Denys Farnalskiy. Kuva: Planmeca.
Planmeca’s success relies on team spirit throughout the customer chain – “The emotional side of business”
Planmeca has long-standing and solid experience in the markets of EastCham.
There’s a buzz in the lobby of Planmeca’s headquarters in the Herttoniemi industrial area. International guests are currently visiting, and at the same time, facilities are being renovated just around the corner. I meet Denys Farnalskiy, who is responsible for Ukraine, Central Asia, South Caucasus, and the Baltic countries.
Planmeca manufactures dental care technology, such as dental chairs, dental instruments, and related software, which are exported to over 120 countries. The company has been active in the Ukrainian market for over 25 years, and in Central Asia and the South Caucasus for more than ten years.
Denys Farnalskiy is on home turf in these countries. He was born in Kherson, Ukraine, and has lived in Uzbekistan. He completed his studies in commerce and gained most of his professional experience in Finland.
Farnalskiy has a clear vision of what it takes to succeed in the markets of Ukraine, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus. In these regions, interpersonal relations are key. In business, you must be fully engaged—with your whole heart and both ears—or there will be no deal.
– You need to understand the local ‘kitchen’ and develop your business based on that. If you speak the language, understand the culture, and build your sales strategy based on what people are telling you, success is inevitable. We see it in Kazakhstan, we see it in Ukraine, Farnalskiy says.
“You need to understand the local ‘kitchen’.”
At Planmeca, Farnalskiy has spent over 13 years building a sales network and technical support system for his regions of responsibility.
– One of my most important tasks was to create a technical support concept for all the markets. We trained around a hundred specialists, about forty of whom are working in Ukraine, Farnalskiy explains.
Customer service is a team sport
At Planmeca, listening to the customer is especially emphasized because the company operates in the premium segment. Dentists and clinics are offered highly developed, Finnish-made solutions that compete with, for example, more affordable Asian products. So why does a customer choose the more expensive Finnish product?
According to Farnalskiy, a key pillar is team spirit—meaning present and responsive customer service and technical support throughout the entire customer chain. The chain begins with the local distributor, who is Planmeca’s customer. The distributor’s customers are dentists and clinics, and the clinics serve patients. If a dentist’s tools aren’t functioning properly, the clinic comes to a halt.
Planmeca’s role has been to listen to the needs of dentists, clinics, and distributors, and to shape comprehensive solutions that meet those needs. When the entire chain operates as a team, the gears turn and patients receive care. The price gap with competitors has been closed specifically with heart and ears—that is, with better service.
In practice, this means, for example, the technical support system developed by Farnalskiy. The experts trained by Planmeca form a network that covers the entire market area, capable of responding quickly and communicating across borders. Installations and maintenance are largely handled independently, but the team in Herttoniemi is always ready to pick up the phone.
Find the right partner and committed key people
The market region of Ukraine, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus is currently facing exceptional challenges, as Ukraine is engaged in a fierce defensive war and geopolitical tensions are affecting the entire area. Despite the difficult situation, Ukraine remains Planmeca’s leading market in the region. The company holds a significant market share in Ukraine and is the market leader in diagnostic equipment.
One of Planmeca’s strategic strengths has been building business operations in all countries from the very beginning—long before the pandemic or Russia’s war of aggression. This has been part of the company’s risk management strategy.
– From a risk perspective, the markets must be broad, Farnalskiy emphasizes.
Farnalskiy advises all companies entering the markets of Ukraine, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus to find the right partner and people who understand the local culture. The involvement of those responsible for the region must be direct. Strong team spirit must be maintained.
– When a partner sees and feels the support, they do much more. That’s the emotional side of business, Farnalskiy explains.
Welcome to visit Planmeca in september
Planmeca invites EastCham member companies to visit its production facilities on September 16th from 2 PM to 5 PM. The visit will include a tour of the production site, followed by coffee and discussions, where you’ll hear more about Planmeca’s experiences and insights in our target markets.