Proprietary Information Stays Private at Chemstar
We’ve all been around That Guy. The person who talks about sensitive business information in inappropriate places – such as the airport, elevator or restaurant. On a recent flight everyone in my row was an unwilling participant in a gentleman’s conversation to a colleague describing a piece of new business he was going after. Before the final boarding and request to turn off mobile devices, we all knew how much he thought he could close the deal for, the people he was negotiating with and the tactics he was going use to win the business.
This isn’t just annoying, it can be dangerous. He had no idea who the people sitting next to him were, and quite frankly he didn’t seem to care. With Chemstar, you don’t have to worry about us being That Guy.
NDA Protects Proprietary Information and Eases the Testing Process
We have a number of measures in place to protect our customers’ proprietary information, as well as our own. Within the past five years we’ve engaged customers in non-disclosure agreements which are designed to benefit the customer and Chemstar by assuring both parties that proprietary information will be held in the strictest of confidence. This allows us to be able to speak openly and honestly about our products and processes. In turn, customers can be comfortable providing the necessary information we require to develop a solution to overcome their challenges. For us to really understand how our product works in their system, they need to share insight into what challenge they’re looking to overcome, the equipment they use and a general formula our product would go into.
When we first engaged customers in NDAs some were reluctant, but today most companies appreciate the protection it provides. They value their proprietary information and know holding each other’s confidential info is a two-way street.
The NDA process has additional cost and product performance benefits. With the assurances they provide, and the close relationships we establish, we’re able to become an extension of their R&D process. By conducting much of the necessary testing on our customers’ behalf, we can remove the burden from their shoulders and wallet of proving our products work with their processes. We can also improve the functionality of their system.
Protecting our customers’ proprietary information is part of the family culture at Chemstar. We have an explicit rule about the appropriate time and setting to discuss business. You never know who you are sitting next to and who is listening to confidential information. Of course, we require computers and mobile devices to be password protected. And our president, Jim Werler, likes to joke that if anyone from Chemstar is ever caught talking business on a flight they’re immediately fired. At least I think he’s joking, nobody has ever tested him.
We understand you’ll never have an open, honest and successful relationship without clear communication. We’re proud that our customers can be confident what they tell us will be held in the strictest of confidence.
-Jay O’Neil
Director of Sales