Recently I attended a product introduction from a leading tool company. It was interesting because they came to us instead of the other way around.
As much as the company wanted to tout the advantages of its new tool (which it did through hands-on demonstrations and PowerPoint) it also wanted to know if we thought the market could use it, and for what applications. The product was officially introduced the day before, but the company was still in touch with the various markets to check on how to market and distribute it.
Which means that your opinion counts. Trade publications are representatives of the markets we serve. So if you see a need for a tool or changes to an existing product that would serve you better, let us know or let the manufacturer know directly. They want their products to be useful and used.
The product manager explained that product changes for the new tool came from recommendations from users: What would make their life easier, what would be nice to see, and what would be more productive.
Other topics of discussion that came up were the change to digital tools. Tools that connect to the computer make inspection, record keeping, and analysis easier and faster once you make the leap to using digital technology. Designing for add-on accessory capability can increase the lifespan of a tool and make it more cost-effective by being adaptable to future requirements.
Longevity was another benefit described with the rechargeable battery option. That along with the portability feature makes a tool adaptable to many applications.
So as you look at your tool needs, what do you consider the most valuable feature? We and the tool manufacturers would like to know.
