Davis Controls Ltd. - Understanding Our Customers

Understanding our customers business as well as their application is important to the success of our relationship.  Then using that knowledge to provide him or her with the best possible solution is our mission.  We do our best to make sure that every proposal that we make, positively affects our customer’s bottom line, by providing reliable, high quality, technical solutions.

 When our sales reps realize that the majority of customers first choose who to buy from before deciding on what to buy and that the power of their influence has less to do with content and more to do with context and their listening and questioning skills, they become less focused on pitching Features and Benefits and more determined to ask the right questions, listen carefully and understand the problem from the customers point of view.

With all of the above in mind, we recently employed Tangent Knowledge Systems to conduct a two day Sales Training seminar entitled “Selling has Nothing to do with Selling”.  What appealed to me was that Tangent promotes a neutral, non-selling posture that requires the salesperson to have a deep and thorough understanding of the customer's business, problems and compelling reasons to change.

Included among the long list of topics discussed were;

·         Poor prospecting skills that stunt sales growth

·         Lack of a systematic sales process, resulting in poor pipeline management and unpredictable forecasting

·         Wasteful follow up, quoting and proposing techniques that lead to long sales cycles and higher costs of sales

·         Sales people causing their own frustration by wasting time, information and resources due to improper account qualification.

·         Salespeople's inability to call at higher levels and to locate true decision makers, causing lost opportunities and sales.

·         Inability to truly differentiate one's offering, causing commoditization and erosion of margins.

·         Salespeople selling transactionally instead of strategically, causing higher acquisition costs and bad deals.

Time will tell if this coaching exercise will lead to enough behaviour modification to improve individual performance and differentiate Davis Controls from our competition.

                                                                           www.daviscontrols.com

Davis Controls Ltd. - "The Magic Bullet"

And while prestigious performance awards from suppliers and the positive message of appreciation for outstanding results that they convey are an important prize for any Industrial Distributor or Application Service Provider to receive, they are not easily earned or casually conferred.  They are the official, ceremonial recognition of months of determined preparation, application engineering, demonstration, solution selling, negotiation, perseverance and success.

But if you were to ask me, or even better, a Customer...Why did we win the order?... What set us apart ?...  What was different enough about us to convince the consulting engineer to specify us or the customer to buy from us?  What answer would we get?  I am pretty sure that in most cases, it would not be “PRICE”....at least I hope it would not be.

Under ideal circumstances, we need a strong economy and healthy target industries that are growing and spending money, but these alone do not guarantee Davis the sale.  So WHY US?  What is our differentiator?  Do we even have one?

I heard a speaker recently who insisted that we paint ourselves into ‘Commodity Corner’ if we think that any of the following elements are what make us special;

Great Customer Service: Who doesn’t lay claim to great customer service, whether it’s true or not

Quality:  We have quality products that will do the job, but so do many of our competitors

Our Reputation / Our Brand: - Of course this is important.  We could not even open our doors day after day if Davis Controls had a bad reputation, but how much business does this win?

Good Results: If we didn’t produce good results, we wouldn’t even be here

Our Employees / Our People / Our Team:  Once again, who doesn’t say this?

Expertise:  Everyone says “We have Trained and Knowledgeable sales reps”.  I would be the first to insist that Product knowledge is critical...and we do our best to provide training where needed, but surely this must be presumed by every customer

Consistent and Reliable: This is where I can put in a plug for Macola and e-Synergy and our CRM and BAM software.  These tools help us to be consistent and reliable quickly, but these are only tools

We are Responsive...at least I hope we are

We are Innovative…at least I am told we are

Customers Trust us / They have a Relationship with us 

All of these traits and characteristics of a corporate formula for success are essential and I am convinced that we do them all pretty well, but they are also expected by our customers.  Collectively, they represent the minimum requirements to even be in the game.  Everybody else is laying claim to these ‘unique differentiators’ too. They have become a punch line and when we say them, we sound the same as everyone else.

When I heard this entire list of ‘essentials’ disqualified as being “too essential” to every business to be claimed by any one business as their differentiator, at first I thought, ‘WOW, that’s right.  We need to identify and capitalize on something that is so different and uniquely ours that it sets us apart from everyone else’.

When I heard the same argument a second time, I thought, ‘it’s compelling, but something is just NOT right with the premise’.  A winning combination of all of these things must surely create a competitive advantage.

