Szolvegy's 42-day marathon

Solvegy Vegypari, the manufacturer and distributor of the TISZABOND brand of adhesives, announces the completion of an extensive customer visit program. Starting with the 42 kilometers to be covered in the marathon event, Szolvegy team from Târgu Mureș set out to visit, in just 42 dayse, not just the company's customers but all users of adhesives in the wood industry. The marathon started on August 30 and ended on October 11, with the company's sales representatives making a real tour de force.

What was the purpose of the approach

Szolvegy believes that the relationship with the customer must be built over time, not only by offering the right products, but also by being there for them at all times. This is why a large part of the sales team's time is dedicated to customer visits. In this way they have built up a portfolio of more than 280 customers holding an important market share. Being there for the customer is all the more important in this period of overlapping crises. Hence the idea of the marathon.

The marathon aimed, in addition to direct contact with customers, to create a comprehensive and complex picture of the market in this difficult period with permanent price increases, labor shortages, prolonged health crisis.

The main themes were:

• general market trends,
• contact with all possible partners in the market,
• the supply and production to customers,
• strengthening relationships and partnerships

It is hard to predict which are general market trends in these times of surprises of all kinds. However, if you manage to contact all the consumers of adhesives in a relatively short period of time, you can get an idea whether, for example, the rise in the price of wood is a fluke or a trend or whether it is indeed a good time in terms of orders for all those working in this sector.

Contact with other potential market partners was necessary for the company to present its products and availability. The aim is to present itself as a possible reliable partner and an alternative in case new requirements arise. Szolvegy has a wide range of partners, from shreddersthe builders of timber frame houses. This variety has allowed them to develop a rich portfolio of products that meet the most challenging technologies.

Maintaining a permanent link with partners is essential for good collaboration. Even if sourcing is carried out according to well-established criteria and product quality is constantand constantly checked, problems can arise. And helping the customer solve these production problems is one of the ways to strengthen the partnership.

A complete and comprehensive overview of the timber market in general

What did they take away from this marathon of visits? A complete picture of the market and the wood industry in general. Closer contact with partners. A clearer picture of the performance and quality requirements of adhesives. New links and contacts that can be materialized in the coming period. And very importantly, with the conviction that they are a united, dedicated and efficient team.

Another plus was the message to customers and future partners. They understood that they had a collaborator who wanted long-term partnerships, not occasional sales. That they can rely on his presence if there are problems, even if he did not cause them. That the partner is knowledgeable, and that they can benefit from this information together.

The project was enthusiastically embraced by all team members who were fully committed to achieving the objectives. If before they were spending 3 days a week visiting partners, during this period they were on the road for 4 days visiting several factories and workshops with 20%. Their joint effort meant that the entire market was covered in just 42 days and the company's database was considerably enriched.

New products to meet market demands

Some of the market intelligence gathered will materialize into new products. The current period, with more orders to be filled in the same timeframe, has led to the need for faster reacting adhesives with the same strength and durability qualities. Although the new products do not mean higher sales volumes or higher mark-up products for the company, the company is determined to bring these new products to the market as quickly as possible. For Szolvegy, this is what a solid partnership is all about: paying attention to the partner's wishes and doing your best to fulfill them.

The new products will be ready for testing very soon. And we will be back with information as soon as they are available.