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sponsibility in the communication dynamic. One customer recently put a hold on a project late in the design process because of some changes being made in the product. We made the mistake of assuming that because the customer requested the changes that they would then communicate to the order fulfillment side of their business that deliveries would be delayed. We quickly learned that the customer expected us to handle this communication, because of the in-depth involve- ment that we had within their organization on this project. It was an obligation that we were honored to accept, as it showed trust on their part. Our mistake came when we assumed that they were handling this. It's a mistake we won't make again. Simple misunderstandings can quickly turn into nightmares for companies that aren't pay- ing attention. Rather than trying to guess, in- terpret, decode or read smoke signals, just ask. Enterprise Minnesota: You mentioned that you believe companies with strong communi- cation models bring more value to their cus- tomer relationships. Has this played a role in Sportech's growth in the past? ~~: Absolutely! I really believe that today more than ever, OEMs are looking for suppliers who can bring the whole package to the relationship. That means they'll need to meet every objective set before them by the OEM including compet- itive pricing, on-time delivery and exceptional quality. But, even if you have a pretty tight grip on these areas, you'll still fall on your face if you can't effectively communicate with the cus- tomer. It's another one of those intangible, im- measurable deals where you can really set your company apart from others by demonstrating your commitment to effective communication. In the early years at Sportech, when we were first gaining some ground with a few OEM customers, we were competing with some real Goliaths in our industry. They seemed to have an irreversible stranglehold on the business we were fighting for. Eventually, we gained the trust of our customers, not with lower prices or some fancy new material, but by simply focus- ing on clear, concise communication. A couple of our competitors couldn't get their message across, they didn't follow up and they were famous for making assumptions, guesses and estimations when the job required facts. Now, don't get me wrong here, we busted our tails to earn this business, but I still contend to this day that the communication piece-the soft issue that our competitors chose to overlook-was the difference. I firmly believe that communi- cation is the great deal maker ... and the great deal breaker. ;, ~. ~OM E CAN I ~. OUR DOORS ARE ALUJAYS LOCKED .~: .-: .3... ~._. !®\ _.. ~. _s1a_ En#erprise Minnesota: How can a company 3o ENTERPRISE MINNESOTA SEPT/OCT2008