“Digitalization is a current theme that deserves our attention”

FHI is investing heavily in digitalization. For example, the member profile has been significantly improved since this year and various digital events were given. In this interview series, FHI members tell us how they feel about these developments. Tbp electronics kicks things off. Founder Ton Plooy and marketing manager Dana Wolters talk about what membership has brought them and how they see the future of FHI and the Industrial Electronics sector. 
 
By Frank van de Ven 
 
Tbp electronics has been a member of FHI for over thirty years at the time of writing. The company from Dirksland in South Holland is closely involved in the trade fair organisation of the Electronics & Applications trade fair. “Initially, we registered to be able to participate in the fairs. That was the main reason for us to join FHI (Federation Het Instrument),” says Plooy. “We also participated in all the trade fairs and theme days.” 
 
Knowledge exchange is also one of the reasons why tbp electronics has been a member of FHI for three decades. “FHI is a platform from which you can further expand your brand awareness,” Wolters explains. “This way, potential customers can find you more quickly. What makes membership so valuable to us is that we can exchange ideas with other members. Brainstorming and networking is useful and above all a lot of fun. In addition, you come into contact with valuable parties such as suppliers.” 
 
Keep innovating 
A lot is happening in the field of Industrial Electronics. There are countless changes and developments taking place within the electronics sector. One of these is the increasing role that online plays in business operations. “Digitalisation is a current theme that deserves our attention”, Plooy knows. “The Industrial Electronics sector is already responding well to this. This is very necessary, because you cannot continue on the old path. The future is online and if you do not want to miss the boat, you will have to anticipate this. As an entrepreneur, you must continue to innovate and adapt to changes in the market. Sharing knowledge is very important. This can be done very well online via your website, for example. For many entrepreneurs, digitalisation still seems to be something strange. Something unknown.” 
 
At tbp electronics, digitalisation has been fully embraced. “Everything is done digitally and we are proud of that,” says Plooy. “We receive orders digitally and invoicing also takes place online. Our assembly line is fully automated. An employee checks the progress, but the entire process takes place automatically. Customers can see the order status of orders via our website or an app. Our stock can also be viewed online and that can help with the purchasing process. Transparency is a key point in our business operations.” 
 
Member profile 
The future is online, says Plooy: “As a company, you can no longer do without IT, but that actually also applies to a communications department. It is necessary to profile yourself online as a company. By showing that you have the required knowledge, you offer added value. In addition, you must also be able to respond quickly to customer questions or complaints. We have an employee who works three days full-time on maintaining and updating our website and social media channels. Wolters takes care of the other four days, because it doesn't stop at the weekend.” 
 
Since the beginning of this year, the FHI member profile has been overhauled. The intention is to give members more opportunities to profile themselves online. Thanks to the high rankings in Google, the FHI can be found quickly. By giving members their own page, the trade association hopes to help them achieve higher visitor numbers and to bring them into contact with potential customers. Tbp electronics is pleased with this additional service. “Why wouldn’t you use it? It’s a great way to increase your online visibility,” says Wolters. “Filling in the member profile is easy, but it does take up extra time. It’s definitely worth it, but it does require input and a proactive attitude from entrepreneurs. Posting news is something you have to keep doing if you want to keep the member page up to date.” 
 
Content Service 
Many companies in the electronics industry do not have a marketing department. “While this is very important for your brand awareness. Placing content is something that is done ‘on the side’, while it should be a fully-fledged part of the business operations”, says Wolters. Since the beginning of this year, FHI has been offering its members help in the form of a content service. This service is aimed at supporting companies in creating and placing content. An experienced editor can help companies in creating and placing content. This applies not only to the member profile, but also to their own website. 
 
Although Wolters does not need to use this service, she is pleased with this initiative by FHI: “The new content service is a great support from the industry association. It is very important that you stay up-to-date and that your website looks fresh. The more often you post relevant content, the faster Google will find your website and put it at the top of the search results. The posted content must also be attractively written and offer added value. Readers must actually benefit from it. Advertising scores low in search engine rankings.” 
 
Proactive 
Tbp electronics has been a committed member of FHI for thirty years. What would Plooy advise companies that are hesitating about becoming a member? “Just do it. Try it for a few years and see what membership brings you. If I may give (potential) members something, it is that they should be proactive and take the lead themselves. Without commitment, you will not achieve your goals. If a trade fair is not successful, you can blame someone else. Often that is the trade fair organization, because they 'did not do enough to attract visitors.' What did you do yourself, for example, to make your presence known at the trade fair? What I sometimes miss is self-reflection. By exchanging experiences and giving each other tips as industry members, you lift the entire sector to a higher level.”