Electro Standards Maximizes Growth through Creation of New Website Designed for International Sales

Maximizing International sales is a key goal in the Electro Standards Laboratories (ESL), Cranston, RI, Marketing Plan.  ESL manufactures network switches, cable assemblies, load cell indicators and digital signal conditioners. ESL also designs and installs voice and data networks. Its R&D Contract Engineering group has expertise in motor control systems for government and industrial applications.

Raymond Sepe, Sr., President of ESL says, “International sales are critical to ESL because they can even out fluctuations in domestic markets. They also increase profitability by increasing sales volumes and thereby lowering costs with improved economies of scale. With the weak dollar, now is the perfect time to push our International Marketing effort further.”  ESL has experienced a tremendous growth in International Sales. The 2006 International sales were more than 10 times greater than 2005. The 1^st two months of 2007 produced International sales that were nearly equal to the 2006 total. This business includes government agencies, banks, telecommunication industries, and manufacturers.

The main vehicle that ESL uses to reach International accounts is their Website. In an effort to continue and even improve upon this growth pattern, ESL decided to invest in a new Website.  Kathy Tufts, Associate International Trade Director of Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) offered assistance through an Export Management Training Grant that was used for training ESL employees on developing and maintaining an optimal Website for attracting and facilitating international orders.

Brave River Solutions of Warwick, RI, was selected to provide this training. “ESL’s products are very technical and have a lot of variations. We knew that the site needed to provide the customer with a flexible and easy way to drill into the catalog, compare products, and place an order” said Jim McAssey, Vice President at Brave River. The training design processes included the development of an e-commerce site that features a simple-to-follow format. All products are easily located by their category listing. A search engine also allows the prospect to plug in a keyword and all products with that word in their description immediately pop up. Similar products can be compared in a table format that features the products’ differentiating attributes. A selected item can be viewed in complete detail. For most products, spec sheets are a click away. Questions can be emailed directly from any product location. Selected products can be ordered on-line.

“Much of ESL’s business comes from online searches.  Training employees on developing a website that could handle overseas inquiries and export orders was critical to ESL’s export growth.  The RIEDC is so pleased that ESL’s exports are increasing at a tremendous rate since the new Website went live.”  Kathy Tufts   

With the training provided by Brave River, ESL has gained the expertise required to maintain and add content to its Website. This site has already generated new accounts for ESL.

To ensure the proper processing of this new business, ESL’s Marketing Manager completed the “Certified Global Business Professional” International Trade Program at Bryant University. Kathy Tufts assisted with an Export Management Training Grant from RIEDC to manage the expense of participating in this program. Timely course topics included knowing who your customer is and red flag indicators, license requirements, and recordkeeping.

ESL believes that growth in the International business sector will continue and has added a new Administrative Assistant to the International Marketing program.  Kathy Tufts and RIEDC, 401-278-9100, have been instrumental in assisting ESL in its goal to maximize growth in the International Marketplace.

Jeannette Gouin

Electro Standards Laboratories

36 Western Industrial Drive

Cranston, RI 02921

Tel: 401-943-1164

www.ElectroStandards.com             

E-mail: eslab@ElectroStandards.com