I kicked off our inaugural issue of From the Fort last month by addressing these trying times and reminding everyone that we’re in this together. I have witnessed, firsthand, how we have truly stuck together and I’m proud to be part of a team that keeps pushing forward even during times of uncertainty. My message this month follows that same theme.
I continue to be impressed at how everyone is pulling together. Our team is back and fully operational at the plant, working hard to get high-quality product out the door and to your customers. On the management side, we’re setting an example for our community in how to run a business during uncertain times. And last but certainly not least, YOU and the entire Spacesaver Group continue to drive sales and serve our customers.
Clearly, we don’t know what the future holds, but we are the best in the industry, we’re in this together, and together we are stronger – so I know we will come out of this ahead of the game.
We sincerely appreciate all the business you share with us. Let us know how we can help your team!
God bless,
Mark Haubenschild | President/CEO
Spacesaver Scorecard
With April in the rearview mirror, we look forward to May with growing optimism that we are inching closer to a return to a semblance of normalcy. We have all faced many obstacles and we’re thankful for the continued efforts of the entire Spacesaver Group – not only for supporting our business but also for delivering much-needed solutions to our essential market customers.
We had two Area Contractors hit the $1M mark for April incoming orders, with Southwest Solutions Group leading the way at $1.2M – edging out McMurray Stern who finished with just over $1.1M. In total, we had ten PARs exceed their April incoming order quota (95% as a Group for the month) and 11 PARs exceed their YTD incoming order quota, putting us at 90 percent to goal as a Group YTD.
With another successful month of exceeding incoming quota, MOTUS Space Solutions joined the ranks of Annual Quota Achievement! And, assuming they’ll get at least a few small orders in May, Spacesaver Specialists will do the same. This is a great accomplishment and a testament to the focus and hard work of both companies!
As expected, our shipments were down in April due to our temporary plant closure, finishing at 74 percent of quota for the month. Even with this minor speedbump, ten Area Contractors exceeded their monthly shipment quota. Systems & Space is setting the bar, already exceeding their annual shipment quota and sitting at a whopping $2.7M OVER their YTD target. Tremendous results from Brad Lieber and his team!
Check out the entire April 2020 Area Contractor Standings as well as the results from the April Triple Crown Challenge.
The Team has FOCUS: Teamwork
The last two months have challenged all of us to think differently, work differently, and will forever change the way we approach many things. However, one thing that has stayed constant across the entire Spacesaver Group is our ability to work as a team. In the articles below, you will read about many ways our teams have worked together – resulting in big wins.
When we developed our 2020 strategic plan and our FOCUS rally cry, highlighting TEAMWORK was an obvious decision. As the old saying goes: Together we achieve more. But, what does that mean to Spacesaver?
- We are in this together. No matter the situation we face, we will get through it together and will emerge as an even stronger force.
- The Spacesaver Group is a united team with defined, shared goals.
- Your success is our success.
- Every successful team has a great coach. Leadership is key to the success of our team.
- Spacesaver + Area Contractors = Industry Powerhouse. Enough said.
From the Spacesaver team back at “The Fort” to all of you across our distribution network, thank you for being part of our team.
Vertical Market Updates
Military
By saving time, lives, and money, Spacesaver’s military storage solutions promote readiness around the globe, and the military needs our solutions now more than ever. Although base access is limited for the foreseeable future, it’s time to take advantage of “use it or lose it” spending activity that we typically see in September for this market.
We’re seeing this increased spending activity because the U.S. Department of Defense is treating this pandemic as a “time of war.” That means the military has more funds available to purchase USA-made products like ours and stimulate local economies while also improving organization, security, and readiness. Now is the time to follow up with clients and finalize any opportunities you have quoted out with projected close dates between now and July.
Be sure to refer to the Preparedness Toolkit we sent a few weeks ago for talking points and other resources. As always, you can also contact Pete Rooney for any support you need in working with your military customers.
Leveraging Relationships
Shout-out to Randy Hacker at McMurray Stern, who leveraged two relationships to sell 100 FreeStyle lockers to a Navy underwater construction team. When one of Randy’s contacts became Senior Chief Supply Officer, Randy jumped at the chance to replace their flimsy lockers. At first the officer balked at the price, but Randy showed him Spacesaver’s lockers and sold him on quality. Then Randy used his relationship with ADS to offer the lockers via the Tailored Logistics Support contract, maximizing margins for McMurray Stern and creating a seamless purchasing experience for the client.
Agriculture
We’ve seen robust quoting activity since we launched the GROW Mobile System this past November, and we’re not sitting still. As we work toward becoming the market leader in indoor agriculture, we’re refining and enhancing our product offerings based on collaboration with our sales reps, our customers, and our partners at Hawthorne Gardening Co.
We’ll share the results of these efforts via a webinar on May 21, when we launch “GROW 2.1.” Look for details and an invitation in your inbox this week! On this webinar, we will cover:
- Improvements to Spacesaver’s Steel GROW trays including our patent-pending sloped bracket for improved drainage
- Front-to-back supports that better accommodate the installation of lighting and HVAC systems
- New tray offering from Hawthorne
- Grow White antimicrobial paint benefits
- Rail samples for you to order
- New and updated installation guide, marketing materials, and sales tools
Can’t wait for the webinar? Greg Sayre is here to answer your questions and help out with sales calls.
