This monthly newsletter gives me a great opportunity to provide you with business updates on a regular basis and a chance for us to stay connected. As you know, our theme this year is FOCUS, and I’m proud to see all of us staying focused and productive. The Spacesaver Group has rallied during these challenging times and we all continue to forge ahead, driving revenue and our initiatives. While we’ve all been forced to change the way we do business, the Group has adapted well and is taking the necessary steps to serve our clients and FOCUS on the future.
As I tell my team at Spacesaver, every year we face new challenges to address and overcome. Last year it was on-time delivery and lead times. I am happy to report that our entire operations team has done a great job recovering and sustaining – and year-to-date we are 97.2% on-time (on a plan of 96.5%), while maintaining cost of quality near budget levels. Are we perfect? No. Perfection is impossible, but excellence is not. Please understand, this is being done while working through a handful of cases of COVID-19 and managing all the extra safety and sanitation measures necessary daily to keep our team healthy and remain operational as an essential business. Again, hats off to everyone for keeping their focus.
In July we will kick off our 2021 planning process, which will be critical in understanding the dynamics of the current marketplace and identifying new opportunities it has created. We look forward to keeping you apprised of those plans as they develop.
As always, thank you for your business and partnership. Wishing you good health and safety.
Mark Haubenschild | President/CEO
Spacesaver Scorecard
With another month behind us, we are ultimately getting closer to the days when we can interact with others in person, and the efforts of the Spacesaver Group during this difficult time will undoubtedly pay dividends as we further distinguish ourselves from the competition. While we came in a little lighter in May than in previous months, we’re uncovering a lot of potential for a positive impact in the second half of the year. It will be exciting to see how we continue to set the standard of excellence within our industry and deliver solutions to the world as we transition to our “new normal.”
Fifteen Area Contractors exceeded their incoming order quota in May, bringing our year-to-date total of Area Contractors on pace to exceed their annual incoming order quota to twelve. Of those goal-hitters, we now have six that have already exceeded their annual incoming order quota, including: MOTUS Space Solutions, Spacesaver Specialists, Inc., Dexion Pty Ltd., HBI Office Plus, Ergo Office, & Girard International, Inc. Congratulations to you – and keep those feet on the gas pedal!
From a collective standpoint, the Spacesaver Group incoming order total has taken a dip, now at 89 percent of year-to-date, as we only hit 85 percent of incoming order plan in May. The good news is that we’re off to a good start for June and we are optimistic about an upward trend heading into the summer.
Shipments for the Spacesaver Group finished May right in line with our current year-to-date pace at 84 percent. Nine Area Contractors hit their monthly shipment quota, keeping our year-to-date meeting goal to nine as well. Plus, we now have three Area Contractors that have exceeded their annual shipment quota, including: HBI Office Plus, Girard International, Inc., and Systems & Space, Inc.. Congratulations to Brad Lieber and the team at Systems & Space for another month exceeding quota and a year-to-date total of nearly $4.4 million shipped!
Things have definitely changed – we have all been forced to adjust to stay focused and continue delivering value to our customers. We are positioned to capture new opportunities and be the brand of choice in all vertical markets as the world adapts to the requirements for safety and efficiency. As always, our team at Spacesaver is here and ready to support you in your efforts as we get back out there and reconnect. Do not hesitate to reach out to anyone at “The Fort” for assistance. We are in this together and we will dominate the competition together.
The Team has FOCUS: CUSTOMERS
Our customers have certainly been through a lot over the last several months with the COVID-19 crisis – and even more so these past couple of weeks with the violence many communities have faced. Their ability to adapt during these trying times and the support network around them will determine their success for years to come. We are all part of that support network – and their success is our success.
Below you will read several examples of how the Spacesaver Group has been there for our customers when they needed us most – examples of how we’ve helped customers react to emergencies, plan for the future, and achieve their mission.
Why are these examples important to us? They demonstrate the following:
- A positive customer experience = repeat customer = brand ambassador
- When we stop and listen to our customers, we’re able to design and deliver a solution that truly meets their needs for years to come
- A rock-solid product, combined with a respected brand, puts Spacesaver top-of-mind and opens new (and old) doors
Do you have a recent customer story that highlights the great work your team is doing? Share it with us so we can spread the good news next month!
Vertical Market Updates
Library/Education
Although uncertainty is often bad for business, we’re seeing lucrative opportunities in the higher education market due to COVID-19. Campuses are under pressure to free up space in libraries and other areas to foster social distancing when students return, which means they need to condense storage, which in turn creates the need for Spacesaver. In addition to educational spaces, university hospitals are also seeking long-term storage options for PPE and medical equipment.
We encourage you to call on universities and colleges in your territory, particularly campus libraries and hospitals, to see if they’re looking for better storage solutions. Check out these resources to support your efforts:
- Making Space in Libraries for Students’ Return to Campus: This guide outlines three strategies to preserve collections and create safer, cleaner libraries.
- High-Bay Sales Toolkit: A collection of brochures and photos to facilitate the planning and decision-making process.
- Campus Preparedness blog post: Overview of smart storage solutions at university hospitals and across campus.
- High-Bay product presentation: We can collaborate with you to present to your clients. Please contact Hannah Bare to request a presentation.
Contact Zak Hermans or Hannah Bare for more details or insights into this market.
