A few years ago we were coming up on our annual customer conference, Explore, and we had a problem: how do we show our customer’s success. In addition to customer awards, case studies, or talking about how customer’s address challenges from the stage, we wanted to have customers tell their story directly. So we started looking for candidates…
And that first year, at Explore a few years ago, we debuted five “customer showcase” videos. The goal of these videos being to highlight our best-in-class customers, their technology innovation and adoption, but above all else, demonstrate the mutual success achieved. Since then we’ve kept up the initiative every year, and now have over a dozen of these videos.
At this past Explore in early May, we debuted four new customer showcases, each very unique in what they do, where they do it, and how they achieve success:
The RENOLIT Group, based in Germany, is one of the leading international manufacturers of high-quality plastic films and associated products for technical applications.
Scosche Industries is an award-winning innovator of portable electronics accessories and car audio hardware, based in Southern California.
WESCO is a French manufacturer for children’s toys all around the world thanks to continuous innovation and the creation and selection of quality products.
SMR is a member of the global automotive industry specialist Samvardhana Motherson Group (based in India, but manufacturing around the world) and is focused on enhancing value of rear vision systems.
What always amazes me is the diversity of what our customers make. Whether it’s children’s toys out of Western France, or high-end chocolates in Adelaide, Australia, or technology accessories just down the road from QAD’s corporate headquarters in Southern California. All of these customers are unique. But as you start to understand different businesses you also realize that they are similar: all manufacturers are focused on making something out of nothing, with the challenge of balancing objectives.
Whether it’s reducing inventory while keeping a high level of service; Or keeping prices constant as costs rise; Or improving delivery with more demanding deadlines; Essentially always focused on achieving the desired outcome (as previously written about) despite constant challenges.
I think what works for customer showcase videos is that for those few minutes a viewer is with that company (you may call it empathy). You feel like you are the line with a tier 1 automotive supplier. Or developing innovative products with a food and beverage company. Or trying to develop new measurables to achieve a triple bottom line. Then when the video is over, it’s back to the reality of our company’s own challenges, but perhaps with a new perspective.
Want to get involved?
Are you interested in participating in a video? Or do you know of someone who would be a good candidate? Comment and let us know, we’re always looking for more!
