Strong expertise wins in sub-Saharan Africa
In the tough sub-Saharan steel market, loyalty is not won by sitting behind a desk. Outokumpu reaches out with proactive knowledge-sharing from its Cape Town sales office.
Outokumpu’s sales team in Cape Town, South Africa handles stainless steel orders for the entire sub-Saharan region. Due to constant margin pressure, standing out from the competition can be challenging on this market.
“To become a preferred supplier, you have to be clearly different. In our case, we have industry knowledge and we want to reach out to customers with a long-term customer focus,” says Johan Karlsson, Outokumpu General Manager for sub-Saharan Africa.
Preferred speaking partner
The Outokumpu lean team is small but highly effective partner to companies involved in the design and material selection process. Outokumpu has two sales streams teams in South Africa, one focusing on projects and the other on distributors. Roughly 90 percent of orders come from South Africa, which is a highly project-dependent market.
“Since 2011 we have followed a structured plan to become the preferred speaking partner across the region, especially in the mining industry. We strive to genuinely support our customers by sharing quality information. We listen to what they need and deliver it flexibly – faster than others,” says Karlsson.
Way to make a difference
The team’s go-getting approach is clearly working: Sales have increased steadily and Outokumpu has an impressive reference base in the region.
“The only way to make a powerful difference in Africa is to build solid relationships based on proven expertise, integrity and active communication,” Johan states.
“To become a preferred supplier, you have to be clearly different. In our case, we have industry knowledge and we want to reach out to customers with a long-term customer focus,” says Johan Karlsson, Outokumpu General Manager for sub-Saharan Africa.
Preferred speaking partner
The Outokumpu lean team is small but highly effective partner to companies involved in the design and material selection process. Outokumpu has two sales streams teams in South Africa, one focusing on projects and the other on distributors. Roughly 90 percent of orders come from South Africa, which is a highly project-dependent market.
“Since 2011 we have followed a structured plan to become the preferred speaking partner across the region, especially in the mining industry. We strive to genuinely support our customers by sharing quality information. We listen to what they need and deliver it flexibly – faster than others,” says Karlsson.
Way to make a difference
The team’s go-getting approach is clearly working: Sales have increased steadily and Outokumpu has an impressive reference base in the region.
“The only way to make a powerful difference in Africa is to build solid relationships based on proven expertise, integrity and active communication,” Johan states.
Pubblicato dic 01, 2015