Partners in Product Development
We continue to innovate in tandem with Hawthorne to offer our clients complete, integrated solutions. For instance, Hawthorne’s engineers have designed a new tray to provide the perfect fit and function when integrated into our vertical racking. Meanwhile, we enhanced our front-to-back supports to offer ultimate versatility for hanging Gavita LED lights and any additional indoor horticultural accessories. We are also updating our Widespan GROW installation manual (coming soon) to provide a step-by-step guide to installing Spacesaver and Hawthorne products. We’re encouraged by the success of this partnership so far and we’re excited to see where it leads!
Library and Education
One of our 2020 strategic initiatives is to develop a more robust and proactive outreach program for high-bay. Updating our high-bay product presentation is one of the first steps in our plan and those efforts are well underway. The new half-hour presentation shares trend overviews, case studies, and information about the products and design features that contribute to high-bay facilities’ efficiency. Unlike our AIA offerings, the presentation is intended to be given by Spacesaver’s in-house high-bay experts in support of your relationships with architects and designers. Contact Hannah Bare if you’d like to learn more or schedule a presentation.
Another strategic initiative for 2020 is building on our relationships with trade associations and other trusted organizations in each respective market. We have executed on this by partnering with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on a year-long Content Sponsorship. This sponsorship includes ads in their monthly print magazine, web and email advertising, social media campaigns, collaboration on articles, and more. You will already see Spacesaver on their website and the first print ad is in their May/June issue that hit mailboxes just days ago. We’re looking forward to seeing the results, sharing them with you, and expanding similar partnerships into other markets.
Building Trust
Building trust with contractors and other vendors can pay off in a big way. Just ask Jim McCord at Spacesaver Specialists, Inc., who recently got a call from a contractor on a high-profile new building at the University of Oregon. The building’s original specs called for aluminum day use lockers, but the specs were so complex that the winning bidder backed out. The contractor had worked with Spacesaver Specialists in the past, so he was confident that Jim and the Spacesaver team could persuade the client to go with steel lockers and deliver a stellar solution. Jim worked with the architect and Spacesaver’s in-house engineering team to design 350 locker openings of various sizes across four floors, and the client placed the order late last month.
Have you recently completed a cool football project? Let us know to potentially get your story in front of the 17,000+ coaches who read the AFCA’s magazine.
Contact Zak Hermans or Hannah Bare for more details or insights into this market.
Museum
One of the Spacesaver Group’s greatest strengths is our combined expertise in the complex and highly specialized museum market. To help you better connect with other reps and our in-house experts, we’re rolling out two new tools this month.
The first is a museum-focused online forum on SpaceNET. This is the best way to get your questions answered and tap into the Spacesaver Group’s collective wisdom. Our team checks the forum multiple times a day and we encourage experienced reps to chime in with their insights. We’re building a vibrant community and we hope you’ll join in!
We’re also announcing a new on-demand educational series, “Museum Solutions.” Each video will dive deep into a topic to help you communicate with clients about Spacesaver’s products and solutions. The first episode provides an overview of the challenges that collections managers face and shows how Spacesaver can help protect collections. We’ll present a new video at least once a month, with topics selected from questions we’re seeing in the forum and timely insights we’d like to share. The goal is to be nimble and responsive to your needs.
Collaboration for the Win
Ben Adamitus is always ready to join you and your clients on sales calls and planning discussions, and these conversations can lead to innovative solutions and big wins. A great example is the American Civil War Museum in Virginia. Early in the planning process, David Craig from Spacesaver Storage Solutions invited Ben to help with a client presentation on museum cabinets. Halfway through the presentation, Ben sensed that Viking cabinets were overkill for the clients’ needs and far beyond their budget. On the fly, he suggested installing museum trays on 4-Post shelving units instead. The clients were intrigued, and the presentation turned into a collaborative work session, ultimately resulting in a $200,000 order. Contact Ben to learn more about this solution, or read the full case study.
Marketing Minute
The current COVID-19 crisis is forcing businesses and other institutions to look at preparedness through a new lens, and this often reveals the need to store more emergency supplies and equipment. To assist with these efforts, Spacesaver has developed a “Partner in Preparedness Toolkit”. The toolkit includes a made in the U.S.A. memo, talking points for each of our strategic markets, emergency planning solutions info sheet, a general maintenance info sheet, our antimicrobial powder coat tech data and an emergency preparedness collection 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.
May 2020
| May 5 | Webinar Release | Museum Market |
| May 8 | Conference Call | Marketing Tribe Call |
| May 15 | Conference Call | Library and Education Market Call |
| May 17-20 | Tradeshow | American Alliance of Museums – VIRTUAL |
| May 21 | Webinar | GROW Phase 2.1 |
| May 20-22 | Tradeshow | American Institute of Conservators – VIRTUAL |
| May 28 | Conference Call | Military Market Call |
| May 28-31 | Tradeshow | LIFT & Co. – POSTPONED |
June 2020
| June 1-4 | Tradeshow | Athletic Equipment Managers Association – CANCELED |
| June 2 | Webinar Release | Museum Market |
| June 8-10 | Tradeshow | NeoCon – CANCELED |
| 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 25 | Conference Call | Military Market Call |
| June 25-30 | Tradeshow | American Library Association – VIRTUAL |