Sound strategy
Having developed and commercialised new technology, Sonitus Systems’ growth has been driven by a customercentric mindset over the past two years
Anew focus on what customers really want and need from its sound level monitoring product rather than the technology itself has set Trinity College Dublin spin-out Sonitus Systems on the road to growth.
The company has developed rugged measurement instruments that automatically check compliance with noise level limits in applications such as construction and manufacturing.
Before setting up in 2014, the founding team of engineers had been working closely with Dublin City Council on developing new environmental monitoring technology to enable the local authority’s staff to automate labour intensive tasks.
The company was formed to commercialise the technology and take advantage of the emerging need for remote noise monitoring. Since starting with one full-time employee four years ago, growth has been steady and Sonitus now has six full-time staff in its Dublin 2 offices.
After refining the technology through its work with the city council, Sonitus expanded the business into new application areas and international markets with the help of Dublin City Local Enterprise Office and Enterprise Ireland.
A big part of the company’s work has been around using its technology to help customers move away from manual and time-consuming practices. “We have invested heavily in meeting international standards, but it is the way we employ this technology to improve our customers’ businesses that is the real innovation,” says co-founder and managing director, Paul McDonald.
The company now has a turnover of over €1m, 60% of which comes from its export markets. McDonald believes a shift in the company’s mindset has been key to its expansion. In 2015, it worked
with business management consultancy Futurecurve, which specialises in helping businesses identify where their real value is.
“We changed our focus entirely from concentrating on our product to thinking obsessively about what our customers needed from our product. This went right through everything we do – from the design of our packaging to the way we structure our website,” says McDonald.
“The clarity on where we offer value has allowed us to find and support more customers and also develop really effective strategic partnerships with other companies. It has driven our international expansion and allows us to make better informed decisions across all aspects of the business.”
Sonitus will be launching two new products this year that have been redesigned from the ground up with customer focus in mind. “We will also be expanding into new international markets, replicating the market entries we have had in the UK, Scandinavia and Australia,” says McDonald. “And in Ireland we are expanding our research and development capabilities with investment into new product design and test facilities.”
“We changed our focus entirely from concentrating on our product to thinking obsessively about what our customers needed from our product”