When I heard these ten important corporate attributes dismissed as commodities for the third time, I realized what I didn’t agree with.  Sure everyone claims to be uniquely expert in some or all of these areas, but the truth is; they can’t all be.  Everyone has products, some are better than others.  Everyone provides a service; some do it better than others.  Everyone has a reputation – again, some are better than others, but the real flaw in the argument is the suggestion that good people are commodities.  In the same way that weak, unskilled, untrained, unmotivated people are corporate liabilities, good people with superior skills and strong values can and do make all the difference.

The ‘Magic Bullet’ is the people. It has to be!  They cannot be dismissed.

And just as important as having good people, is having time with good prospects.  There is never enough time.  We don’t have enough of it and neither does our customer.  Success begins with successfully arranging for a customer to see us and ends by making the most with the time we are granted.  Once we have been given a sales opportunity, we can’t afford to waste it with an ineffective or unproductive presentation.

                                              
                                                                 www.daviscontrols.com

Davis Controls Ltd - How's Business?

It may be due to the general state of the economy, or possibly it’s out of a genuine concern about our corporate health, that I am often asked the question “How’s business?”…. and I’m always very pleased to answer honestly, “It’s never been better”.  For the last 3 years, while the economy has been weak and uncertain, Davis Controls has been on a bit of a roll, posting robust growth and solid profitability and so far this year, we appear to be on that same trajectory.

Sales are up in most territories for nearly all of our Product lines, and several of our important suppliers have seen fit to officially recognize our performance by awarding us their most important prize for sales excellence.  We proudly display these attractive plaques in our lobby for all to see.

2010 Awards

Gems Sensors: The ‘A CUT ABOVE’ Award for the Channel Partner who demonstrated the Highest
   Sales Performance

Danfoss:  The ‘ACHIEVEMENT IN EXCELLENCE AWARD’ for Outstanding Sales Performance

Eurotherm: For ‘EXCEPTIONAL SALES VOLUME and EXCEEDING SALES   QUOTA’

2011 Awards

Gems Sensors: The ‘A CUT ABOVE’ Award for the Channel Partner who demonstrated the Highest Sales Performance

Danfoss: The ‘ACHIEVEMENT IN EXCELLENCE AWARD’ for Outstanding  Sales Performance

Gems Sensors: The ‘KINECTIC GROWTH’ Award (Sales) for the Channel Partner who   demonstrated the Highest Year Over Year Dollar Growth

 Acromag:  The ‘OUTSTANDING SALES ACHIEVEMENT AWARD’ in Recognition of
                    Sales Achievements for the Process Instrumentation Group, Resulting in Outstanding
                    Territorial Sales Growth

These honours are very special to us, since they demonstrate clear confirmation that our efforts are not only appreciated by our suppliers, but that our strong results continue to distinguish us among their other successful partners in the channel.  With a bit of luck, we should be able to add two or three more suppliers to our ‘Wall of Distinction’ this year.

                                                                    www.daviscontrols.com

Davis Controls Ltd. - Toronto Hydro - Creating Efficiency Through Technology

 Davis Controls Ltd. has recently achieved qualified Applicant Representative (AR) status with Toronto Hydro.  This status allows us to submit Retrofit Program applications on behalf of customers of ours that wish to earn cash rebates through the implementation of energy efficiency improvement projects that will result in demand savings.  For us to assist with applications, the project would have to take advantage of the cost reduction features of Danfoss Variable Frequency Drives or Baldor premium efficiency motors, both of which would qualify for a rebate.

For many business owners, capital costs prove to be the primary barrier to investing and participating in a retrofit project.  The Toronto Hydro ‘Save-On-Energy’ retrofit program addresses this barrier head on and makes it possible for you to install and benefit from the newer, more energy efficient technologies that we can supply.  The retrofit program provides substantial incentives for replacing inefficient existing equipment with high efficiency equipment and for installing new control systems that will improve the efficiency of your operational procedures and processes.  Helping you get your project under way is our priority.  We will work with you on your quick pre-approval process so that your project can move ahead as soon as possible.

Other cost effective strategies available from Davis Controls, include the innovative RTU products for automation, asset management and SCADA system applications manufactured by CSE-Semaphore. Today’s SCADA systems address an ever-expanding scope of applications, from remote asset monitoring to distributed process automation, from a single point to thousands of points. To provide the most cost-effective possible solution across all applications, only Semaphore offers a choice of network architectures.

