The Coronavirus crisis created unprecedented uncertainty in all industries combined, and many companies have experienced major decreases in sales. Even though this had been a major challenge in the short run, Polycor’s VP of Commercial & Institutional Sales, Hugo Vega, sees it as an opportunity to develop and transform our sales organization helping us emerge from this stronger and better prepared for the future.
Q: What steps have your team taken to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on business at Polycor?
A: From the start, our main focus has been to sustain momentum and identify the best approach with respect to industry trends and customers’ needs. Recognizing new opportunities and helping our clients have been our main priorities. Following this course of action has allowed us to emerge from this not only as winners, but also as a reliable resource for our business partners.
Q: What kind of new sales opportunities have you seen arise recently?
A: There are two main areas where we were provided with significant sales opportunities. The first is with respect to commercial projects. Despite the fact that construction sites were closing down and that there was a major lull in activity, we immediately started receiving an unprecedented number of pricing requests. We’ve seen a lot of architects and fabricators turning to locally quarried natural stone, instead of stones from overseas. With this crisis, many industry stakeholders now understand the importance of buying locally and encouraging the local economy as well.
The second concerns public infrastructure projects. As in any economic downturn, governments tend to increase investments in public works, such as roads and bridges, in order to soften the blow on the local and national economies. Granite curbing is most often required in these types of projects, so again, Polycor has been there to help with these requests.
Q: Have you experienced a lull in sales in any areas of your business segment?
A: Yes, we have experienced, and expected, a slackening in requests for office buildings as companies face uncertainty with respect to office space requirements in a post-pandemic world. I’ve even heard that some companies are considering going back to “closed offices” instead of having open concept spaces in order to maintain some form of in-person contact between colleagues. One thing’s for sure, we’re here to help them once their projects get back on schedule as planned.
Q: What additional value does Polycor bring to the table as a supplier of natural stone products?
A: With delivery cancellations, delays, and resources being at a premium, Polycor is in a prime position to compete for new business as we can easily offer well-coordinated and rapid customer-focused services. That is one of the advantages of being the owners of 50+ quarries. Not only do we control the quality of the products our clients receive, but we can also act quickly in terms of product delivery. If we can step in now and help clients reduce their exposure by quickly supplying them with the products they need, we will not only have been a supplier, but have been an ally as well.
If you would like to see some of the projects on which the Architectural Sales team have been working, we invite you to take a look at our stunning portfolio of inspiring projects.
