Go and have a cuppa, it's good for business

Thom Bate,
Van Leeuwen Ltd., Brierley Hill

A long time ago, a customer once told me they see their suppliers as an extension of their purchasing team. That always stuck with me and it’s something I often reiterate to our sales people: get as close as possible to everyone that is affected by our services or our supply. In this blog I will explain why this is so important.

In my role as commercial manager I develop strategies to expand our business and instruct the commercial teams in the field. An important aspect of that is the way we approach our customers. They can range anywhere from large multinationals, to small accounts who order a few thousand pounds worth of tubes each year. The differences in, for instance, scale and budget within this wide range means we use different strategies for each customer. However, a strategy is only successful when it answers to the needs of your customers. And the only way to do that, is by getting to know them.

Get away from the computer screen

Although we live in an age of faceless trading through e-mail and web shops, we decided to rely on building personal relations with our customers. So instead of simply reading and replying to e-mails, we set ourselves apart from our competition by putting extra time and effort in getting to know the people, rather than just focusing on the business side of things. While e-mails are fine for confirming orders, we encourage our sales team to pick up the phone as much as possible and hit the road to contact customers and potential customers. The end goal of course being maximizing our growth, but we want to achieve that by building a strong connection and by giving our customers the feeling that we know them and we understand what they need to grow their business. What we really want, in other words, is our customer’s trust.

Trust is key

Strong customer relations based on trust are important to all parties involved. Whenever there are any issues, like a late delivery or a customer forgot to order something, our customers know they can rely on the person at the sales desk to spring into action and do whatever possible to solve the problem. For example, recently one of our customers was waiting for an urgent delivery. Our manufacturer, who is based in Spain, seemed to be running late, so we decided to step in. We arranged a special vehicle to transport the materials from Spain to the UK and, instead of going through our warehouse, we had the materials delivered straight to the customer’s door. This saved valuable time in offloading and reloading at the warehouse.

Having a look around

At the same time, face-to-face meetings often offer us many business opportunities. Our sales people are often shown around the operations, which leads to insights they wouldn’t have had through e-mail. This of course gives us the opportunity to spot other areas where we might be able to help with business, like spotting bottlenecks or saving costs by offering added value or different services. In doing so, we can also get in touch with contacts we’ve not met before. I feel that these business opportunities are the direct pay-off from having strong relationships with customers. After all, from the customer’s perspective it requires a certain amount of trust to allow a supplier to help them in all those different areas.

The people make the difference

Of course, building a good relationship with customers starts on our end. The people on the road are the ones to initiate and maintain these relationships. This also touches on the reason why I started to work for Van Leeuwen in the first place. Although it’s a multinational corporation with a very professional way of doing business, it’s still a family business at heart. Among other things, it means that its people are considered its greatest assets, so our commercial teams get all the tools, support and training that they need to be the best at what they do. At the end of the day if you allow your people to grow, then so too will your business.

