pfeif: There are now several interesting projects on the horizon, a big part of which is due to our participation in SMT Connect. We are full of hope, mobilized for further work, so I hope that in six months we will be able to boast more successes.