For Lively, Ont.-based Maestro Digital Mines, the situation has been reversed: the disruption of the pandemic has forced its clients to adopt digital communication technology they were previously reluctant to use.
The company, which makes environmental sensors and easy-to-install hardware that allows digital communications at the mine face, has long used such digital communication technologies internally. “We were well engaged with all these tools, but our clients weren’t – they didn’t appreciate that type of engagement,” says Maestro’s vice-president of marketing and sales, Michael Gribbons. Now, the company’s clients have come around. In fact, Maestro just had its best year yet in terms of sales and profits.
That said, it’s been tough to build new relationships in parts of the world such as Latin America, where a personal touch and face-to-face meetings are part of the cultural expectations. But the positives for the company, which is celebrating 10 years in business this year, have so far outweighed the negatives. Working from home has made the entire Maestro team more productive, Gribbons says, including some members who had previously spent half their time on the road. “We’re not going back to the old ways so easily.”
Canadian Mining Journal March Issue 2021 by CMJ Editor Alisha Hiyate
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