Keeping the wheels turning in the time of corona - Update (USA)

2020-11-23

Tabatha Hunter Tabatha Hunter

In some parts of the world the COVID-19 situation has calmed down a bit but in other areas, the situation has worsened. Sunfab Hydraulics AB has taken measures to protect our employees, our customers and suppliers while we do our best to meet our customers' needs and deliveries. We have asked our employees how the pandemic crisis is affecting their daily work in these dire times. Here is an update from Sunfabs subsidiaries. Tabatha Hunter, you are our Sales Support & Order Management Specialist at Sunfab Hydraulics Inc. in USA.

How is your local market doing under the current situation with restrictions based on the impact of the pandemic with limited opportunities to meet your customers?
“I feel we are lucky and our local market is holding its own considering our limited to no opportunities to meet customers.”

What new ways of working have you made during this period to keep contacts and proactively follow-up service to customers and support customers business since travels and visits went restricted?
“I haven’t had to make changes due to I do not travel often. However, I continue to keep great customer service as the main focus of my daily job. I feel this helps enhance customer satisfaction and build strong customer relationships that will last longer than pandemic and will help grow our market.”

What is the common view from our customers on their business due to the pandemic crisis and do they feel that Sunfab is supporting them?
“The common view is that everyone is doing their best to get through it and make sales. Our customers have been thankful that Sunfab Inc has been able to stay open and meet their customer’s needs. Being able to provide for the customer’s needs during a pandemic goes a long way to help win the customer’s trust.”

The fact that the production and office in Sweden have been up and running during this whole crisis, any feedback from market?
“The market has been very appreciative that Sweden has been up and running during the crisis, there has been several times when Sunfab Inc didn’t have something in stock but Sweden was able to ship via Express to meet the customer’s need. Satisfying the customer’s need goes a long way in building a strong and lasting relationship.”

Do you have any success story or a happy story from your customer engagements during this period that you have got positive feedback on from customer?
“We had a customer that was down and needed a part that was no longer available. Kjell Nyman (Senior Sales Manager) and I was able to work with Sweden and get the customer’s questions answered and ultimately get them the new part that was needed. The customer sent an email stating, “Wow, awesome customer service!!! I want to thank everyone over there for the awesome customer service!”

I also had one of our new recently certified distributors send me this email, “You are the best supplier I have…. You are so prompt on EVERY single one of your confirmations, I can barely keep up with you. Thanks so much; hope you have a wonderful weekend.”

Is your market recovering and what is going to happen in near future, your feeling of the development?
“I am very positive how our market has responded during this pandemic. It gives me hope for the future and I am looking forward to once we are back to normal to capturing a bigger part of the market for Sunfab. The future is very bright for Sunfab Inc.”

Anything else you would like to say?
“I feel blessed to be working with a company that handled the pandemic situation very well. We are able to meet the customer’s needs while still staying safe. Being able to satisfy the customer during a pandemic will go a long way for the future of Sunfab. Each customer that we were able to help will remember that long after the pandemic is gone.”