According to ABB Drives’ Global Sales Manager Aki Kulmala, the ABB Value Provider status means that ABB can rely on the competence of the partner.
“An ABB Value Provider offers customers high-quality service which brings some additional value to ABB’s selection,” Kulmala defines.
In Arnon’s case, the added value is created by customization. Drives are an important component in ABB’s selection, and the billion-euro business is important in itself. Arnon provides the customer with ABB’s drives tailored to their exact needs, for example, suitable for outdoor use or an otherwise difficult environment.
“Arnon is a truly skilled specialist. There’s a demand for their expertise even outside Finland, and ABB can help with planning and mapping the market,” Kulmala says.
Arnon worked hard for several years to be able to join the ABB Value Provider program.
“We benchmarked drives for various customer needs approximately five years ago and were convinced that we want to focus on ABB’s drives,” says Chief Product Officer Jouni Mäki. “It’s important for us that our partner has world-class products, global networks and excellent technical support. In addition to these hard facts, we share the desire to develop both ourselves and matters together, by trusting each other, so there’s really nothing that can stop us. Joining the program shows that we are serious.”
Both parties benefit from the cooperation, as does the customer who will always receive the best possible service.
“If the needs of a customer who contacts us fit into the business model we have with Arnon, we will work together to come up with the best comprehensive solution,” Kulmala outlines. “The relationship between the companies has become closer as both parties have noticed that we have more to gain together. Arnon has a strong technological background, and over the years, the company’s expertise regarding ABB’s products has increased.”
With the Value Provider status, Arnon has gotten access to ABB’s training, databases and support systems, so it can develop its competence with even greater determination in the future.
According to Mäki, a decisive factor in the development of cooperation has been the internal change in attitude and culture at Arnon, where customer focus has been placed at the heart of corporate culture. This is reflected both in the appreciation of personnel and in the genuine desire to develop cooperation with partners.
“We grow together with the help of mutual and new customers,” Mäki sums up the objectives of the cooperation.
