I will travel across continents to see a customer. With so many modes of communication at my disposal it seems crazy. I could call, email, chat or even video-conference without leaving my office. On top of that business travel can be very challenging with all its lines,  weather, flight and mechanical delays. Based on all that you might wonder why I would fly 3,000 miles for just one meeting. The answer is simple. You can’t replace face-to-face.

The truth is that I really enjoy personally meeting valued customers. It’s an opportunity to watch someone’s reaction as they handle a sample or sense their excitement as they talk about their business. It’s often a great way to help entrepreneurs see the potential that exists within their own customer relationships. Meeting someone face-to-face is doing business in real time and its very powerful.

At Algood, our casters are more than just a commodity. Every one of them includes the people that stand behind the product. When I meet with a customer, he or she  is literally seeing the face of Algood. With every commitment that is made, I am putting my personal reputation on the line.

Increasingly, our customers are being confronted by the erosion of good vendors. Loyalty is being replaced by opportunism. Customer service can’t compete with corporate sustainability. Our customers are in the trenches, day in and day out – trying to develop, build, sell, and provide – and they need a supply partner they can trust, that has their back and will stand behind a product. When I take the time to travel to see a customer, the message is clearly that Algood is taking the long view. We want to build relationships and establish trust. We’re looking for CFL – Customers for Life.

Being on site provide unique opportunities. I can meet with a group of sales reps or product engineers or buyers and give them first-hand explanations of caster design and engineering – or introduce them to a new product line. While it may be expensive to bring all those people together, the benefit of the personal interaction outweighs the cost.

Often times, I’m able to accompany customers on a visit to their customer’s work site and see first-hand the conditions in which a caster has to perform. When I am able to personally see the environment in which casters are being operated and truly understand the objectives that are not being met, it makes all the difference in the world. I can personally guide the design and engineering of products that will better meet the end-user’s needs, which, in turn, establishes our customer as a trusted supplier.

My personal interaction proves that we understand that a customer is more than just specifications and requirements – more than just an order. My visits are an opportunity to learn more about the people, not the companies, who are our customers. It also demonstrates that Algood casters are more than just product. They are our craft and our livelihood and I am proud to sit with customers and talk about the casters and wheels we manufacture in North America.

There’s no better feeling than the one that comes from completing a sale in person. While there are dozens of ways to complete and execute agreements, there is something irreplaceable about shaking someone’s hand. It embodies the mutual trust that is part of our customer relationships and it represents the promise that we make when we provide our products.

Frankly, getting out on the road and meeting with customers is just good business. And it leads to more business because being there is no substitute for being face-to-face.

I’m always looking for opportunities to meet with customers. If you would like to have a personal meeting please feel free to contact me.