The “Why Benchmark?” blogs are an ongoing blog feature highlighting the people, processes, and technologies that set Benchmark apart. Tune in every month to read the next installment in the series. This month features the unique relationship and communication styles that Benchmark employs to ensure the success of our customers and their products. Next month we’ll touch on the talented men and women whose breadth and depth of expertise move Benchmark to the front of the pack.
When It Matters
“When It Matters” is the tagline we’ve used ever since Benchmark made the transition from strictly an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company to a complete solutions provider, enhancing our capabilities to solve our customer’s most complex technology challenges. This phrase embodies every aspect of our business, from the talent we hire and the investments we make to the relationships we develop with our customers. It’s also in these three words that we differentiate ourselves from our competitors. But how?
Many companies in electronics manufacturing have similar printed circuit board assembly equipment, and some can even handle more complex challenges like microelectronics, precision machining, and product design. However, Benchmark sets itself apart from the crowd by forming not just relationships, but partnerships with our customers. While traditional EMS companies choose to focus on the challenge at-hand, Benchmark focuses on the customer and the success of their products. As part of our commitment to our customers, we strive to not only solve the immediate challenge in front of us but also to look forward and anticipate future obstacles and opportunities.
Our Success Depends On It
Benchmark doesn’t adhere to the ‘build-to-print’ mentality; every board, sub-assembly, and finished device is managed like an investment. Within my team, I often hear the phrase “we only succeed if our customer succeeds” and through my many years in business development, I can certainly attest to the truth of this statement. No other EMS provider, in my experience, takes this ideology to heart as strongly as Benchmark. We build our teams and processes around long-term engagements, adapting for every stage in the product lifecycle from ideation through end-of-life. Our goal is to act not as a supplier, but as an extension of our customer’s team, augmenting the core competencies and technical prowess they already have in-house.
So, what does Benchmark do differently? It’s all in our values: Customer Focus, Working Smart, and Acting Like an Owner. That’s why we’ve developed a tried-and-true system for account management built on the cornerstone of clear, consistent, and frequent communication. Every product manufactured by Benchmark has ‘customer focus teams’ that manage regular check-ins with our customers’ teams, not just during quarterly business reviews, but often weekly and sometimes daily calls during periods of transition and refinement. This constant ebb and flow of information helps us keep a finger on the pulse of the product and react quickly when a pivot or adjustment is necessary. Beyond managing the day-to-day design and manufacturing activities, Benchmark establishes a strategic relationship that extends beyond the present engagement.
Our Forward Thinking Approach
These communication strategies help maintain transparency and allow us to proactively address the needs of each product. And we’re always looking forward. In addition to the logistics of daily operations, our supply chain management team continually monitors the evolving component and commodities landscape to identify end-of-life notifications, shifting availability, and underlying global trends that impact our customers' products. Other EMS providers shrug the responsibility of obsolescence, but rest assured that when that last-time-buy notification arrives, Benchmark is prepared to identify and propose alternatives and poised to engineer design changes if needed.
Unfortunately, this forward-thinking approach and first-hand perspective aren't the EMS industry standard today. That’s why so many original equipment manufacturers are hesitant to outsource the design or manufacture of their products, especially high-reliability products in regulated industries. Trust is not something that’s gained quickly, and it isn't through our words that we earn this trust, it’s through our actions. Benchmark has proven time and time again that we are there for our customers when it matters, today and into the future.
To start your partnership with Benchmark, give us a call at 623-300-7000 or contact us here.
