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Festo delivers pioneering automation technology through increased distribution network

October 2015 News

Festo South Africa has expanded its vast network of product dealers and customer interaction points to ensure greater access to products and services. The shift in the company’s business model will lead to a 20% increase in Festo’s customer facing sales force, and a reinvestment of over R7,5 million in sales resources.

Festo has invested substantial resources in the development of a market-leading online store, contact call centres, and direct deliveries. Recently, Festo South Africa reaffirmed its expansive strategy with the inclusion of Bearing Man Group (BMG) as one of the official logistics distributors.

The addition of BMG as an authorised distributor provides for an increase in customer interaction points throughout South Africa and Africa; ensuring customers have easier access to world class logistics, ample stock supplies and leading technical expertise.

With the inclusion of BMG, Festo products are now distributed through 12 BMG stores in South Africa’s major cities, 150 local distributors nationwide and almost 200 throughout Africa.

Describing the expanded sales network, Warren Harvard, national sales manager for Festo, stated, “Our aim is to provide customers with more access to Festo products and services. Our increased distribution network will benefit those customers who prefer walk-in purchase points, while those who still wish to place an order over the phone or through our website and receive next day delivery, will still enjoy the same service.

“Our additional distribution spaces allow us to commit our resources to ensure gains in efficiency. This will mean that point-of-sale facilities are no longer required in some of our branches, so we are deliberately reinvesting these resources in sales engineers and our Didactic training facilities, resulting in a significant increase in our sales force and affording our customers more time and access to our engineering support team.”

The increase in distribution channels supports Festo’s long-term business strategy. “Ultimately we want to grow. Over the last 40 years, Festo has grown steadily within the South African market and we intend to continue that growth over the next 40 years. To achieve this we recognised the real need to ensure our products become more widely accessible through increased interaction points for our customers, while at the same time investing resources in our online distribution and Didactic training services,” explained Harvard.

In working with BMG and Festo’s local distributors, the company is able to offer customers an immense range of products and support services, with ease.

“We have regional sales engineers at the local level to help upscale customer knowledge and skills, while also providing product training and support to the sector. We have always taken pride in being able to offer unique services, specialised technical support, and efficient logistical processes that allow customers to access and fully utilise the world’s best automation technologies. Now, with our increased distribution network, we are able to do more with our resources and ensure that our customers receive the best possible products, support and training, so that they are able to enhance their own business interests,” concluded Harvard.

For more information contact Kershia Kistan, Festo, +27 (0)11 971 5500, [email protected], www.festo.co.za



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