A.Y. McDonald Adapts Virtually to Take Care of the Boss

A.Y. McDonald Adapts Virtually to Take Care of the Boss

The water and gas industry have been around for a long time – and so has A.Y. McDonald. Since 1856, our company has been serving customers based on family values and the best customer service in our industries we serve. However, as traditional as our business operates, this 164-year-old company isn’t afraid to adapt to the times and welcome change.

The average American spends nearly 10 hours a day utilizing technology, which includes smartphones, computers, tablets, and TVs. In recent years, A.Y. McDonald has taken note of this growing statistic and made digital communication a top priority in addition to providing great customer service the way we always have. These digital efforts can be found in A.Y. McDonald University (AYU), interactive digital product catalogs, A.Y. Alerts, customer portal, blogs, social media, and how-to videos located on YouTube specifically aimed toward our water meter setters, submersible pumps, and natural gas meter bars.

With the year 2020 also came the COVID-19 pandemic, where communicating virtually became not just one option, but the only option at times. While we knew our current digital marketing efforts were solid, filling the void that in-person large trade shows offered our industry was a new challenge we had to face. Trade shows are a great way to connect with the customer and end users face-to-face. Therefore, as these events became cancelled, postponed, or digitalized, A.Y. McDonald had to adapt to stay with the times. To try to recreate the experience, the following virtual options and extra efforts have been and continue to be made by A.Y. McDonald:

• Virtual meetings with customers instead of on-site visits
• Product webinars held for customers to better understand our products and communicate with product experts
• Enhanced socially distanced in-person training with existing product training trucks and coordinators

Just like the industries we serve, A.Y. McDonald remains close to our roots, but the manner in which we serve the customer and share product knowledge has adapted over time. While digital options were already offered prior to 2020, this year we had to utilize technology to communicate now more than ever. We hope that customers notice how A.Y. McDonald is willing to acclimate to any situation that’s thrown our way. After all, throughout history our company has faced depressions, pandemics, wars, and, through it all, we have served our customers. Because, whatever the circumstances are, we will get through this together and please know that you can always rely on our team to take care of you – the boss!