Quality key to Signal’s success
GOLD Coast identification and branded products supplier Signal Group is touting its quality control as a badge of honour, opening a Hong Kong office after investing $250,000.
CEO and founder Graham Budinger said as the company keeps growing, forecasting revenue of $5 million this year, it is becoming more important to prevent mistakes slipping through.
Coomera-based Signal Group is made up of two companies: Signal Events, which supplies branded products, such as backpacks and lanyards for conferences and Signal Advantage, which produces name badges.
The events business is the fastest-growing side of the company, with growth forecast at 57 per cent this financial year.
Mr Budinger said the company sources most of its products, including tote bags, backpacks, satchels and lanyards, from factories in China.
He said sometimes the wrong products are supplied, which is problematic when the average turnaround time for a conference is just 10 days. Mr Budinger said they tried to outsource quality control to a third party in Shenzhen, which proved to be a disaster.
“What is going to keep us growing as a business is delivering right first time and on or before time,” he said.
GRAHAM BUDINGER
“If (for example) the Association of Macadamia Growers has an event at The Star on Friday, we have to deliver.”
He said the purpose of the office, located in Wan Chai, a busy commercial hub in Hong Kong, is the sourcing and inspection of products before they are shipped to Australia.
The office will also take care of the shipments and then send them straight to customers in Australia rather than via the Coomera office, which will cut down on the average delivery lead time by between five and seven days.
“It is about ensuring the quality of the products is first rate and the response time for quotes and delivery is also improving,” he said.
“That is because we are growing like topsy.
“There is no point in trying to win 100 new customers if only five come back because they are dissatisfied with the service.”
Mr Budinger said the busi
THERE IS NO POINT IN TRYING TO WIN 100 NEW CUSTOMERS IF ONLY FIVE COME BACK BECAUSE THEY ARE DISSATISFIED
ness is planning for strong growth, predicting revenue of $8 million in three years.
The company currently ships more than 400,000 badges per year and can do same day orders if required.
Mr Budinger said that meant it had helped the company keep ahead of competition from overseas.
The components for the badges come from China, Germany, South Africa and Taiwan, with production, meaning the printing of the customised logos and names, taking place at Coomera.