Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1515990
58 PCB007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2024 plant. is was a win/win situation for both of us. We learned how to make more reliable equipment for their process, and they will ben- efit from less downtime and more productiv- ity. Any vendor should be willing to talk about problems encountered using their product and ways to avoid or eliminate them, so don't hes- itate to ask about them. If they are unwilling, perhaps it's time to find a new vendor. It should be obvious that approaching any criticism with anger and belligerence is likely to be counterproductive. No one likes having their deficiencies screamed in their face, which makes them more likely to dig in their heels and temporize rather than look for solutions. Express your concerns, but try to keep your frustrations in check, and it is more likely that a mutually agreed-upon solution to the prob- lem will be found in good time. Be Prepared In short, the best way to optimize your time at the show is to be organized before you go. Make a list of the exhibitors you want to visit and what you want to talk about. If you need time for a serious talk, visit the booth as early as possible and set a time to meet later, avoid- ing time wasted while waiting for the person to disengage from their previous contacts. Sometimes visiting a booth later in the show (Wednesday aernoon or ursday morning) might not be a good idea as some people are getting tired or cranky from trying to look alert and interested aer 16 hours in the booth (not me, of course). On the other hand, in the later hours of the show, some people are happy to have someone to talk to aer the traffic dies down. You take your chances. Have a good show. PCB007 Don Ball is a process engineer at Chemcut. To read past columns or contact Ball, click here. Get Into the Details An exhibitor will always be happy to enter any discussion that could possibly lead to a purchase order. If you wish to discuss a new project, it is helpful to be as detailed and con- cise as possible. Sometimes, we take security and confidentiality a little too far, and that can interfere with clear communication. e more detail you supply on what the goals for your project are and what the specifications are for the final project, the easier and faster the ven- dor can determine which, if any, of his prod- ucts or processes can help meet your goals. From there, serious discussion can begin on possible configurations and price estimates. Future negotiations to finalize products and prices will be easier and quicker if a solid start is made at the show. Give Feedback Believe it or not, constructive criticism is appreciated, if not always received enthusiasti- cally. Don't be afraid to point out what you con- sider deficiencies in the vendor's product (in a professional and friendly way, of course). If the vendor is unaware of a problem, he can't fix it. For example, just last week we met with a cus- tomer who had purchased five identical pieces of equipment over the past four years for a spe- cial project. e project took off, and they are currently building a new plant to double their capacity. ey will have to order at least five more pieces of equipment to put in the new building and are concerned about downtime based on the equipment they already have. ey listed all the downtime from the past two years of operation and the reasons for that downtime. Our teams from engineering, process, and sales met with them at their facility, and we went over each reason for downtime. A frank and honest discussion ensued (as the politi- cians say), and within two hours we had come up with fixes and possible solutions for any new equipment to be purchased for the new