by
Nancy Ryerson, Staff Writer | August 20, 2013
From the August 2013 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Though the ultimate efficacy of social media efforts can be debated, it’s clear that a sizable chunk of the business world has jumped on board. A 2012 study from the University of Massachusetts found that 66 percent of Fortune 500 companies have Facebook pages, and 73 percent have Twitter accounts.
Whether parts providers are managing their own pages or enlisting the help of younger employees or interns, many are getting in on social media for marketing or just customer engagement.
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“We are now as of the first of the year moving towards a digital presence,” says Troff Medical’s Helms. “We are redesigning a web page that goes hand-in-hand with social media.”
Meanwhile, Technical Prospects hired a summer marketing intern to boost its Facebook and Twitter presence.
“It just seems like that’s the way the whole world is going,” says Technical Prospects’ Probst. “Those big companies have very strong networking devices, so it’s something that we recognize. We haven’t done a whole lot with it, but it’s definitely a great tool I believe, for any style business.”
But not everyone is convinced of social media’s value for parts providers. Though consumers may feel compelled to “like” their favorite musicians and authors, James Holman, parts sales manager at BC Technical, for one, doubts that many customers would be interested in engaging with his company on social media.
“Honestly, there are just so few people who are going to ‘like’ a BC Technical Facebook page,” says Holman. “I don’t think it’s worth the time.”
Holman said he does have some email marketing campaigns, and attends trade shows to meet potential customers.
Although Troff Medical has started pushing its social media presence, Helms tends to agree.
“Relationships are not built on platforms,” he said. “Relationships are built by people talking to each other and getting to know each other.”
Parts providers go global
Online savvy also helps parts providers dig into the international parts market.
“We do about 25 percent of our business overseas, and I think a lot of that has been driven by search engine optimization,” says Vandersteen.
He says that Technical Prospects’ website also helps bring in international business. The site has a live chat option that allows visitors to send messages to a customer service representative at any point during the day.
“It’s been a great tool for individuals who don’t speak the best English, but can type something out and we can figure out what they mean,” says Probst.
PhiGEM’s Glas says he’s noticed an uptick in his international business in the last year, but overall it’s always been a key part of his business.