Information

Locations

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Lindtsedijk 120
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
Plan route
Phone: +31 78 6252525
E-mail: vlptg@vanleeuwen.nl
Lindtsedijk 100
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
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Phone: (078) 625 25 25
Fax: (078) 625 20 20
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.nl
Industrieweg 26
4153 BW Beesd
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Phone: +31 345 687777
Fax: +31 345 683304
E-mail: sales.stainless@vanleeuwen.nl
Hamburgweg 6
7418 ES Deventer
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Phone: +31 570 500700
Fax: +31 570 500777
E-mail: info-precisie@vanleeuwen.nl
Lindtsedijk 100
3336 LE Zwijndrecht
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Phone: +31 78 6293340
Fax: +31 78 6293350
E-mail: sales@teulingstaal.nl
Ettenseweg 7b
7071 AA Ulft
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Phone: +31315236884
E-mail: ulft@vanleeuwen.nl
Schaarbeeklei 189
1800 Vilvoorde, België
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Phone: +32 225 54000
Schlütershof 30
47059 Duisburg
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Phone: +49 203 99340
Berner Str. 38
60437 Frankfurt am Main
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Phone: +49 69 904322-0
E-mail: Distribution.frankfurt@vanleeuwen.de
Industriestrasse 21
71665 Vaihingen/Enz
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Phone: +49 7042 101-0
Fax: +49 7042 101-55201
E-mail: distribution.vaihingen@vanleeuwen.de
Chemnitzer Straße 8
14612 Falkensee
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Phone: +49 3322 277-0
Fax: +49 69 904322 110
E-mail: distribution.berlin@vanleeuwen.de
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 29
04103 Leipzig
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Phone: +49 341 - 231037 0
Fax: +49 341 231 07 720
E-mail: Distribution.leipzig@vanleeuwen.de
Havellandstrasse 10-14
68309 Mannheim
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Phone: +49 621 3940
Fax: +49 621 394-255
E-mail: Distribution.mannheim@vanleeuwen.de
Am Moosfeld 26
81829 München
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Phone: +49 89 78046-0
Fax: +49 8978099-13
E-mail: Distribution.muenchen@vanleeuwen.de
Heisenbergerstr. 17A
33104 Paderborn
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Phone: +49 172 2901748
Hammerbrookstraße 92
20097 Hamburg
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Phone: +49 40 600384-0
E-mail: Distribution.duisburg@vanleeuwen.de
Grugaplatz 2
45131 Essen
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Perfektastrasse 69
1230 Wien
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Phone: +43 19346222-0
2, Avenue des Pays-Bas
69881 Meyzieu (Lyon)
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Phone: +33 4 72 451515
Fax: +33 4 72 451520
E-mail: vlfrance@vanleeuwen.fr
32, rue de Mogador
75009 Paris
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The Deckhouse, The Waterfront, West Midlands
DY5 1LW Brierley Hill
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Phone: +44 (0)1384 487600
Fax: +44 (0)1384 487619
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Brunel Road, Skippers Lane Industrial Estate
TS6 6JA Middlesbrough
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Phone: +44 (0)1642 056450
Fax: +44 (0)1642 457914
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Crompton Way, Bolton
BL1 8TY Lancs
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Phone: +44 1204 301 611
E-mail: sales.vluk@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Unit 1A, Rotunda Business Centre, Thorncliffe Park
S35 2PG Chapletown, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
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Phone: +44 (0)114 2577577
Fax: +44 (0)114 2570639
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Amstrong Road, Daneshill industrial Estate
RG24 8NU Basingstoke
Plan route
Phone: +44 1256 811 121
E-mail: sales.vluk@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Tullow Industrial Estate
Bunclody Road Co. Carlow, Tullow
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Phone: +353 (0)59 9181120
Fax: +353 (0)59 9181124
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.co.uk
Via Leonardo Da Vinci 97
20090 Trezzano sul Naviglio MI
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Kratka 753/3b
682 01 Vyskov
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Phone: +420 515 532 201
Fax: +420 515 532 200
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
Průmyslová 1666
263 01 Dobříš
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Phone: +420 318 533 420
Fax: +420 318 533 450
E-mail: info.production@vanleeuwen.cz
Areal ATPED, Na Brne 1972
500 06 Hradec Kralove
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Phone: +420(0)491610010
Fax: +420(0)491610199
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
Nabrezi Dr.Edvarda Benese 20
75002 Prerov
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Phone: +420 585 312 764
E-mail: info.production@vanleeuwen.cz
Jurajov Dvor 523
925 28 Pusté Úľany
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Phone: +421 31 7711 500
E-mail: vlp_info@vanleeuwen.sk
Mikovíniho 4
91701 Trnava
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Phone: +420 491 610 081-2
Fax: +420 515 532 200
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.cz
ul. Roździeńskiego 17
41303 Dąbrowa Górnicza
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Phone: +48 32 765 36 00
