Daman Elements of Success

Daman Products has concentrated on building excellence within our company for over four decades. As a Midwest-based fluid power manufacturer, we have integrated a purpose-driven set of values, team leadership and business practices since we embraced the concept of continuous improvement in 1997. Continuous improvement has permeated the company's DNA. Eliminating waste, streamlining processes and increasing efficiencies have become second nature to everyone at Daman.

 

To be successful 20 years from now - or even five years from now - Daman has recognized a need to improve the way we approach innovation - as well as to maintain our core elements for success:

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1. Put Customers First

We know that the only reason for our customers to keep coming back to Daman is that we provide a superior product and an unmatched level of service, so we are always asking ourselves how we can better align our processes with our customers' needs and exceed their expectations.

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The advantage of making Daman your source for high-quality standard and custom hydraulic manifolds is that we are committed to putting our customers' needs at the heart of our business. We do everything we can to make sure that customers are an integral part of the process when we are developing new products for them or making arrangements to supply standard manifolds. We believe customers should be an integral part of the product development process. Interviews, exchanges of ideas, face-to-face visits can reveal not only challenges but also solutions.

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2. Communicate Effectively

Effective communication skills play a critical role in moving concepts forward. Brainstorming – in the absence of criticism – helps reframe fundamental assumptions and boundaries. And active listening can identify opportunities even before customers fully recognize what they want or need.

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Every successful project starts with effective communication about capabilities, goals, and strategies. We know that when a custom product is being created, all parties need to be actively involved in moving the project smoothly from the conceptual stage to planning, design, production and delivery.

 

We use active listening and brainstorming on an ongoing basis to identify and capitalize on opportunities that even our customers may not be fully aware of, and we always focus on making constructive suggestions about how to move forward.

 

 

3. Overcome Challenges Through Innovation

We support innovation as a business strategy. Innovation, by definition, is discovering and creating something that is unknown and unknowable at the outset of a project. 

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We understand that there is always uncertainty involved in innovation. While this may scare some manufacturers away from designing and building custom products, this is one of the ways Daman is different. We believe that our commitment to meeting customers' specific needs through creative research and development, and smart risk-taking is one of the things that sets us apart as a company.

 

 

4. Inspire Autonomy and Personal Accountability 

A culture of personal accountability is the foundation for any successful business. Conventional management systems that rely on hierarchical oversight structures are antithetical to the concept of continuous improvement. They create barriers to innovation by making avoiding risk the top priority for those in leadership roles at every level.

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At Daman, we take a different approach to ensuring that all of our teams have the skills, tools, training, and support they need to fully understand their role and achieve peak performance. Our people work in an autonomous environment based on trust, learning and a commitment to personal accountability. This empowers every member of our team to play a proactive role in solving problems, guiding others and becoming leaders on every level.

 

Operating with this expectation of autonomy has reinforced our commitment to continuous improvement to the point that it has evolved beyond being just a tool for change management. It is our way of life, a natural part of our culture that becomes stronger and more embedded in our DNA every day. This drives our team to organically realize opportunities to better serve our customers, offering them a critical competitive advantage.

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5. Expect Continuous Improvement

A culture of personal accountability provides the foundation for highly successful, well-trained teams to fully understand their roles and have the tools, signals, and systems in place to execute their jobs.

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At Daman, continuous improvement means never being satisfied with yesterday's accomplishments. We will always be committed to finding ways to improve our performance across all parts of our business, from our interactions with customers to our internal training and development processes. We hope you will consider joining us on this journey.

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​6. Cultivate Leaders

Cultivating leadership demands a significant investment in improving interpersonal skills. By building on concepts of eliminating waste, streamlining processes and increasing efficiencies, a fledgling R&D group can achieve success. Collaboration, creativity, sharing and smart risk-taking become the norms rather than the exceptions. 

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The basic tenants of effective leaders can shape the innovation process. They help the potential entre- or intra-preneur discover and use the resources available to counter risk aversion and identify potentials.

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To learn more about our culture and commitment to excellence, please take a look at our white paper, "Journey into continuous innovation: Transcending traditional markets."

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