Beer drinkers may not know that competent after-hours teleservice professionals make an impact on the cost and quality of their favorite beers, but they do. This time of year, barley is being harvested throughout the country's agricultural areas.
"Hello?" Jack said. "Mr. Doll, this is Sergeant Kirk Bendickson from the police department. There is a fire at 5136 Main Avenue. You are the owner of that property, correct?"The crop 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 fetches 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, each in a different farm community.
"I know my customers, and they all 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 would call whenever they needed something – I used to have to go down to the shop and look to see if I had what they needed."
"We upgraded to an automated inventory system three years ago. That's when we switched our after-hours 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 service can almost instantly tell him if he can get the part. If I've got it they call me or one of the store managers and we meet him at the store and get him back to work." If we don't have the part in inventory, I don't get called and I get a few more hours sleep than I used to."
Hirning's business practice is pretty revolutionary 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 day and asked about it and that's how we got started."
The availability of 24 hour, seven days per week emergency service has been an important part of Hirning's business growth. "I had one woman drive 200 miles for parts overnight, while her husband kept harvesting with an older piece of equipment" he said. "Being there when you are needed builds a lot of loyalty."
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