How Growth Works helped Asynt revamp its premises and website to drive growth

The challenge: Cramped premises and an outdated, sluggish website hampered growth plans

Asynt provides specialist chemistry supplies and equipment, their own and others’, to scientists across the UK and internationally. They focus on creating products to make laboratories safer and greener, while also providing outstanding performance.

With business thriving, Asynt have ambitious plans to expand their product portfolio and increase international sales. But they were hampered by outgrowing their existing premises.

Dr Kerry Elgie, Asynt’s Director of Business Development, explains: “Our research and development capacity was limited due to a lack of usable space in our original building.”

The small office space made it difficult to record product demonstrations, or produce informative webinars and training videos for customers and distributors.

It’s crucial for Asynt’s international distributors to learn about the products they’re selling by seeing them in action. Yet it’s not always practical to jump on a plane for in-person training,  especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. So Asynt needed to create educational video footage to share with their international markets.

“If a customer or distributor wanted to see a product in action, we would have to clear space within the office to set up a temporary replica of a lab. Once the demo was complete, we had to put all the equipment away again. It was time-consuming and inflexible.”

Asynt bought the building next door to their headquarters so they could expand their premises. Refurbishing and equipping the demo suite and larger office space was a big undertaking.

Asynt’s website also needed upgrading. “Our website was quite antiquated, so it took a long time to load,” Kerry says. “We needed to make it faster, more adaptable and user-friendly, especially when Covid hit and all sales changed to being online.”

The solution: Expert advice and funding to upgrade their premises and website

After connecting with Growth Works, Asynt successfully applied for a £23,000 capital expenditure grant. The funds helped them build and kit out the new demo suite and larger office area. This included buying video and photography equipment so they can produce quality materials for distribution partners and customers.

“We applied for a grant to increase our research and development capacity. I couldn’t believe it, and did a little dance, when we were awarded £23,000! It was such a fantastic feeling as I knew the impact it would have on our business.”

Kerry was impressed with the straightforward grant application process. “Some grant proposals are so difficult to decipher. But the Growth Works one is clearly set out. It’s easy to follow and uncomplicated.”

Growth Works also provided Asynt with expert advice and funding to help build a new fast, user-friendly website. Asynt are creating a streamlined user experience to encourage sales, with live web chat, embedded video links and stronger SEO.

“We want to make the customer experience as straightforward as possible,” Kerry explains. “So a visitor can read all the technical information on a product, watch a demo, and then order it with ease.”

“The Growth Works team are exceptionally helpful and so accommodating. Nothing is too much trouble. Their motto is “we can help you with this”. And then the information and assistance just miraculously appear!”

The results: Poised for accelerated growth with improved ability to showcase and develop products

The Asynt team moved into their new building in April 2022. “It looks absolutely fabulous! Organised, streamlined, beautiful. The funding made a massive difference,” Kerry says. “The staff are absolutely over the moon now we have more space and a superb, dedicated demonstration suite.”

The star attraction is the gleaming new demo suite, with Asynt’s products always on display and ready to demonstrate. Customers and distributors can view them in action any time, on a video call or in person. This enables the Asynt team to be ultra-responsive to enquiries and requests, and to demonstrate more than one product during a conversation.

“It’s so exciting having all the Asynt demonstration equipment organised and ready to use. It looks professional and makes life so much easier.”

The new building and resources have strengthened Asynt’s appeal to international scientists too, which is key to their growth plans.

“We can quickly jump on a call and show customers worldwide the Asynt product line and associated supplier equipment. It’s so easy to provide any product videos or images they ask for. That reassures them about our capabilities, as a forward-thinking, reliable company. There’s no doubt this will help the company’s international growth.”

Asynt’s new website will go live in late summer 2022. Kerry and her colleagues are excited to see how it improves Asynt’s search engine rankings and conversions.

Since they began working with Growth Works, Asynt have taken on two new employees, in sales and marketing. As the company grows, Kerry confirms it will generate further jobs in different business areas.

Without Growth Works’ support, Kerry believes Asynt would have taken longer to achieve the changes needed to expand.

“It’s definitely speeded things up. It means we can hit the ground running. I am so excited to work with Growth Works again in future, because I can see it contributing to Asynt’s growth.”

“Growth Works have been absolutely fantastic. I can’t praise our growth advisor, Stephen Goddard, enough. The team are always so helpful and so willing to point you in the right direction and give you guidance. You never feel alone. They hold your hand through every process, which is superb and really reassuring.”

Could your business benefit from expert support and funding to help you unlock further growth? Check your eligibility and tell us about your growth plans. Or get in touch at enquiries@growthworks.uk