Leadership and networking helped Fexa take home the U.S. Supplier Company of the Year award at the ConnexFM | 2022 National Conference.
What does it take to become ConnexFM’s 2022 U.S. Supplier Company of the Year? Nominations required a company to possess creative vision and demonstrate industry leadership.
Kim Goei, COO of Fexa, believes it was the company’s approach of living out its values and mission. Fexa is a technology services provider, supplying what is typically known in the industry as a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS): software for facilities management, work order management and asset management.
“It was just so incredibly exciting to be acknowledged,” Goei said of her company’s award win. “It rejuvenated and invigorated a lot of the segments within the organization that aren't as familiar with ConnexFM.”
Goei credited her company’s involvement with ConnexFM and the relationships they’ve built with generating much of Fexa’s business. “A lot of the relationships we've built in the industry and a lot of the business that we have procured have come from ConnexFM,” she said.
Despite a technology supplier’s focus on efficiency, Goei emphasized the value of building relationships to succeed within the industry and utilizing a value-added approach over a transactional approach. “At the end of the day, this is a very human-centric business,” she said. “Facilities managers and leaders are forced to do more and more with less. Without having those trust and relationship components, you're going to flounder.”
Over the years, Goei and Fexa CEO Marc Balzamo have seen the value of such relationships and have offered their time within leadership roles with ConnexFM. Balzamo has volunteered for the New York City Networking Committee, and Goei is now on her fourth year on the Board of Directors, serving as Vice Chair. She is also Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee.
To other Suppliers in the industry who want to become more involved in ConnexFM, Goei suggests a long-term strategy. “You might not walk away from an event with a contract in hand, but the relationships that you build and the support that you give will definitely lead to success,” Goei said.
In this industry, a rising tide lifts all boats. Goei sees Fexa and ConnexFM’s growth as intertwined, each helping the other.
Ultimately, it all comes back to human-centered business practices. “Do the right thing for the person you're talking to, not necessarily for what's most immediately best for your business,” Goei said. “That will pay back in leaps and bounds.”