Working for Schweitzer
Working for Schweitzer
(OP)
I'm evaluating the possibility to join SEL.
I'm based in Europe.
What do you feel about the possibility to sell the SEL relays in the european market? I know their relays quite well from a technical point of view and I think they are impressive. I'm not sure about the commercial side here in Europe.
Anybody has experience working for SEL?
Thanks in advance for any contribution/opinion.
I'm based in Europe.
What do you feel about the possibility to sell the SEL relays in the european market? I know their relays quite well from a technical point of view and I think they are impressive. I'm not sure about the commercial side here in Europe.
Anybody has experience working for SEL?
Thanks in advance for any contribution/opinion.






RE: Working for Schweitzer
Their products are second to none. Continually on the forefront of advance design. I am not smart enough to work for them.
They are dominating the market surely and slowly.
RE: Working for Schweitzer
Having a good product automatically doesn't equate to market dominance, which is maybe a little unfair but so is life.
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Working for Schweitzer
Trying to penetrate an entrenched market in Europe will be challenging, but could be frustrating. How are your sales skills?
RE: Working for Schweitzer
In any case looking at your answers (by the way, thanks!) I feel that my opinion regarding SEL is confirmed (great products, innovative solutions). I know that great products doesn't mean market dominance but I think that engineers should fight to spread around the best technical solutions for a better world. Too idealistic? Perhaps ... but I think I found my next challenge!
RE: Working for Schweitzer
While I have a limited point of reference for how conservative the European Electric Utility Market is as compared to the USA Market I am familiar with trying to introduce new technology into our utility market.
I was involved with the early introduction of Zirconium technology in-situ Oxygen Analyzers for boilers and combustion equipment. The (dog) technology du jour was sampling types that were more trouble than they were worth even when they were working.
That was a long time ago and now, who would think of a major industrial or utility boiler without an O2 analyzer (in-situ of course). I seldom go up on the back passes of a large boiler and upon spotting the instruments that I don't remember how hard it was to convince 'stuck in the mud' types to give it a try. Sometimes the fight was fought in the very plants where I am spotting the current use of the probes.
Plan to be patient but persistent.
rmw
RE: Working for Schweitzer
I am not in a utility, even I tried to introduce SEL on our local market and found that utility people made every possible attempt to kick us out of the tender. And frankly speaking I cannot blame them too much.
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It may be like this in theory and practice, but in real life it is completely different.
The favourite sentence of my army sergeant
RE: Working for Schweitzer
If the technology alone does not make the sale, try customer service.
RE: Working for Schweitzer
The point about employee ownership of the stock is a valid one. You should find out how you dispose of any shares if you leave SEL (presuming you take the job).
Selling SEL equipment in Europe could be a challenge--you should inquire with SEL on how they plan to show greater value than the existing relay players in Europe. One presumes that large discounts might be in order if they wish to gain any appreciable market share.
RE: Working for Schweitzer
1) SEL has very strong tech support team, poor documentation and relay is more difficult to work with
2) GE UR is on the opposite side, they have very easy reading manuals, but talking to the people in their tech support call center is a nightmare, the most thing they do for is to read the manual that you can read yourself. But the UR relay is very easy to work with.
RE: Working for Schweitzer
Alan
"The engineer's first problem in any design situation is to discover what the problem really is." Unk.
RE: Working for Schweitzer
RE: Working for Schweitzer
Alan
"The engineer's first problem in any design situation is to discover what the problem really is." Unk.
RE: Working for Schweitzer
I would think that they got their start because their distance relays were significantly cheaper than the established companies - and they backed it up with good service.
We like to be conservative with our relay selection, but our organisation has policies that say that we need to evaluate relays that are cheaper that what we currently pay.
If we find problems with the product or service, we can then rule them out, but if these aspects are OK the relay is a chance of being accepted.
It might be different in other parts of the world (and maybe even other parts of Australia) but if you can find companies with similar practices to ours, they will be your best place to start.
You just need to get the price right, and show you can offer them the service they need. SEL's products are pretty good so you will be OK on that aspect.
(By the way, we don't have any SEPAMs, but I think they are more common in industrial plants)