When Lockdown came, Graham Harris, owner of creasing technology company, Tech-ni-Fold Ltd received an instant body blow as his US distributor, B & R Moll pulled the plug on his CreaseStream line of digital finishing solutions.
Harris commented, “They made the decision in the blink of an eye and returned their inventory and although I now know they had to do it I was devastated, and it put me on the back foot, but they had to focus on their own line and I had to put it behind me and move on, fast!”
Harris spent 2 days scratching his head, wondering what to do before putting together a strategy that is turning his CreaseStream range into the makings of a global success story. His instincts kicked in and he set out to sell the returned machines at discount and made significantly more profit than he would have done if they had stayed with the reseller. That sparked off an initiative to target the USA end user prospects direct, working off a database they had already accumulated, and the sales came thick and fast.
The UK innovator offered substantial discounts and often implemented free shipping and articulated the figures in dollars to simplify the process. He then looked at their home market and Europe and have made around 40 sales in such a challenging economic situation, boosting profit along the way, turning around a potentially devastating situation.
Harris concludes, “dealers used to criticise us for making the CreaseStream products too low maintenance with our ‘built to last’ methodology, meaning service contracts weren’t an easy add on, and now this has worked in our favour. We send our solutions out in our excellent branded packaging with instant play video instruction and trouble-shooting tips. We stay close to the customers by offering support through telephone, Zoom or skype, if required. They understand the new world we live in and actually commend us on our innovative approach.”
In a world that is changing so fast, Harris believes that the strategies that made Tech-ni-Fold & CreaseStream so different will help them stand out in a business world during these uncertain times.
And as simplistic as it sounds, landing boxes on the doorsteps of customers almost anywhere in the world, with ready to go solutions, may be seen as a masterstroke move for other’s to learn from, before it’s too late.
www.creasestream.com
