{"id":12604,"date":"2023-09-14T16:48:04","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T13:48:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uafm.com.ua\/?p=12604"},"modified":"2023-09-14T16:48:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T13:48:04","slug":"uam-v-oblychchyah-svitlana-shabalina-vlasnytsya-stolychnoyi-kompaniyi-doros-rozpovila-yak-kompaniya-spravlyayetsya-z-vyklykamy-yaki-postayut-pered-neyu-u-tsej-skladnyj-chas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uafm.com.ua\/en\/uam-v-oblychchyah-svitlana-shabalina-vlasnytsya-stolychnoyi-kompaniyi-doros-rozpovila-yak-kompaniya-spravlyayetsya-z-vyklykamy-yaki-postayut-pered-neyu-u-tsej-skladnyj-chas\/","title":{"rendered":"UAFM in the faces: Svitlana Shabalina, the owner of the renowned company ‘DOROS,’ shares how the company is tackling the challenges posed by these turbulent times"},"content":{"rendered":"

While our armed forces managed to swiftly repel the enemy from the capital and resume furniture production at the factory after a weeks-long shutdown, the leadership of “DOROS<\/a>,” as described by its owner Svitlana Shabalina, had a sober understanding that the domestic market would not quickly return to pre-war levels. Therefore, the loss of opportunities in the domestic market needed to be compensated by expanding sales abroad. They seized the first opportunity that arose during these challenging times to seek new clients beyond the country’s borders. This opportunity was made even more favourable by the Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, which, despite the constraints imposed by the state of war, organized a collective national stand for its members at an international exhibition in Pozna\u0144, thanks to the support of the relevant state institutions and an American donor program. The company’s leadership did not let this chance slip away.<\/p>\n

It’s worth noting that “DOROS<\/a>” is among the domestic furniture companies with significant export experience, having sold its products to practically every region of the world for quite some time. However, due to the war, these exports experienced a noticeable decline, as revealed by Ms. Svitlana. This was primarily due to logistical challenges with sea routes. Initially, nothing was being shipped by sea during the war, but alternative maritime routes were later found, albeit longer and more expensive. This led to the need for transhipment of goods, and some clients in Asia, the Middle East, and the USA suspended their purchases due to delivery risks and increased logistic costs. Those clients with whom trading had just begun decided to postpone their orders until better times. Consequently, the company urgently needed to find new international clients.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, as the company’s owner pointed out, it’s essential to maintain an active presence at furniture exhibitions, not just to expand the customer base, but also for the company’s image. “We must continually demonstrate our presence at furniture forums, showcasing our product innovations and overall production capabilities to reaffirm our reliability, prospects, and alignment with industry trends, technological advancements, and fashion trends to both our long-standing and potential clients. This is especially crucial in the current situation to ensure that the trust in the company remains unshaken among active and potential clients”, – Svitlana shared her thoughts.<\/p>\n

To achieve this goal, the company actively participated in this year’s international exhibition in Cologne, Germany.<\/p>\n

Gradually, the domestic market began to recover after the initial shock of the war, and by the end of the previous year, “DOROS<\/a>” had achieved a relatively good result for wartime conditions, with 70% of pre-war production levels.<\/p>\n

– Has the war hindered or suspended the company’s development in any way?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

– I wouldn’t say “hindered,” because we’re still active in such difficult times, but “suspended,” yes. We had ambitious plans to expand significantly, but it didn’t work out. We won’t be able to do so this year due to resource constraints. Last year, in addition to the staffing shortage, which was already evident, we also faced an energy crisis when widespread power outages occurred. This year, we have no electricity problems, but the “staffing famine” is still keenly felt. The war took away key specialists, primarily men (we believe it’s temporary), and finding suitable replacements has proven to be very challenging. Moreover, it’s practically impossible today, among those seeking employment, to find experienced furniture makers. We need to train our existing staff, which takes time, and newcomers can’t immediately acquire the expertise and experience of their predecessors.<\/em><\/p>\n

– Nonetheless, the company has not only retained its viability but also the values that have always made it an industry leader.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

– Yes, even though maintaining our market position now requires tremendous effort. This includes significant reforms\u2014both in production and management units\u2014in light of the conditions the company has faced since the beginning of the war. We’ve managed to optimize in a relatively short time, achieving the desired results. For example, we strengthened our managerial team, which helped stabilize sales. We’ve also improved the utilization of internet mechanisms for product promotion and sales, such as the company’s website, and trading platforms, and increased our presence on popular and effective social networks. We’ve created and introduced new products to the market, expanding our product range. Furthermore, we’ve entered the production of types of furniture that were not previously part of our assortment, such as kitchen furniture. We’ve also ensured that certain types of furniture are stylistically and functionally compatible, allowing customers to assemble furniture sets according to their tastes and needs, thereby facilitating comprehensive purchases. All of this, combined, allows us to face the challenges that have arisen over the past year and a half and will continue to arise until the war ends. Of course, we hope for our victory.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t