‘We’re the most awarded in our sector’ – four reasons to choose American Tackle
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Ask Marketing Manager Kevin Landers about the most memorable project worked on by American Tackle during his time at the company and he will tell you… nothing about it.
“We will never talk about it in public,” he says. “It was an amazing success for our client, and we love knowing that we did something that was adopted by a wide customer base, but we don’t look for the attention. Maybe one day we will be able to talk about it, but until then, we will keep it internal.”
Such discretion is no accident. Part of the appeal of working with American Tackle lies in its faultless customer service, developed over 38 years, and that includes complete anonymity for the clients receiving its gold standard rod components and marketing support.
Thanks to its powerful development team, American Tackle is the most awarded rod component company in the world. From its base in Florida, the world capital of sportfishing, it helps customers, big and small, take products from concept to retailer shelves. Projects range from changing the size of a reel seat all the way to ‘something that has taken two years and a ton of design time that we simply can’t talk any more about’.
“That is the benefit of working with American Tackle,” repeats Landers. “Of course, there would be an advantage to us if we listed all the brands we work with daily, but we don’t. We value our customers more than we value the attention to ourselves.” Fortunately for Landers, who has the task of marketing American Tackle’s services to B2B customers around the world, there is plenty else to talk about. As he explains here.
1. Customer service
“It’s ingrained into every interaction,” says Landers. “Every day customers call us to talk about product, but we also know them on a personal level, not just the account managers but also the product teams. This is essential because there are products that take years to develop, and the process incorporates product development, design help and marketing. Customer service isn’t a job title here, it is something that is part of the environment at American Tackle.”
Landers says American Tackle will throw the full weight of its team into a project to meet tight deadlines for big clients. “But customer service isn’t reserved for just the big brands,” he says, before telling the story of a small rod builder in desperate need of an older guide for his rod. “We have over 100 years of rod building knowledge in the building, so we were able to identify the guide, figure out a good replacement and direct the rod builder to the correct dealer to purchase it locally. We do everything we can to help our customers be successful.”
2. Special projects
Special projects can range from full development services to advising on the manufacture of a client’s own products. Adds Landers: “We get a ton of requests because in the fishing industry we are known as the company that can get it done. We offer consultancy for practical design and market acceptance based on years of experience with global customers – and our team works past normal business hours to complete the task. We are the most awarded rod component company in the world for a reason. We bring more new products to market than any other company and we do it consistently.”
3. Products
“Our product team are responsible for some of the most used tackle on the market,” says Landers. “Take our Aero reel seat, for example. It was completely different from what was on the market and now everyone has some sort of imitation of it. Our team look at different industries for inspiration on materials and design. They are always trying to answer the question, what problem does the product solve? Their track record for developing award winning products is unmatched and it is thanks to literally decades of hands-on experience.”
The American Tackle product team lives, sleeps and breathes fishing and fishing rods, says Landers, and there are round-table talks every week about customers, projects, fishing and new trends. What’s next, you may wonder? Landers gives a little hint. “We are developing something that will give rod designers something they have never had before. Choice. The freedom they will have to design will be different than ever before and we can’t wait to show the world.”
4. Delivery
American Tackle has a history of delivering faster than anyone else ‘because we do this every day,’ says Landers. “We have been doing this for 38 years and it shows. We control everything from the material to the shipping and from the QC to the delivery. We are also very up front with our clients. We don’t make false promises, but if we tell a customer that the thousands of guides they ordered will be delivered in 45 days or better, we mean it and we deliver on it.
“We have heard stories about customers who were told one thing only to never get the product, and they switched to us because we made the delivery.”
American Tackle came into its own in the time of COVID, says Landers, by reacting quicker than rival suppliers. “When the entire world shut down, we were still working with customers on delivering components for rod designs and builds. Most people don’t understand how rods are made or how much goes into the design of a rod. Some of your favourite rods take up to two years to develop and design. We saw many of the supply issues coming and adjusted quickly to account for the delays and were able to quickly deliver products to builders, distributors and brands.
“American Tackle was delivering products in less than 45 days compared to six months like some of our competitors. We had a ton of new business come in just because we adapted.”
The message
Convinced to use American Tackle? “Feel free to give us a call,” says Landers. “We will always listen to any request and then work with you on the next steps.”