A decentralized architecture is best for remote asset monitoring, process automation and metering. Remote locations often lack infrastructure for power and installation and must minimize communications costs on public networks.  Semaphore’s T-BOX line combines alarm notification, data logging, integral web server, IP telemetry and programmable automation in a single, rugged package that is perfect for decentralized applications. T-BOX offers up to 50% less total installed cost per point versus traditional SCADA and PLC systems.
Call us so that we can learn what you are trying to do and make recommendations on the best, most cost effective way to do it.

 

                                                                                 www.daviscontrols.com

Davis Controls Ltd. - The Synergy Of People And Technology

It’s one thing to have all of the sophisticated business activity monitoring (BAM) tools necessary to compete in this age of instant, online information, but it’s even more important to have the right people, trained, motivated and willing to use them.  Acceptance and buy-in come easier for some than for others and it is certainly not automatic.  It would be a mistake to assume that just because you purchase and implement a new piece of BAM or CRM or Workflow software, that everyone is going to immediately buy in to your vision for real time access to an open, enterprise wide platform for the exchange of business critical information.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that our early adoption of business critical software solutions has enhanced the experience for customers and suppliers working with us and it has significantly improved our financial results through increased efficiencies and cost reductions.

I credit our dedicated staff with understanding our corporate direction and embracing our IT selections.  I believe that the key to our success, the key to any success, is the people involved in the process.  You may be surprised to learn that the longest serving twenty employees of Davis Controls have a combined total of more than 400 years of experience with Davis Controls.  That’s an average of more than 20 years each.  This group includes all of our key operations specialists, department heads and managers and this important combination of knowledge and experience gives us the confidence to try new things early and the expertise to do the old things faster and better.


Davis Controls is in the business of delivering high tech control solutions to automation and process engineers as we partner to address the challenges of optimizing production, throughput and profit through the application of reliable products, technical support and expert advice.  We are not in the IT business; however, we do rely on cutting edge business technology tools to help us deliver fast and efficient customer service and to create the positive customer experience that we have a reputation for.

On a daily basis, we use sophisticated ERP, CRM, HRM and BAM tools while we solve complicated level, flow, pressure and control problems in applications ranging from Process Control to Environmental Safety.  Whether you need a switch or a sensor, a simple I/O expansion or a complete packaged solution, we have the products, the people and the infrastructure to provide you with the best possible solution, with products from global leaders including;
Gems Sensors  Danfoss Drives      LSIS
Flowline            CSE-Semaphore   WAGO
Acromag           Indusoft SCADA    Nematron
Eurotherm         Parker/Balston      Baldor Motors
Arjay                 GPI                        MTS

 

www.daviscontrols.com

Davis Controls Ltd. - Embracing Technology For Success

Great businesses rely on great people and great products and in this respect, Davis Controls Ltd. is no different from many other successful companies.   However, in order to survive the competitive business environment of the 21st century, truly successful companies also need high performance technology tools to optimize efficiencies and maximize ROI.  We spend a lot of our time trying to identify what mix of e-business strategies will strengthen our organization and to that end, we are currently exploring social networking as a new tool in our communication plan.  We believe that we understand the core competency of our company and we invest considerable time, energy and resources into building relationships that put us close to customers, so that we might better understand their needs.  To ensure continued growth and improve competitive advantage, executive officers are now obliged to weigh the advantages of new e-business propositions, against the traditional business models that got us here in the first place.  If anyone had told me three years ago that I would be writing a blog as a component of our corporate communications platform, I would have said they were nuts... and yet, here I am, blogging.

The magic of the Internet is that to create the most value today, companies no longer need to have the biggest factories, or the most people, or the most money, or the fanciest offices.  Smaller and smaller groups of talented people with a passionate commitment to a set of good ideas can do bigger and better things.  Business owners in this new economy are challenged with the notion that their job, and the job of their colleagues, is not to out-hustle the competition, but to out-think them, maybe even out-communicate them.  That means generating better ideas and creating faster fixes and feedback, more efficiently than anyone else.

Consequently, we have customer information and operational data from multiple sources flowing in with ever increasing volume and speed.  We have found web based business process management tools, with their rapid search and retrieval functions, to be an effective way to assimilate and integrate this sea of customer data, from which we derive insights and advantages that make up our competitive edge.  These insights include a deeper understanding of customer and partner relationships and key performance indicators.  This information must be complete, instantly visible in real time and available to everyone in the entire enterprise.

