Customer partnerships driving growth

A multi-national company who we’ve worked very closely with on an integrated order system. 

Throughout 2018, Flowtechnology UK (FTUK) has developed a close working relationship with a multi-national company who provides business process outsourcing solutions for manufacturing, assembly and processing businesses.

Prior to 2018, the customer bought some products from FTUK, however only as a ‘non-preferred supplier’.  Through developing a relationship with the buying team, FTUK was able to qualify as a preferred supplier.  The process to achieve this status included exercises to provide pricing and supply information on several baskets of products, with each basket containing around 3000 individual product lines.

As a preferred supplier, FTUK is now included in an open enquires process, whereby product pricing enquiries are sent out to four suppliers at a time via an automated quotation system.  The supplier who provides the best combination of price and availability wins the order.  FTUK is also working closely with the business to support their buyers based at manufacturing sites. This ensures that they have access to the entire FTUK range, both through a Punch-Out order system and through a dedicated account manager.  In fact, they have even helped stores managers to set part numbers and organise the stores at an internationally recognised automotive manufacturing plant. 

It's not just ‘standard’ sales and product support which are proving to be such a success, FTUK also liaises with other businesses in the Flowtech Fluidpower Group (such as Hydravalve) and a worldwide network of suppliers, to provide access to over a million other products.  Whatever they need, FTUK can source it.  

Through this close collaboration, sales in 2018 have increased by £307,000 compared to 2017 and it’s anticipated that they will reach £1m over the next couple of years.