1) What customer expects us ?
IDEA : My opinion that customer expect us the delivery on time with cheapest price.
As for quality, customer already know that our products are high quality (No need to focus in Quality).
As for the cheapest price, we can do someone for cheapest price, but we can not cover all such as our import products can not compete with local products.
As for the delivery on time, we try to meet the customer delivery requirement smoothly as best as possible.
But, sometime we can not meet them, due to lack of preparation such as follows ;
- Lack of material.
Some material located at Bangpoo, Rayong has no material, in urgent case we have to arrange it to Rayong.
Some material located at Rayong, Bangpoo has no material, if customer located at BKK, we have to arrange back to Bangpoo and arrange to KTE’s warehouse again.
Remark : We should consider about the transportation cost when we arrange form Bangpoo to Rayong or Rayong to Bangpoo.
- Lack of Machine.
1 Cutting Machine located at Rayong.
So many cutting gaskets jobs arrange to Rayong to cut by Cutting Machine and arrange back to Bangpoo always. So it’s take a time to arrange form Rayong to Bangpoo, also the transportation Cost to arrange back should be considered.
2 Lazer Machine located at Bangpoo / Lathe Machine for Small sizing located at Bangpoo.
But, Blending Machine for metalic located at Rayong / Lathe Machine for Big sizing located at Rayong.
It’s not so good to sperate machine Rayong and Bangpoo. If the order require the small sizes and big sizes together with urgently, that’s mean it’s take a time to arrange form Rayong to Bangpoo or Bangpoo to Rayong, because of Machines are difference location, also the transportation cost to arrange must be occurred.
2) Which field is better ?
IDEA : My opinion that Rayong field is better for Gaskets, because of so many customers (Petrochemicals/Refinery) are located at Rayong.
But, our market share are not so high, because the competition at Rayong are very intensive.
The customers at Rayong already have their existing suppliers/venders, it’s very difficult to replace our products, even if their existing suppliers/venders still provide the good services. No meaning to change the suppliers/venders, it’s waste of time change.
If their existing suppliers/venders are mistake, it will be high chance for us to replace.
In case of our price are attraction, it will be our chance to replace ensure.
3 How can you make idea ?
IDEA : Gaskets Market are very tuff/ intensive. It’s like RED OCEAN.
Find out the BLUE OCEAN is another idea to increase the Sale figures.
The emphasis is on getting into a market where there is no competition rather than trying to beat a competitors product.
How to make the BLUE OCEAN in same market (Gaskets) ?
1. Low cost leadership -> Review and Analyze all costs for Sale Process (Products/Transportation/Others).
Eliminate some waste to reduce our cost of Sale. If our cost can be downed, we have the space for price strategy. Also our profit will be gained.
2. Differentiation -> Make our differentiation are into the market, it may take a time, but it’s challenge to do.
Example ;
- One Stop service : Sale everyting are in 1 package (Same Kawamura-san’s idea).
- Sale with Service after Sale.
Trainning : How to use gaskets trainning / Technical trainning.
Trouble shooting team to solve the problem at customer side.
- Service with Delivery within 24 hours (May be same Master Pac).
- Shutdown maintainance solution (Provide Gaskets + Maintaince service), it seems be very hard for us.
3. Customer relationship -> Due to we have KTE for Distributor, So the customer relationship will be KTE’s responsibility.
But, we have increased the direct sale, it’s our next step to build/create the relationship with customers (Not through KTE).
The relationship is importance to penetrate the market share and sale figures, it’s like our growth in the future.
If we will make the BLUE OCEAN in new market (Valve/Lining Tank/Expanison Joint/Flexible Joint), it will be another story.