It’s always good, especially around the holiday season, to give thanks for all our good fortunes and blessings. In a professional setting, I especially like to give thanks to those who have made my job more fulfilling, challenging, and successful. At the forefront of those whom I am always most grateful for are my customers. In this article I will describe some of the reasons why my colleagues and I treasure our customer relationships more and more each year.

The Relationship Journey

It can start out unexpectedly. It can start out awkwardly. It can start out perfectly. Whatever way the relationship starts, the end-goal is always the same – make the client more successful. The process typically starts by understanding the hopes and expectations of the customer. From there, Bastian Solutions' application engineers can tap into their vast array of project experience, engineering know-how, and integration partners to help develop a tailored solution to a problem at hand. Many times the customer doesn’t have a particular problem or project in mind. At this point, we can partner with them to evaluate their current production ability and recommend potential improvements that will improve their bottom line. The important aspect in all of this is that Bastian Solutions has numerous ways to bring value to a customer, and it is our job to make sure the customer knows what those options are.

Relationships are Hard Work

The customer must know they are being taken care of. This is why we attempt to be partners to our clients and not just sell to our clients. Success will result when the benefits are clearly demonstrated and the project is executed efficiently. Through the process we attempt to:

• Facilitate the process
• Be the client’s partner
• Understand and cater towards the client’s goals and requirements
• Identify and foresee design or logistical issues that may arise throughout the projects
• Provide quality recommendations and solutions
• Ensure the customer is left in a value-added state following the project’s completion
• Stay in touch with the customer and provide continued value

Continued Customer Service

When it comes to customer service, Bastian Solutions shines bright. While we have dedicated customer service teams that are on call upon system turnover, the continued service begins well before this team is brought on. The customer must be taken care of from that first unexpected/awkward/perfect interaction at the onset of the relationship. From that point on, Bastian Solutions clients can rest assured that they are in good hands…and I, for one, am thankful to have that responsibility.

Author: Matt Kohler