As senior product/application specialist for ERIKS North America, David Clover identifies an attitude of service to others as his primary marketing tool. BIC Magazine recently sat down with Clover to learn more about his humble and personable approach to his position at ERIKS.
Q: What led to your position at ERIKS?
A: God's sense of humor! In my case, 33 years ago, when I was between jobs and looking for direction, I was given the opportunity to work in the gasket industry, servicing refineries in the Northwest. It turned out to be the perfect environment for a curious person who loved math, chemistry, physics and puzzles. Over the ensuing years, I have had incredible opportunities to learn from some of the best technicians and engineers in the refining industry, and what I learned opened up new ways that I could be of service to my friends and customers.
Q: What type of clients mesh best with your style?
A: Friendly ones! While professionalism and respect must be the basis upon which business relationships are built, I find a special pleasure in the warm friendships that I have gathered along the way. Unlike "retail" sales, which is often equivalent to taking advantage of a customer, success in "industrial" sales is built on long-term relationships of trust and friendship.
Q: Are you looking to grow in new markets or expand in current ones?
A: Both, but the easier path is growing within current markets. All the experience, knowledge, skills, programs and contacts that have brought us successfully to this point within our current market are powerful assets in expanding our services to new customers or solving new problems within our dominant markets. Why strike out to new, unknown markets when we are far from the point of saturation within our preferred markets?
Q: What has been the most pivotal moment of your career?
A: We seldom see pivotal moments as they are taking place. They are always seen in retrospect. With few exceptions, I have found out later that the times when I was overwhelmed by new challenges, when I was unsure if I could meet a need, when I was being stretched to do something that I had never done before, when I was completely unsure of which path to take -- those turned out to be the points at which my career shot forward. It is only by doing things that we gain new skills and capabilities.
Q: How do you maintain a good work/home life balance?
A: I've never spent time worrying about "balance." Life isn't balanced! It comes at you with unexpected demands and unanticipated twists, both in the professional arena and in one's personal life. To expect that we will always prioritize personal claims over professional claims -- or vice versa -- means we are devaluing one part of our life. When a challenge comes, whether from work or home life, I add it to the pile of ongoing challenges, evaluate its importance and decide how I will spend my resources (time, attention, money, etc.) to meet it. Yes, this means I have sometimes been on a business trip on my anniversary because it was absolutely necessary. But it has just as often led to me placing a personal item at the top of my agenda.
Of course, this is all much easier if you are blessed with a spouse who knows the importance of work and knows she is not devalued just because work may be urgent. â¢
For more information, visit www.eriksna. com or call (412) 787-2400.