E-mail: distribution.poland@vanleeuwen.pl
Otiski Vrh 25A
2373 Šentjanž pri Dravogradu
Plan route
Phone: +386 2 878 78 52
Fax: +386 2 87 87 860
Lörinci ut 139
2220 Vecsés
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Phone: +36 29 889 190
Fax: +36 29 889 191
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.hu
Rodūnios kelias str. 11
LT-02189 Vilnius
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Phone: +370.523.204.51
E-mail: vytautas.kausas@vanleeuwen.eu
17 C.A. Rosseti Str.
020011 Bucharest
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Phone: +40 372 499 330
Fax: +40 372 499 319
E-mail: sales.romania@vanleeuwen.ro
Soseaua Draganesti, nr 32
230119 Slatina
Plan route
Phone: +40 372 499 330
Fax: +40 372 499 319
E-mail: info.romania@vanleeuwen.ro
TOSB Otomotiv Yan Sanayi İhtisas Organize Sanayi Bölgesi
1.Cadde, 15. Sokak, No:12, 41420 Şekerpınar-Çayırova, Kocaeli
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Phone: +902627230200
Fax: +90262 658 98 01
131, Zelena str.
79035 Lviv
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95-113 Lee Holm Road
NSW 2760 St. Mary´s
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Phone: +61 2 9896 1111
16 General Macarthur Place
Queensland 4301 Redbank
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Phone: +61-7-3413 8200
Fax: +61-7-3381 9591
E-mail: vlbrisb@vanleeuwen.com.au
1/82 Greens Road
Victoria 3175 Dandenong South
Plan route
Phone: +61-3-9701 3999
Fax: +61-3-9706 7588
E-mail: vlmelb@vanleeuwen.com.au
31 - 35 Vulcan road
W.A. 6155 Canning Vale
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Phone: +61-8-9455 2882
Fax: +61-8-9455 2828
E-mail: vlperth@vanleeuwen.com.au
Unit 1 lot 261 Schumacher Road
SA 5013 Wingfield
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Phone: +61-8-7002 5100
Fax: +61-8-7002 5111
E-mail: vladel@vanleeuwen.com.au
4, Pioneer Place
627893 Singapore
Plan route
Phone: +65 68979301
Fax: +65 68979318
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.sg
No 3, Lot 5, Jalan I Park 1/1
Kawasan Perindustrian I Park 81000 Bandar Indahpura
Plan route
Phone: +60 766 060 76
Fax: +60 766 066 07
Suite 11-02, Level 11, Menara IGB, The Boulevard, Lingkaran Syed Putra
59200 Kuala Lumpur
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Phone: +60 (0)322873358
Fax: +60 (0)322845771
E-mail: malaysia@vanleeuwen.com.sg
Chonburi Industrial Estate (Bo-Win) 341 Moo 6 Highway no. 331 KM 91 District Bo-Win Amphur Sri Racha
20230 Chonburi Province
Plan route
Phone: +66 (0)38345765 or 66
Fax: +66 (0)38345247
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.sg
25 Alma Link Building, 10th Floor, Soi Chidlom, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan
10330 Bangkok
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Graha Pratama Building, Floor 14, Jl. M.T. Haryono Kav. 15
12810 Jakarta
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Intiland Tower 3rd Floor, Service Office Suite 02, Jalan Panglima Sudirman 101-103
60271 East Java
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Room 1708, You You International Plaza, 76 Pu Jian Road, Pudong New District
200127 Shanghai
Plan route
Phone: +86 (0)2158311866
Fax: +86 (0)2158311900
E-mail: info@vanleeuwen.com.cn
Qiao Bei Xin Rui 3rd Floor, Rm 311, No 10 Jintang Road, Dongli District
Postal 300301 Tianjin
Plan route
Phone: +86 22 84878680
OilField Supply Center, Exec-03
P.O. Box 261145 Dubai - UAE
Plan route
Phone: +971 4 8833872
Fax: +971 4 8837974
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Al Ghaith Tower - Office #1202, Hamdan Street
P.O. Box 47144 Abu Dhabi
Plan route
Phone: +971 (0)26271840
Fax: +971 (0)26271244
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.ae
Prince Sultan St, Qurtoba Sehamiya Tower, Office 602
Al-Khobar 31952
Plan route
Phone: +966 1 3 845 4438
Fax: +966 1 3 845 4439
E-mail: sales@ubsco-piping.com
West Bay, Palm Tower 2
Suite 3003 Doha
Plan route
Phone: +974(0)97444533150
Fax: +974(0)97444533101
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Building No. 1060, Plot No. 15, Way No 3709
South Ghubra, P.O. Box 835, PC 115 Muscat
Plan route
Phone: +968 2450 5524
Fax: +968 2448 3832
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
Block No. 2, Plot No. 284
Al Ardiya Industrial Area, P.O. Box 4819 13049 Safat
Plan route
Phone: +965 2225 4545
Fax: +965 2434 4610
E-mail: process@vanleeuwengulf.ae
2875 - 64th Avenue
T6P 1R1 Edmonton Alberta
Plan route
Phone: +1 (0)780469 7410
Fax: +1 (0)780466 5970
E-mail: sales@vanleeuwen.com
1225 North Loop West, Ste. 810
Texas 77008 Houston
Plan route
Phone: +1 281582 3150
Fax: +1 281582 3151
E-mail: usa@vanleeuwen.com
Olofsdalsvägen 32, Box 101
SE-30104 Halmstad
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Phone: +46.70.64.10.122
Koesmosevej 48-58
5500 Middelfart
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Münchwilerstrasse 37
CH-9554 Tägerschen
Plan route
Phone: +41719299393
E-mail: info@kindlimann.ch
Avenue des Baumettes 3
1020 Renens
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15 route de Merville
27320 La Madeleine de Nonancourt
Plan route
Phone: +33 2 32 58 01 54
Fax: +33 2 32 58 16 60
E-mail: distribution.france@normydro.com
Luchthavenlaan 4
1800 Vilvoorde
Plan route
De Limiet 15
4131 NR Vianen
Plan route
Phone: +31 (0)347 361911
Fax: +31 (0)347 361730
E-mail: info@combulex.nl

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Go and have a cuppa, it's good for business

Get away from the computer screen

Trust is key

Having a look around

The people make the difference

Information

Locations

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