RS Components, the global electronics and industrial distributor, was founded over 70 years ago in the United Kingdom. The company has a long history of success, culminating in an expansion policy in the 1990s that saw it buy out its then South African distributor and establish a direct presence here.
RS has a policy of using local people in its international operating companies to ensure the company is always able to operate appropriately within and deliver as the market expects thereby ensuring the least disruption for its customers.
RS Components (SA) appointed Brian Andrew in 2003 to take up the position of general manager to lead the local operation successfully during the poor trading years of the global economic downturn. The company is now able to report continued successful growth and has solidified its position in the local market, currently commanding between 7% and 8% market share.
"Our position in the South African market is strong, however there is still plenty of headroom for growth," notes Andrew.
Lutz Otto, national marketing and sales manager for RS Components (SA) adds: "RS does not target particular industry niches and addresses a broad range of market segments, providing products to customers in the electro-mechanical environment who need electronic and industrial products quickly."
Otto notes that it is challenging for the company to effectively communicate its message to all the markets it serves, based on the extensive range of products it has on offer. At last count, Otto says the company carried 1200 brands and in the region of 200 000 individual products - and this number is growing - in the following areas: electronics, electrical components and accessories, test and measurement equipment, connectors, semiconductors, mechanical products and tools and health and safety equipment.
"Even with all these products, our strategy is to provide customers with what they need, when they need it, without having to wait weeks for a part to ship from Europe," states Andrew. "Our value proposition lies within the breadth of our product offering and high service level we offer our customers. Even with such a large range of products, we are able to provide over 80% of customer orders from stock."
All products at a glance
Although it has an enormous array of products on sale, RS Components makes it simple to find what you need and get it as quickly as possible. The catalogue, formatted in either print, on CD or on www.rssouthafrica.com, is the primary channel to fulfilling customer enquiries.
The RS print catalogue takes on the size of a large telephone directory and contains 55 000 products. In converse, the CD-ROM catalogue contains the complete company product range. Once customers find what they need, they provide RS with the detail thereof, via the channel of their choice and the product is dispatched to them in no time. In fact, when ordering by telephone, fax, www.rssouthafrica.com or e-mail, customers can be assured that RS will process and dispatch their order on the same day (up until 4 pm.)
As mentioned, customers are not restricted to using the CD or print catalogue, as RS has a fully-functional website where customers, existing and potential, can search for and order what they need. As an added service, the online platform that RS provides can be used by small companies as a procurement platform, allowing them to trace orders from start to delivery. Already, two large South African companies with broadly dispersed branches are using the package, called Purchasing Manager, for their own needs.
The success of RS Components is not only due to the company's products and its commitment to service, but also its commitment to its staff and the subsequent commitment from staff. Andrew says the company ensures it motivates and empowers staff with management constantly looking for areas that need improvement or development. And it seems to be working. RS was voted into the top 50 in Deloittes' survey of the best companies in South Africa to work for.
Moreover, the company is also committed to the principles of black empowerment and has donated stock worth millions of rand to educational institutions as part of its corporate social responsibility programme. It has also employed graduates who are being put through a graduate programme designed to give them real-world experience and skills for a year.
Even after turning the company around and delivering good results, Andrew says the company still has a way to go. Its focus for the near future is to educate its target markets about the value that RS Components can add, and to gain a larger proportion of the market for electronic goods. So far, so good.
For more information contact RS Components (SA), +27 (0) 11 691 9300, Toll-free: 086 000 7772, [email protected], www.rssouthafrica.com
| Tel: | +27 11 691 9300 |
| Fax: | +27 11 466 1577 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.rs-online.co.za |
| Articles: | More information and articles about RS South Africa |
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