Usabilidad

Also   during   the   third   day   the   researchers   split   up.   This   time   another   participant   was   accompanied   during   his   meetings.   Unlike   the   previous   day,   the   meeting   did   not   take   place  in  Istanbul  but  in  Eskisehir,  a  central  Anatolian  city  200  km  west  of  Ankara.  Harun  

Tepe  had  arranged  the  train  tickets  to  Eskisehir.  So  together  with  Kristof  Ringeling  from   Olympia   and   the   researcher   hit   the   road   to   the   train   station   early   in   the   morning.   Olympia  is  specialized  in  producing  shelves  for  the  tiles  and  ceramics  industry,  stainless   steel   hygienic   shelves   for   the   food   industry   and   in   producing   solar   panels.   The   main   reason   for   Kristof   Ringeling   to   take   part   in   the   trade   mission   was   the   introduction   of   shelves  mad  for  the  tiles  and  ceramics  industry.  Turkey’s  construction  industry  is  one  of   the  main  forces  behind  Turkey’s  economic  boom.  A  lot  of  neighbourhoods  are  torn  down   and  rebuilt  again  according  to  earthquake  regulations  and  Turkey’s  growing  population   requires  more  and  more  housing.  Based  on  these  facts  Turkey’s  tile  producers  have  the   potential   of   being   new   clients   for   the   Dutch   company.   Tiles   at   the   end   of   their   production  process  need  to  be  dried  in  kilns  and  Olympia  is  offering  high  quality  shelves   that  can  be  used  during  the  drying  process  in  kilns.  The  structure  of  Olympia  shelves  is   improving  the  strength  and  durability  of  tiles  during  the  drying  process.  Hence  Olympia   had   meeting   with   two   tile   producers   in   Eskisehir,   where   a   various   number   of   tile   producers  have  settled  down  by  time.  Kristof  Ringeling  has  heard  about  the  huge  urban   transformation   projects   in   Turkey   and   had   online   investigation.   The   results   of   his   investigations   were   contradictory.   Some   sources   claimed   that   the   Turkish   market   was   ready   for   Olympia’s   high   quality   products   whereas   other   sources   claimed   that   simple   and  inexpensive  techniques  were  used  in  Turkey  to  dry  tiles.  So  the  company  decided  to   make   use   of   the   trade   mission   to   Turkey   to   see   whether   the   Turkish   tile   industry   is   ready  for  their  high  quality  and  relatively  expensive  products.  

On  the  way  to  Eskisehir  Kristof  Ringeling  revealed  that  he  does  not  expect  any  business   deals   during   his   stay   in   Turkey.   He   uses   the   trade   mission   rather   as   a   chance   to   investigate  the  situation  of  the  Turkish  market  and  gather  market  knowledge  and  meet   people   from   the   industry.   It   is   rather   a   long-­‐term   thinking   and   he   considers   market   knowledge   as   a   valuable   resource   to   obtain.   He   wants   to   know   if   there   is   an   existing   market  in  Turkey  and  is  it  exists  who  are  the  suppliers?  His  former  online  investigations   conducted   in   the   Netherlands   gave   him   ambiguous   results   concerning   the   latest   situation   of   the   Turkish   market.   The   company   he   is   working   for   is   highly   internationalized.  Nearly  80%  of  the  production  is  being  exported  worldwide  although   75%  of  all  exports  goes  to  European  countries.  He  considers  the  preparation  sessions  as   helpful  but  adds  that  self-­‐preparation  is  important  as  well.    

Once   arrived   at   the   Eskisehir   train   station,   the   representative   and   the   researcher   had   difficulties  to  find  the  Turkish  partners.  Thus  the  representative  contacted  Harun  Tepe  

who  arranged  a  new  meeting  point  for  us.  The  team  met  the  Turks  at  the  new  meeting   point   who   then   picked   us   up   and   invited   us   directly   for   lunch.   The   lunch   was   an   opportunity  to  get  to  know  each  other  better.  After  finishing  the  lunch  they  invited  us  to   see  their  production  facility.  It  was  a  relatively  small  producer  of  tiles.  Their  production   techniques   were   simple   to   reduce   costs.   One   single   tile   costs   one   third   of   the   Dutch   price.   It   seemed   that   the   Turkish   market   demanded   inexpensive   tiles   rather   than   qualitative  ones.    

Our  next  meeting  was  with  the  largest  producer  of  tiles  in  Turkey.  They  had  a  large  and   modern   facility.   The   company   representative   claimed   to   produce   the   best   tiles   in   the   country   and   using   state   of   the   art   technology.   If   there   was   some   potential   client   in   Turkey  then  this  company  would  be  the  best  candidate.  Before  visiting  the  production   facility   the   team   had   a   meeting   first.   Kristof   Ringeling   from   Olympia   presented   his   product   and   mentioned   the   advantages   of   Olympia   shelves   as   compared   the   conventional  ones  being  used  in  Turkey.  The  Turkish  partner  seemed  to  be  interested  at   first   sight.   One   question   followed   another   one.   The   Turkish   manager   realized   that   Olympia  was  also  producing  solar  panels  so  the  conversation  switched  to  solar  panels.   After   having   presented   the   products   the   firm   representative   was   asked   if   he   wants   to   have  a  quick  tour  in  the  production  facility.  One  worker  guided  us  through  the  facility,   presenting  and  talking  of  their  high  quality  products  and  production  lines.  Soon  Kristof   Ringeling  realized  that  their  production  line  was  out-­‐dated  as  well  as  compared  to  the   Dutch  production.  The  shelves  they  were  using  to  dry  the  tiles  in  kilns  were  primitive   when  compared  what  Olympia  shelves.  Soon  Marcel  Bsselink  understood  that  there  are   different   forces   in   the   Turkish   construction   sector.   The   market   demanded   the   highest   quality  for  the  lowest  price  possible.  It  meant  that  no  company  was  ready  to  invest  in   Olympia  shelves  and  increase  production  costs  and  lose  in  the  competition  against  other   local  producers.    

At   the   end   of   the   day   Kristof   Ringeling   said   that   he   did   not   have   high   expectations   anyway.   He   came   to   Turkey   for   a   market   research   to   approve   his   expectations.   Furthermore  he  made  some  connections  and  built  a  small  network.  It  was  probable  that   he  would  meet  these  producers  again  in  international  fairs.  It  was  important  for  him  to   investigate   the   Turkish   market   on   site   and   make   some   contacts   for   future   once   the   Turkish  market  was  ready  for  Olympia  shelves.  With  the  last  train  the  team  arrived  in   Istanbul  at  midnight  to  get  ready  for  the  departure  day.  There  were  no  further  meetings   for  Kristof  Ringeling  anymore.