40 years
In 2017 we celebrate 40 years in business and already, in the blink of an eye, January is in the rear view mirror and we’re halfway through February. Any of those New Year’s resolutions holding up? Both personally and professionally, January represents that fresh start that allows you to reset and refocus on the coming 12 months. It’s funny though how your work can get in the way of, well, your work. Sometimes the day to day busy of taking calls, helping customers, preparing quotes and getting orders out the door while necessary can keep us from the things we should be doing.
We are halfway through our very trade show-centric 1st quarter, with 4 shows in 10 weeks to start the year. The amount of time that goes into all of the details related to exhibiting at a show is significant. Forgetting about the work done in the 8-12 months before the show, we pack the equipment for the trade show, make the pick-up date, fly to a city, unpack and set up the booth at the show, man the show, break down the booth, ship it home, fly home, catch up on the week you missed, get the stuff back from the show and start all over for the next one. The upside is getting the chance to visit with customers and prospects and get feedback (the good and the bad) on our equipment from existing customers. We also look for feedback from prospects on our equipment as well as what they currently use instead of Hydra-Tech equipment. Oh, and St Louis and Indianapolis are lovely this time of year, so there’s that upside too.
Once the dust clears on the trade shows in early March after ConExpo, we’ll catch our breath and begin to plan travel and training for the rest of the year, evaluate potential shows through the end of 2017 and begin working on those we’re committed to in 2018.
As we approach the end of 2016 everyone thinks about their New Year’s Resolutions. I’m going to lose weight. I’m going to go back to school. I’m going to be a better person. We all kick around the usual promises and hopefully make one or two stick. As a company we go through some of the same thought processes as it relates to our business and our customers, but on a year-round basis. 2016 has been a challenging year with oil and gas down, domestic mining suffering, and of course all of the fun leading up to (and following) our election in November. Many of our customers have suffered and we have suffered with them.
In 2017 Hydra-Tech Pumps will celebrate 40 years in business since Ken’s filled the first order in 1977 for some pumps and power units for the Peace Corps. Despite the challenges in 2016 we worked throughout the year on a number of things that will ultimately benefit our customers. This perpetual review of everything we do covers the mundane daily administrative tasks all of the way up to which trade shows we participate in and where our sales travel should take us. It is never easy and ever evolving – one particular subject this year was addressed, debated and discussed, and ultimately improved 4 different times between February and this week until we think we got it fine-tuned to where we want it – again with the benefit of the customer in mind during the entire process.
We constantly look at collateral to insure that it is accurate for our customers. Our website was completely redesigned and launched in April with new enhancements like our chat feature. There have been constant improvements made to the new website since its launch as well. Our spec sheets have been reviewed and updated this year. We re-run pump tests to insure that our pump curves are accurate and have begun working with an outside source to certify our curves. In 2017 we will have a brand new catalog available.
So as far as New Year’s Resolutions go, here’s what you can expect from Hydra-Tech Pumps in 2017. We will continue to work hard to earn and keep your business by trying to continually improve as a company to try and exceed your customer service expectations. We will celebrate 40 years of existence. We might not lose weight. Happy New Year to you and Cheers to a happy, healthy, and successful 2017!