When Martin Andersson, property manager at Akademiska Hus, had an idea for a pull handle, he had no idea it would become the starting point for a completely new product. But the result was
SLUG 20. Today, this handle is on several entrance doors in buildings for which Martin is responsible.
SLUG 20. Today, this handle is on several entrance doors in buildings for which Martin is responsible.
As technical manager at Akademiska Hus in Huddinge, Martin Andersson ensures that all the technology in the properties works – from alarms and electricity to ventilation and mechanical parts, such as door handles.
When we meet Martin on the Södertörn campus, he shows us some of the buildings that he and his colleagues are responsible for. The premises, which total 80,000 square meters, house police training, a university and restaurant operations. There are a lot of people circulating, and the sound of entrance doors opening and closing is constantly heard. So when it comes to door fittings such as pull handles, Martin's requirements for these products are quite simple:
"The most important requirement is that it should work, because then there will be no worries for me as a manager. It should just work", he tells us when we sit down in a meeting room.
When we meet Martin on the Södertörn campus, he shows us some of the buildings that he and his colleagues are responsible for. The premises, which total 80,000 square meters, house police training, a university and restaurant operations. There are a lot of people circulating, and the sound of entrance doors opening and closing is constantly heard. So when it comes to door fittings such as pull handles, Martin's requirements for these products are quite simple:
"The most important requirement is that it should work, because then there will be no worries for me as a manager. It should just work", he tells us when we sit down in a meeting room.
The start of product development
When it came to a handle that Martin actually thought was “very beautiful and nicely designed,” he had an idea that it could be made better. The handle was on several of the campus’s entrance doors:
"The dimensions didn’t quite fit the door. But I didn’t really know how to fix it, since there weren’t any other handles that really fit either."
Martin thought for a moment and decided to go ahead with his comments and contact the manufacturer, ROCA Industry:
"At first I thought they would be angry about my whining. But since I didn’t have a solution for it, I thought it would be good for the manufacturers to know that some product development was needed. So I took a couple of pictures of the handle and wrote them an email."
"The dimensions didn’t quite fit the door. But I didn’t really know how to fix it, since there weren’t any other handles that really fit either."
Martin thought for a moment and decided to go ahead with his comments and contact the manufacturer, ROCA Industry:
"At first I thought they would be angry about my whining. But since I didn’t have a solution for it, I thought it would be good for the manufacturers to know that some product development was needed. So I took a couple of pictures of the handle and wrote them an email."
However, the recipients of the email were not at all angry, according to Martin:
"They thanked me so much for pointing this out. Just getting a response surprised me pleasantly. They even said they would look at a new design for the handle. It was a response I hadn't expected."
"They thanked me so much for pointing this out. Just getting a response surprised me pleasantly. They even said they would look at a new design for the handle. It was a response I hadn't expected."
Involved in the process
Martin's feedback eventually became the starting point for a new pull handle. He was even involved in the process as an end user and his views were taken into account:
"I was very surprised when I received a sketch of what the new handle would look like - before they had even started manufacturing it. I was going to be part of the process and it was really fun. That I would be part of the development of the handle and have an opinion before they started manufacturing it. So it was fun."
The result of Martin's input was SLUG 20 and today some of the new handles are in place in the Akademiska Hus premises. More are on order and will be installed in the coming weeks. Martin thinks they work “great”. It was easy to install the handles, as they have the same installation dimensions as the old ones.
"So we didn’t have to drill any new holes in the door, we just had to install them. It worked out great."
"I was very surprised when I received a sketch of what the new handle would look like - before they had even started manufacturing it. I was going to be part of the process and it was really fun. That I would be part of the development of the handle and have an opinion before they started manufacturing it. So it was fun."
The result of Martin's input was SLUG 20 and today some of the new handles are in place in the Akademiska Hus premises. More are on order and will be installed in the coming weeks. Martin thinks they work “great”. It was easy to install the handles, as they have the same installation dimensions as the old ones.
"So we didn’t have to drill any new holes in the door, we just had to install them. It worked out great."
Klas Björkman, sales and product manager in ROCA Industry's hardware segment, talks about SLUG 20:
"We designed the handle itself a little to the side so that it is slightly offset, away from the door frame. The same layout as most of our SLUG pull handles, but now with a slightly larger safety margin."
"Someone who really listens to your opinion"
Martin thinks it is very important that there are manufacturers who listen to the views of end users and are also prepared to develop their products based on that input. He draws parallels to large companies that provide locking products and that mainly have contact with construction companies. This means that as a property manager he feels that he is not really being listened to:
"You have to get in line, and we don't actually feel taken seriously. So it's really fun to meet someone who really listens to your opinion. Then you suddenly feel heard."
Klas Björkman adds that he thinks it is good to get input from the market and that what Martin describes as "whining" is actually just feedback, exactly what a manufacturer like ROCA Industry needs:
"It might be a bit difficult to call, say, a car manufacturer and say hello, I want you to have more tinted glass on the sunroof. We put Martin's feedback on a drawing and it became a prototype and later actually an article number that we can supply to the market. I think it's fun."
And Martin Andersson says goodbye with a smile:
"Yes, I got a very positive response, I must say. So I might come up with more suggestions for your company in the future!"
"You have to get in line, and we don't actually feel taken seriously. So it's really fun to meet someone who really listens to your opinion. Then you suddenly feel heard."
Klas Björkman adds that he thinks it is good to get input from the market and that what Martin describes as "whining" is actually just feedback, exactly what a manufacturer like ROCA Industry needs:
"It might be a bit difficult to call, say, a car manufacturer and say hello, I want you to have more tinted glass on the sunroof. We put Martin's feedback on a drawing and it became a prototype and later actually an article number that we can supply to the market. I think it's fun."
And Martin Andersson says goodbye with a smile:
"Yes, I got a very positive response, I must say. So I might come up with more suggestions for your company in the future!"
