Like many businesses and other organisations, the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the sales and marketing admin team directing more effort at alternative markets for extra business.
Although sales to the worldwide marine industry are healthy and remain profitable, they are still down slightly on 2019 and there is spare capacity within the Solar Solve facility. Everyone has now returned to working from the headquarters in South Shields. Options are being exercised to build up a presence in other sectors that have been supplied in the past. They are being re-explored with great effort, enthusiasm and excitement.
This is because Solar Solve’s marketing methods and strategies have been redefined and updated. The results have not just been encouraging, they have been amazing.
John Lightfoot MBE, company chairman, explains, “We know that because of Covid-19, the number of regular enquiries from the global marine industry have been almost halved, since shut-down. However, total enquiries from all sectors have reduced only slightly and we are experiencing a much higher conversion rate into actual orders from the new customers and sectors. We are enjoying a similar situation with marine enquiries and a much higher conversion rate than in the past.”
Enquiries from air traffic control towers all over the world have increased. It is assumed they must be taking the opportunity to upgrade facilities whilst things are quiet and they are expecting everything is going to return to normal at some point.
Another sector being built up is Heavy Equipment, Earth Moving, Crushing, Mining Machines and Bucket Wheel Excavators. Anything that has a drivers cab with windows and works out in the open is a potential location for SOLASOLV roller sunscreens, to improve an operators working environment.
The company also recently received a big order to refurbish solar sunscreens, which they are very happy to do. It’s not something they are asked to do very often, probably because customers are unaware they offer the service. Brand new replacement screens are always the best value-over-time but when money is tight, renovating can be the answer.
John closed with the motivational comment, “Solar Solve is a significant exporting company and the world continues to be our oyster.”
