As we sweep up the remainder of 2017 and prepare to usher in the New Year, we are constantly reminded that change is one of the few constants we can rely on. After all, how many of us spent New Year’s Eve with Dick Clark, celebrating the ball dropping? But while the list of constants in our lives grows smaller and smaller, we are heartened by the knowledge that new traditions await us, and the opportunities presented by 2018 will enable us to forge new journeys and capitalize on partnerships and technologies that will replace our longtime standbys.
And as we put the wraps on challenges confronting the Elite Dealers, we also take comfort in knowing that while change may steamroll the landscape, it leaves a blank slate that is only limited by our imaginations and desires. So chill the Casanova di Neri, fire up an Oliva Serie V and ponder all the possibilities as you embark on making 2018 the best year yet. Here’s wishing you and yours a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
Assimilating Acquired Companies
As Kelley Imaging Systems continues along its growth path fueled by acquisition, the Kent, WA-based dealership has faced numerous challenges in onboarding new companies and converting them over to doing things the “Kelley way.” Often times, the newly-acquired employees are accustomed to working with certain manufacturers and suppliers and following a certain set of procedures implemented by the previous regime.
“Streamlining processes, product offerings and technical support are important, and this also presents the need for constant training for our sales, service and administration staff,” Kelley Imaging reported. “We have worked hard to understand and handle these challenges to ensure there is no negative effect on our level of customer service and support.”
Being able to maintain the Kelley culture throughout multiple locations is also a tall task due to geographical considerations. However, all leadership additions fully understand the needs and philosophy of the company and can provide support and training necessary to advance Kelley’s initiatives.
“Additionally, as we grow, the competition puts their best foot forward in competing with us, and are in pursuit of some of the same employment candidates that Kelley is pursuing,” the dealership noted. “Candidates have more leverage than ever if they are talented, and in many cases finding the right talent is hard with the low unemployment in the Northwest. Kelley is planning accordingly for the personnel and support to be in place to effectively handle the increased sales and service needs from a growing revenue stream.”
Speaking of M&A, FlexPrint LLC of Mesa, AZ—a cornerstone in the Oval Partners platform of companies—finding like-minded businesses that share their vision is an ongoing quest. The points of differentiation and the fact that this is not a garden variety acquisition avenue falls upon the Oval Partners’ collective to educate would-be partners.
“While we maintain a full pipeline of interested dealers wanting to learn more about our growth strategy and the advantages our business platform can provide to their dealerships, it is a different and unusual game plan,” FlexPrint reported. “One of our biggest challenges we face in the early stages is educating potential dealers about the capabilities and capital we can provide that is very similar to a private equity fund, but with the mentality, partner orientation, and time-frame of a private holding company.”
Keeping Up with the Kelleys
In dealing with the Kelleys and FlexPrints of the industry, firms such as Sims Business Systems of Tempe, AZ, find themselves needing to overcome larger dealers and manufacturers within their markets. An ingredient in Sims’ secret sauce is simplifying the process to do business with them.
“We’ve made our company the easiest to do business with,” Sims reported. “This means we have real people in each department to solve any question immediately. Our people are constantly trained and retrained in providing the best possible customer support. Everything we do is local. We have local service, accounting, products, and supplies all under one roof. We assist our clients with almost every technology to support their business. Some of these new services include professional IT services and cloud-based phone systems.
Establishing the Chain of Command
Alpha Laser & Imaging of Evansville, IN, has enjoyed significant growth, which has led to bringing aboard new employees. One of the fallouts from this prosperity is the need to structure a chain of command so that each manager and department is fully attuned to the decision-making processes in various areas of the operation.
“This is something we are aware of and it’s not a bad thing, but we just need to work it out,” Alpha reported. “We are currently working on a chain of command outline for each department. Everyone is so used to being involved in everyday decisions and we just need to streamline that to help things flow smoother.”
Resources for Growth Strategies
One of the best outlets Donnellon McCarthy Enterprises (DME) uses to stay abreast of the newest innovations and latest technologies is to participate in a variety of industry groups. Within the Business Technology Association, DME is a member of the ProDealer Group. In meeting to discuss the various challenges facing the industry, DME can bounce ideas off noncompetitive dealers and find ways to leverage newer technologies and use them in their marketing strategies.
The Benefits of Variety
Continuing to find ways to provide objective, independent and all-encompassing solutions to clients is a priority for Bay Copy of Rockland, MA. It often involves a combination of products from a variety of manufacturers, recognizing that one solution may not be the right one for every client.
“To combat this, and to offer more variety to clients, Bay Copy has expanded its offerings to include Toshiba, which joins our other product lines including Konica Minolta, Lexmark and Muratec. Bay Copy has also invested in ongoing training for its technicians for all the product lines it services.”
