Unexpected industry divorce

After the imminent transition of Bartek Kownacki (Bart Kownat *FB - ed. note) from P.S. Theater to ACME, we get another news bomb. As of today, the distribution of the aforementioned manufacturer for Poland is officially taken over by Stage Source.

There is no denying that last year was really successful for ACME. Not only because of aggressive and successful marketing but also sales results. It might seem that the manufacturer's current deal with the distributor is successful, and a change of camp is unlikely to happen.

Behind-the-scenes we were already getting information that something was being cut although we looked at it skeptically - nevertheless, the information has just been confirmed. We were wondering why such a change and why. We sent the question directly to Bartek, and below we post his answer.

Why such an abrupt change?

As a direct representative of the Acme brand, I can say only that this decision was not easy-if only because of the merits of P.S. Theater in cooperation with our brand-but somewhat necessary.

If we are realistic about the changes that will ensure our development sometimes we need to take actions that may be perceived as surprising, but in the long run can bring benefits. First and foremost, customers because they are the ones we are concerned with here. Sales and numbers are one thing, but it is important to remember that it is not us or the distributor that generates them, but the market. The market is potential users, and that is the most important point for the ACME brand today.

What impact will this change have on ACME's product customers in Poland?

Specifically: it will not be more expensive, the goods will be available, the service will work, the distributor is changing. There are no fundamental changes in these issues. On the other hand, several pillars of long-term operations are to come - something I mentioned in my previous answer.

• Technical support- fast, specific, substantive action-oriented and problem-solving and providing specific quick answers.
• Increased emphasis on pre- and post-sales service with clear and transparent pricing.
• Distributor service with parts warehouse- without providing services externally, without having to order most parts from a warehouse in Italy. Time is of the essence in our industry, and we will strive to reduce the time of all maintenance services as much as possible.
• Faster product availability.

From my perspective, the most important thing is trust and relationship with the customer. Of course, different situations mean that once it works out great, other times there is something to improve, but the key is to be able to fight for the customer by giving them more attention and being open to their needs and suggestions.

How do you privately approach this topic, any specific hopes you have for the new distributor?

If you're asking about my personal hopes for the new distributor then, aside from the points above, I'm hoping for more attention to ACME as a whole.

A company with over 40 years of experience and one of the largest and most significant stage lighting factories certainly deserves to be taken seriously. Realizations with the participation of the biggest stars, or at least the upcoming Eurovision with the participation of nearly 2,000 ACME devices on stage only confirms this.

Would it be accurate to say that the change from "blue" to "orange" is an attempt to reduce direct contact with the Polish industry, given that you also have other foreign markets under you? However, you have been strongly associated with P.S. Theater in terms of direct communication, and we can speculate that you want to disassociate yourself personally from that as well.

Absolutely not! As I mentioned, I very much appreciate my long-standing relationship with P.S. Theater and am grateful for the growth opportunities that have been created for me. All the relationships I have built over the past years, whether in the ACME brand aspect or working at P.S. Theater continue to be very important to me.

As far as communication is concerned, naturally from now on I encourage you to contact Stage Source, but I still remain available to everyone in Poland. If only time permits I will try to be as available as possible and give everyone as much attention as possible. So if you have any questions, concerns, or pure concern for the ACME brand, I also invite you to contact me directly.

In the word of the end

I can't help but congratulate Stage Source on the imminent acquisition. We hope the divorce was by mutual agreement, and we encourage you to leave comments and follow our social media, Discord, Patronite, etc. !