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Beer drinkers may not know that competent after-hours telephone
answering service
professionals make an impact on the cost and quality of their favorite
beers, but they do. Consider barley, which must be harvested when the moisture content is just right.
Brewers will only accept the highest quality barleys for malting.
If the
moisture content is off or if the crop is damaged in any way, the crop
is graded as "feed" barley.
For farmers, malting-grade barley brings a premium price, while
feed-grade barley brings in a much lower price. Equipment breakdowns can
mean the difference between crops bringing a premium price or not.
Because malting barley is raised in relatively rural areas, parts for
harvest equipment can be hard to find, especially on weekends. Randy
Hirning, owner of Hirning Equipment and Service, has capitalized on
providing premium customer service to a market segment that has
historically been underserved. His strategy has paid off. His business
has expanded from one store five years ago, to four stores today.
"I know my customers, and they know me. I know they work almost 20
hour days during harvest. I know what an equipment failure means to
their business. Having to wait until Monday for a part can make the
difference between a small profit or a loss for their business that
year. Because we know each other, they call whenever they need
something – I used to have to go to the shop and see if I
had what they needed."
"We upgraded to an automated inventory system three years ago. That's
also when we switched to our after-hours answering service. Now, we have a 24-hour a day
toll free number that is answered by a real person. The customer can
describe his need and the answering service can access our inventory system,
letting him know immediately if we have the part in stock. If the part
is on the inventory list, they call me or one of the store
managers and we meet him at the store for pick up and get him back to work." If we
don't have the part in inventory, the customer knows right away and I get a few
more hours sleep than I used to because I'm not searching the store for
a part that's not there."
Hirning's business practice is pretty revolutionary
in his rural area. He says he got the idea after calling his local
electrical cooperative to report a power outage. "I knew I wasn't
talking to someone in the local office – not because they sounded
different, they were just so, professional — I guess. When I called
during the day, I never got that kind of service! I called the branch
office the next business day, was told about their answering service and
I thought, we need this service, too!."
The 24/7 emergency service has
been an important part of Hirning's business growth. "I had one woman
drive 200 miles in the middle of the night for parts, so her husband
could keep his older piece of equipment harvesting" he said. "Being there when you are
needed builds a lot of loyalty."
Learn more about telephone
answering services and discover how they might be able to help you.
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