Davis Controls employs web portal technology that has been enriched with knowledge management and collaborative tools, including e-HRM, e-Logistics, e-CRM, e-Workflow, e-Documents, e-Project, e-Financials and expert search technologies.  We use the Internet to communicate all corporate information relating to customers, products and employees, including documents, news and correspondence.  Integrated with our ERP and CRM, the HRM, SCM and document management systems coordinate information from all departments into one multi-functional browser-based database, further improving information access and exchange.  The one-time recording of data in context, by the employee directly involved, links relevant data to all of the people, products, customers, suppliers, workflows and financial transactions concerned.  This empowers everyone in the company to deliver better, more complete service and faster response.  Integrating E-business applications with back office systems provides a scalable and flexible infrastructure that is less costly to manage and more seamless to use.

Integrated Event-Management software provides our management team with instantaneous access to sales results by representative and by territory, current accounts payable and receivable details, cash receipts, open quotes, closed quotes through a win/loss analysis and a host of other important information required to make informed decisions and to respond immediately.

Success is measured in efficiency and productivity.  Certain other benchmarks, like planning and workflow activities, number of documents created, projects registered, orders entered by sales rep and several other physical measurements are possible and we do them; however, the final test for enterprise-wide buy-in is always whether or not the investment has resulted in improved productivity.  At Davis we make the case that the e-workplace environment and how easy we are to do business with, make up an essential piece of our value proposition.  These collective capabilities help to make Davis Controls more attractive to buyers of industrial instrumentation looking for reliable solutions to real world problems, as well as to manufacturers of industrial instrumentation looking for a new channel, or a better channel.  It seems that ‘How we do it’ has become as important as ‘What we do’.

   

     

www.daviscontrols.com

Davis Controls Ltd. - After the War

Continuing with the historical timeline of Davis Controls Ltd., during W.W. II, in addition to the promotion and sale of the industrial lines represented at the time, the company supplemented industrial sales with repair work for the Royal Canadian Air Force.  It was during this period that the company incorporated.  Shortly after the war, Davis opened an office in Montreal and then another in Winnipeg in 1955.

The familiar “Automatic Watchdog” logo, which has been with the company in one way or another since day one, was initially developed in two forms.  Both were graphical representations of a Great Dane, one in the form of the whole dog and the second depicting the head of a Great Dane in a two ringed circle.  The space between the rings of the circle enclosed the words “Automatic Watchdog Controls”.  Mr. Davis recorded at the time that research conducted on successful advertising campaigns of the day revealed that domestic animals were second only to children in public appeal.  Mr. Davis elected to associate the “impressive” stature of the Great Dane with the ‘Automatic Watchdog’ monitoring and control function of the instruments represented by the company.   Over time, the company, our people and our products became synonymous with our role and responsibility as ‘Watchdog’ over the Instrumentation and Control requirements of Canadian industry. The rest, as they say, is history.

Ten years ago, to celebrate seventy years of strong and proud service to our customers from coast to coast, we organized an entire advertising campaign around the mascot in our logo, returning the enduring and ever watchful Great Dane in a form similar to its earliest design.  This powerful symbol of our continuing commitment to:

·         Expert application advice

·         Reliable service and technical support

·         State-of-the-art products

as well as the original ‘Watchdog’ mission of the company, is a constant reminder to our staff of the responsibility being entrusted to us with each and every inquiry.  We take pride in the fact that our customers rely on our application advice and technical recommendations and continue to place their trust in Davis Controls Limited, just like they have been doing for the past eighty years.

The very first product line represented by Davis Automatic Controls was Automatic Switch Company (ASCO).  Since day one, the company has been active in the fields of timing, counting, programmable control; liquid and solid level control; pressure and temperature control; solenoid valves and flow control; motor control and other specialized areas of control and automation.  Among the other very early products distributed by the company were Alco (refrigeration valves), Mercoid (pressure & level switches), Honeywell, Robertshaw and General Controls.

Davis Controls continues to represent a strong and balanced portfolio of world class products that deliver reliable and cost effective solutions to the Process Engineer looking for a level, flow, pressure or analysis solution, as well as to the manager of a factory automation project looking for programmable or discrete control of an automated operation.  Davis Controls offers quality solutions for all sectors of Canadian industry, including water & wastewater treatment, power generation, food and beverage processing as well as to the manufacturing community, including automotive assembly, suppliers of automotive systems, components and modules, packaging machinery, food and beverage equipment and of course, where we first began, boiler controls.

                                                   Davis Controls Building (1948-1952)

      

www.daviscontrols.com