We sat down with Chris Payne, Finance Director at Hunt Forest Group to understand the dealership’s journey. Chris has been with the company since February 2022, before that working as the Finance Director for Smart Ag Services for 7 years. From their extensive range of John Deere farm machinery to navigating the challenges of the industry, Chris shares insights on the present and future of Hunt Forest Group.
Discover how they have adapted to advancing technology, the importance of a dynamic dealer management system, and the impact of Ibcos Gold on their daily operations. Chris also provides valuable advice for dealers aiming to grow their businesses and sheds light on the challenges the industry faces in 2024.
Where do you see Hunt Forest Group heading in the future?
Chris: “We recently went through a move, merging two of our depots, Green Ore and Somerset. We are looking to consolidate the sites we have and build our customer base from there. We are also focusing on standardising all our franchises across sites, to continue to grow the business and to keep serving our customer’s needs.”
Do you foresee your customer needs changing?
Chris: “Yes, we foresee the needs of our customers changing, especially when it comes to the technical side. Technology is playing a greater role in our dealership and the industry, and we are therefore investing a lot of money in the technological support that we offer to our customers. We are building more infrastructure to enable customers to maximise all the technology that our products have on offer.”
What does a good dealer management system look like to you?
Chris: “It must be dynamic, and able to give you real-time reporting. As a business, we are becoming more focused on using key performance indicators for the management of our staff, particularly the individual depot and department managers. Having a business system that gives accurate, up-to-date, live information is critical.”
When did you implement Ibcos Gold and what was the initial reason for your implementation?
Chris: “Ibcos Gold was implemented at the start of the business in 1998. We had the old-school version and have been continually updating it since then. It would have initially been introduced because you need to have a decent system to operate a business like this.”
Can you describe how you use Ibcos Gold on a daily basis?
Chris: “I use Ibcos Gold specifically for high-level reporting to manage all the different parts of the business. As the Finance Manager, I look predominantly at financial reporting. I also use Ibcos Gold to analyse non-financial data to supplement key performance indicators. I am continually using all the various elements of Ibcos Gold and love how flexible the system is.”
How have Gold Service and WebScheduler improved your workshop efficiency?
Chris: “They have dramatically reduced the amount of time it takes for a finished job to be invoiced. We still have the occasional hurdle to overcome regarding our processes, but Gold Service and WebScheduler have given us the ability to turn around jobs very quickly and have more flexibility in our workforce.
Due to the geographical spread of some of our sites, we have technicians who work remotely and do not come into the depot every day. Historically, this would result in a backlog in getting their work booked out because they have physical job cards that would live in their van and if we did not see them for a week, we did not see those job cards for a week. For these technicians, it is much more efficient because we are in constant contact with the progress and status of their job. When managing our workshop staff, we are more proactive and have smoother processes.”
Are there any challenges you foresee facing our industry in the future?
Chris: “A big challenge currently is cash flow and finance cost. It Is a challenge when you are making investments. Our customers are making investment decisions all the time that are now costing them more money than they were a few years ago. Then there are short-term challenges that arise, we have had terrible weather this winter which will have a knock on effect for this year and the next. Another challenge we have all faced is keeping up with the pace of advancements in technology. We have some amazing products and data at our fingertips, and we want to make sure our customers can use them effectively and offer training.”
Is there any advice you would give to other dealers looking to grow their businesses and reach their objectives?
Chris: “The biggest thing that we have been working on is making sure that the management staff get time and space to work on the business, not just working in it. It is critical for helping the business grow. It is very easy to get stuck in how things have always been, but we need to be flexible and agile. My advice is to be open to the potential.”
