During the course of a 17-year career with MOEbiz, Darrin Denney has developed a keen understanding of the challenges that confront small businesses and fully realizes that no one is immune from some type of disruption. But challenges can also be visited upon the dealer, especially in an age where application development and e-commerce ha
“Although not everything can be ordered with a few clicks, information about what they want can be found quickly,” said Denney, a 2019 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “My goal is to ensure that no one can ‘Google’ me out of business.”
Denney relishes dealing with challenges head
A veteran who spent eight years in the Marine Corps, Denney’s early career included stints on the retail front as a manager for CompUSA and OfficeMax. Increasingly, he wanted to know more about systems and stretch his wings beyond the retail industry. He embarked on training to become Microsoft certified, which started him down the IT path.
Denney’s affinity for his job and the industry is twofold. He enjoys assisting clients in determining solutions that merge technology in the right time and place. Enabling small companies to leverage various levels of technology allows them to remain agile and more profitable.
Paying it Forward
Another rewarding trait is passing on his knowledge. “I spend time teaching our newer technicians,” he said. “I have had some great people pour into my life over the years, and I feel that it is equally important that I pay it forward to this next generation.”
Denney counts business author Ken Blanchard as one of his greatest influences, particularly his writings on customer service and his advice to turn customers into Raving Fans. “Ken’s insight on getting clients to wear your jersey like they would for their favorite sports team resonates with me the most,” he noted.
From an industry perspective, Denney has gleaned much insight from Paul Dipple. “Hearing Paul and attending his peer meetings have me so many lightbulb moments,” Denney added. “I always keep them handy and fall back to them whenever I have challenges. The biggest takeaway from Paul is to never undervalue what you do and what you know.”
In the last two years, MOEbiz has enjoyed much success in hiring its next generation of technicians. Backed by a solid relationship the company has with a local community college, it has been able to recruit two strong techs. The newcomers have blended their ideas with MOEbiz’s insight into older systems and customer interaction, making the union mutually beneficial.
“Growing our team is great, but leaving a legacy is even more important to me,” Denney remarked.
Peer Learning
As the dealer seeks to grow its market share, Denney has stressed cybersecurity awareness with ongoing training. He enjoys the give and
Learning is an unending yet beneficial journey. “It is a personal challenge to learn something new every day and make an effort to read professional development articles and books,” he said. “I also subscribe to a couple of podcasts that allow for a quick listen while I drive.”
Listening is the key to success for Denney. “Prospects and clients will tell you their stories and what they really want,” he said. “This is for anyone in a similar position, quit trying to sell and listen. It is easy to say but difficult to do.
“Everyone has metrics to meet, not just salespeople. It comes down to how can I help this owner/executive grow their company? If I do this, I become a better asset for them and for my company.”
Denney and his wife, Debbie, have been married 28 years and have two children, Zachary and Allison. A musician who plays several different instruments, he also loves to sing at church. Denney entertained the idea of being a professional golfer and still enjoys playing in local charity events.
When not visiting family and friends in Missouri, Denney enjoys taking in a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game or tubing and swimming in Table Rock Lake.
