Very close ties: Why customer relations are particularly import ant in Ireland

A dynamic future ahead: Endress+Hauser Ireland has been at the new location in Kill for six months.

Black beer and green fields

In Ireland everyone knows everyone, therefore being close to the customer is key to success.

The town’s name awakens connotations of films that you wouldn’t want your children to watch. But it’s all completely harmless: ‘Kill’ comes from ‘an Chill’, which simply means ‘the church’ in the Irish language. The village is surrounded by marshy landscapes, even though the area is just a 30 minute car journey from Ireland’s capital, Dublin. The proportion of commuters lies at a remarkable 70 percent.

Since Endress+Hauser Ireland moved into its new offices in 2014, some have been commuting in the opposite direction: 20 associates operate from Kill, while five more work at the branch office in Cork, located in the south of the island. While Irish exporting companies reinvest their profits in new facilities, the fast-paced investment harbors some risks. That’s why the care of existing customers must not be neglected, focusing on MRO services. “Ireland is a small island and it seems sometimes that everybody knows everybody,” says Managing Director Christophe Roche. “This means that customers prefer to buy from people they know and trust. Creating close ties is our key to success.” Particularly in view of the fact that the country is still grappling with the consequences of Litho: Tafel im Hintergrund wegretuschieren the 2008 financial crisis. “Needless to say we suffered during those years, but the team worked hard and we always managed to stay afloat,” says the managing director. “However, now the trend has changed and we are highly motivated to gain market shares!”

Different skills Sales in Ireland were previously in the hands of a local repre sentative. After almost 30 years, this became an Endress+Hauser company in 2007. Attracted by the government’s low corporate tax rate, life science com panies such as Pfizer, Novartis, Roche and GSK have become important play ers. Today the emerging biotechnology industry is offering opportunities. “This requires a different set of skills and expertise,” says Christophe Roche. “We always want to gain trust through un derstanding our customers.”

The food & beverage industry has also been a long runner – and not just with the strong stuff. Of course you have Guinness or Irish Whiskey (careful – those who drink ‘Whisky’ are seen as traitors of their country!). But there are also 7.5 million cows, and Danone and Nestlé serving the world market for baby milk powder. “With the end of the European milk quotas in April 2015, the dairy industry will grow even further,” reckons Christophe Roche, before adding with a grin “After all, our country is not short of green grass.”

Ireland

Kill Dublin

Cork

Ireland is an island state in Western Europe. About a third of its 4.6 million inhabitants live in the area surrounding Dublin. The majority of the population is Catholic. In the mid-19 th century famine and repression led to large waves of emigration (USA, UK). From 1995 onwards the country experienced remarkable economic growth which was interrupted by the 2008 financial crisis.