Defining success is not always as clear and concise as closing an equipment contract or for that matter a series of contracts, as we did this year at the BCMC. For Square 1 Design & Manufacture Inc., the BCMC 2016 was nothing short of a success.
All credit is given to our staff for preparing the equipment for what I would consider one of the best showings of my career. We offered to bring all staff members interested in attending. Again, this was a success. The comradery, the pride, and the amazement that I saw was unparalleled to anything that I’ve seen in the factory. Each individual was beaming with pride, believing the equipment they produced was superior to the competition.
Each achievement would be considered a tremendous success in it owns right. Yet for me, neither of these two individual circumstances defined success at the BCMC. My definition of success started about two months ago, and I distinctly remember the email as it caught me off guard. Although I would not be able to put it all together until the tradeshow. Square 1 Design completed an order last year that was nothing short of a catastrophe. The customer felt like it was a disaster and I felt like it was a calamity of mismanagement and mistakes. I understand every company has a project that they do not want discussed by anyone in the industry, this was that project. A project I thought would forever be an unrecoverable customer; meaning we would never have the opportunity to sell equipment to them again. I believe the customer tends to overlook late deliveries when the equipment functions perfectly out of the box. They never forget when equipment fails to perform! Regretfully, we rushed the equipment and we shipped early. This resulted in multiple onsite inspections, meetings, email communications well beyond normal and numerous phone calls. The process took months not weeks, complex engineering solutions, and the cooperation of the customer. The equipment has been in operation and functioning for over a year now. Upon my return from the BCMC, the one story I was eager tell my wife was regarding this customer. I believe the BCMC 2016 was a success for Square 1 Design because that same customer came to our booth, looked me in the eyes, and said “Thank You.” A relationship, at the time, I thought was unrecoverable. Three men stood in our booth and smiled. Those three men were there to inspect a machine that I quoted to the company President. I would like to thank the gentlemen in Kansas for stopping by our booth, I have the utmost respect for each of you. In my opinion, that relationship defines success.