Word of mouth turns collars into dollars
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday September 7, 2009
DESIGNERS and manufacturers around the world are always searching for that niche in the market that needs to be filled.A simple innovation no one else has thought of could be the ticket to international success.Wollongong surgical footwear manufacturer and designer Miguel Vasquez knew a lot about dogs. His father trained police dogs in South America when Vasquez was growing up, but he did not follow in his father's footsteps €“ until about seven years ago.€śI was approached by a dog trainer from one of the dog clubs to help design a collar as an alternative to the traditional choker chain,€ť Vasquez says. €śI spent a weekend making a prototype and gave it to him to try.€ťIn just six years, the Vasquez Collar has gone international, and later this year will make its debut at Walmart in the United States.It has also been given the tick of approval by the American "dog whisperer", Cesar Millan.The Vasquez Collar uses a leather, or webbing, section instead of chain, which is a firm fit around the dog's neck, and when a twist-link chain is pulled, the collar tightens to the correct size.It still allows dog trainers to use sound as a training method, as with the choker chain, but there is no pressure, damage or discomfort to the dog.€śMost dog-training clubs in Australia, New Zealand and South America now use it, and it is sold in 50 US states as well as Taiwan,€ť Vasquez says.A big part of his success overseas is using the networks of dog-training clubs and word-of-mouth advertising. He says although it would be cheaper to manufacture the collar overseas, using Australian raw materials and domestic labour means he can maintain the quality for which the collar is renowned.Another Illawarra small manufacturer agrees that quality over quantity is the reason that many niche manufacturers in NSW find their products are sought-after overseas.Matthew Phillpott started Rideworx about 10 years ago. His company manufactures motorcycle accessories, such as handlebar guards, and exports through Europe and Asia, selling the products to the motorcycle manufacturers.€śUnlike a lot of the big Asian manufacturers, we don't make a generic, one-size-fits-all product,€ť Phillpott says.€śWe did start doing that but then started customising our range for that niche market and doing model-specific products, and that was when we started to expand and export.€ťPhillpott says a lot of the designs Rideworx manufactures have come from customer demand and, despite the economic crisis cutting a lot of luxury spending, he has found that his business has grown over the past six months.€ś[We] have found that by maintaining our quality, after-sales service and responding to customer demands, we are continuing to grow,€ť Phillpott says.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald