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By David West
January 8, 2018
It’s become tradition that every January I use this space to recap the previous year. Since we’ve turned the page on our calendars to a new year, I was reminded that it was time to do so again.
However, as I began writing this, my eyes kept falling to an open holiday card sitting on my desk. Sent from a long-time customer, next to the standard holiday greeting was a handwritten note saying, “Thanks for being the best vendor ever!”
As everyone reading this blog probably knows, I’m a sales guy. I like numbers and goals and closing deals. My wife says that my “love language” is Excel, which I think is meant as a joke (though it seems like a compliment to me). All that to say, my first instinct when looking back on 2017 is to see the year in terms of sales closed, new customers won, and such.
But the note in that card kept drawing my attention. It’s a remarkable compliment, especially coming from a carrier that has been in business for many decades and someone who works with many vendors. I found myself wondering what it is about Equinox that makes us worthy of such an accolade.
Given my quantitative, analytical, “left-brain” approach to things, I first thought they were referring to the quality of our software and the great functionality that our solutions provide, perhaps combined with our competitive pricing structure. While I think those things are all true, I’ve been to enough trade shows and conferences to know that between in-house developed tools and other vendor supported solutions, there are lots of options for carriers looking for the functionality that we provide.
No, I think the answer is more “right-brain,” that Equinox is such a valued partner because of the way we do things and more importantly the way we treat people. Which, I suppose is another way of saying that it’s our culture that sets us apart more than the solutions that we sell.
Many of you have heard Byron and Wayne say that when they started Equinox their goal was to create a great place to work. They knew intuitively what Richard Branson later codified at Virgin—if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers. Our longevity, staff tenure, and customer list are all quantitative testaments to their success in this. But for me today, the best affirmation of what we’ve created and maintained at Equinox is a short sentence penned on a holiday card.
David West is Executive Vice President of Equinox Information Systems. David oversees the company’s sales and marketing team, develops the company’s long-term strategic plan, and works directly with the company’s hundreds of customers across the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia. When he is not making sales calls or updating spreadsheets, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing basketball, and serving his community through his efforts at St. Bartholomew's Church and One Voice Nashville. To learn more about Equinox, its products, and the people who power them, visit www.equinoxis.com or call (615) 612-1200.