Serving a COVID Client on a Tight Timeline
A current project highlights the opportunities we’re seeing as a result of COVID-19. With an urgent need to create space for social distancing, a major state university is hoping to secure an off-site facility for its library collections, install high-bay shelving, and start moving books within a few months. This process usually takes years, but our team is working closely with the local rep to make it happen by fall.
Agriculture
We continue to refine our GROW product line, and we recently announced product enhancements on a webinar last week. The changes include:
- Front-to-back supports to better integrate with lighting and ventilation systems
- Standard GROW White paint
- New tray offerings
- Rail samples for you to order
In the webinar, our team also shared details related to GROW product testing, new installation guides, updated marketing collateral, a comprehensive advertising and outreach campaign, and more. If you missed the webinar, you can watch it here for in-depth info. You can also view and share the entire collection of updated GROW brochures, competitive comparisons, and other collateral.
As always, Greg Sayre is here to answer your questions and help throughout the sales process.
GROWing with a New Client
Congrats to Justin Story at Southwest Solutions Group, whose willingness to dive into a new market is yielding impressive results. Justin parlayed a trade show contact into a meeting with a grower who was using pots on the ground when Justin met him. Justin worked with Greg to design a two-tiered GROW system and prove that it would pay for itself in increased yields, and the client decided to give it a try. The system is working well and business is booming, so the client anticipates using Spacesaver GROW Mobile Systems in additional phases in three locations. Great job, Justin!
Museum
We’ve seen increasing interest in the “visible storage” concept over the past few years, and it’s gaining even more traction now that many museums are closed to the public. By designing visual doors on cabinets, art racks that fit behind glass walls, and other creative solutions, we can offer museum visitors a glimpse into collections while still protecting stored items. Want to show prospective clients some examples of our work? Share these blog posts about exploring museum collections during the COVID crisis and how to plan and design visible storage areas, along with this case study about the Arizona State Museum.
Want to learn more about this market and/or share your expertise? Check out the two new tools we rolled out last month:
- Museum-focused online forum on SpaceNET. Get answers to your questions, share your insights, and tap into the Spacesaver Group’s collective wisdom.
- On-demand educational series, “Museum Solutions.”
01: Introduction / Collections Care Challenges
02: Viking Museum Cabinets
Collaborating with a Long-Time Customer
Shout-out to Shannon Lillie of Shannon’s Storage Solutions, who recently won a contract to store the world’s largest public collection of Inuit art. The Winnipeg Art Gallery is a long-time Spacesaver client and Shannon was also acquainted with the general contractor on the gallery’s new Inuit Art Centre, but, even with those strong connections, she still had to earn the business. Over the past two years, Shannon worked with Ben Adamitus, Emily Auby, and others from the Spacesaver team to get competitive pricing, design the optimal layout, and prove to the client that our shelving and art racks could bear the weight of soapstone carvings and other artwork in the collection. Congratulations to Shannon!
Military
As we continue to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve developed a new Info Sheet about long-term storage for PPE and other health-related supplies and equipment. This is a supplement to the Preparedness Toolkit we shared in April. We’re also expanding our outreach efforts with a new Military Lookbook and a marketing campaign focused on preventing property loss.
Satisfied Customers = Repeat Sales
Congratulations to Steve Story and Southwest Solutions Group, who recently landed an ActivRAC and 4-Post project with the U.S. Corps of Engineers in Tulsa, Oklahoma to store geological (rock) core samples. The project was sole sourced as a Tenant Improvement Project at a leased warehouse. The Corps has been pleased with the customer service and the quality product they’ve received in the past, and they cited continuity of product/service as justification for the sole source. Does your U.S. Army Corps of Engineers customer currently lease warehouse space? Contact Pete Rooney to better understand how to leverage that owner/tenant relationship.
Marketing Minute
As we start reacclimating ourselves back into the world after the end to the “safer at home” days, we understand that workplaces are also changing to meet the new needs of their employees and patrons. The Spacesaver Marketing Department has continued to build upon our “Emergency and Readiness Preparedness Toolkit” with new resources to address Making Space in Libraries for Students’ Return to Campus as well as Long-term Preparedness Storage to assist you with communicating our solutions with your customers. If you have questions about any of these materials, don’t hesitate to contact Carla Chase.
Save the Date
We continue to expand outreach and networking opportunities within the Spacesaver Group, so please be sure to add the following calls and webinars to your calendar. As for conferences and tradeshows, some of our upcoming events are going virtual or have been canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis. Details are below, and you can always refer to our 2020 tradeshow calendar on SpaceNET for the latest updates.
June 2020
| June 1-30 | Virtual Tradeshow | NeoConnect – (virtual booth & hosting 2 CEU presentations) |
| June 1-4 | Tradeshow | Athletic Equipment Managers Association – CANCELED |
| June 2 | Webinar Release | Museum Solutions: Session 2 |
| June 12 | Conference Call | Marketing Tribe Call |
| June 16-17 | Tradeshow | Cannabis Business Summit – POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER |
| June 18-19 | Tradeshow | Warrior East – POSTPONED |
| June 19 | Conference Call | Library/Education Market Call |
| June 25 | Conference Call | Military Market Call |
| June 25-30 | Virtual Tradeshow | American Library Association – (find us on the exhibitor list!) |
July 2020
| July 17 | Conference Call | Marketing Tribe Call |
| July 17 | Webinar Release | Museum Market: Drawers & Trays in 4-Post |
| July 30 | Conference Call | Military Market Call |