Customer-centric
February 1st 2007 When long-standing Caterpillar distributor, Finning, sold its materials handling division a new player entered the UK forklift market in the form of Briggs Equipment. Charlotte Stonestreet spoke to CEO, Richard Close about his vision to change the materials handling industry from being manufacturer driven to becoming customer led There's little doubt that company acquisition in any industry can signal a significant period of upheaval – so it is, perhaps, somewhat surprising to take a stroll around the substantial Briggs Equipment site in Cannock and find that it is very much business as usual just a few months after US giant Sammons bought the materials handling division of long-term UK Cat Lift Truck distributor, Finning. UK management Unlike many US-owned organisations operating in the UK, Sammons has not shipped over an American to man the helm, but is relying on the drive and vision of a home-grown Brit to move Briggs Equipment forward. With a career pedigree that includes senior roles at Lex Distribution and NACCO, Richard Close is no stranger to the materials handling industry and is obviously relishing the challenges that come with his new position as Briggs' CEO. "Things have been going well for the company since the change to Briggs Equipment," says Close who spent 18 months working with Sammons planning the acquisition. "Morale is good and everyone is comfortable with the direction the company is going in. I really see this as a merger rather than an acquisition. There are no radical changes on the cards for the short term – this is a period of really getting to know the company and the market, letting things stabilise after what can be an unsettling event." However, do not let this comment mislead you into thinking that Close does not have far-reaching ideas when it comes to the company's future and, importantly, how Briggs will differentiate itself from the competition in the tough forklift market. "I feel that in order to excel long-term any company operating in the materials handling sector needs to change from being manufacturer-driven to become customerled. It's a huge challenge, but it's the only way to survive. "For so long now, the way most of the lift truck sector has developed has been determined by the manufacturers and their need to fill expensive production lines. At Briggs the aim is to provide a product and service that is fully aligned with the customer." According to Close, the fact that Briggs Equipment is the sole UK distributor of Cat materials handling equipment, and nothing else, puts the company in a very strong position to achieve these aims. "Although Finning was the sole UK distributor of Cat forklifts, the majority of its trade was on the construction equipment side of the business. As Briggs is only concerned with the materials handling side of Caterpillar, we are in a stronger position to represent the end user as there are less internal politics involved in our relationship with the manufacturer," says Close. "Of course we are aligned with Cat, but we will not be driven by them. "The fact that Briggs is privately owned with no pressure from shareholders also gives us more freedom to concentrate on achieving our customer-led philosophy." Close's aim is for Briggs to achieve long term partnerships with all its customers, forming alliances that will weather both the boom and the more lean times. "I'm not saying that we want to be 'buddies' with our customers, but we will be sympathetic, supportive and flexible," says Close. "Obviously, for a customer that is expanding its operation, we will provide the best handling solution – but equally, if a customer has to downsize we will try our best to help, perhaps redeploying equipment in another part of their business that they had not considered. It's all about problem solving." Comprehensive range With Caterpillar's comprehensive range encompassing both IC and warehouse equipment, Close has "no doubts about the products" and points to the way in which customers' priorities have switched from being supplied with the right truck for the job (which is now taken for granted), to being supplied with the truck that will result in the least downtime, and/or receiving the most effective service and maintenance. In order to raise the game when it comes to customer service levels in its sector, Briggs' employees will continue with the technical training they received under Finning. However, they will also embark on extensive customer-focussed training, which will start off giving the individual employee a sense of purpose, with clear roles and responsibilities. From this Close intends to develop an internal culture of empowerment, which will in turn contribute towards his aim of a truly customer-led business. "Ultimately, the goal is to never lose a customer and to achieve this it is vital that all Briggs' employees really want to work for the company. Long term, this can only lead to a better service for our customers and more profitability for the company," concludes Close. More articles from Briggs Equipment UK Ltd: | 
