Forktruck Solutions Ltd

Forktruck Solutions is celebratingits tenth birthday this year - aperfect opportunity to find outmore about this rapidly growingYorkshire-based business as wetalk to Simon Penny-Smith, thecompany’s Managing Director.Forktruck Solutions’ first ten yearshave been a decade of progress,of building a solid platform as thecompany seeks new horizons inthe years to come.It has also been a decade ofchange and evolution in thebusiness world and a crucialelement in Simon Penny-Smith’srole as Managing Director hasbeen to ensure that ForktruckSolutions has evolved with thechanging times.He believes that one of the mostsignificant developments hasbeen a change in his customers’demands and expectations in aworld where value for money andquality of service have becomemore important than ever before.“Today’s customers are betterinformed than they have ever beenabout the products and servicesthey wish to purchase,” saysSimon. “As a result, we are findingthat they are less price-driven andmore value-focused.“I believe that it is now up tothe industry as a whole, as wellas individual organisations, torespond to customer expectationsby adding the extra valuecustomers are seeking.”He says that more customersare demanding better fleetmanagement, which is no longerthe sole domain of the large 50-250 truck fleet users.“Smaller 5-20 truck users are alsolooking for greater management oftheir fleet, with the aim of drivingstandards up and costs down,” hesays.“Customers are asking for KeyPerformance Indicators fordowntime, uptime, repair andservice intervals and utilisationof their fleet, as well as moreinformation on equipment damageand nearly all other cost-relatedissues.”The higher expectations anddemands of customers promptedSimon to examine the various ITsolutions available and assesshow they could help ForktruckSolutions to become a World Classsupplier.“We were determined to be asupplier who could offer the rightcustomer support and give thatcrucial added value. We alsoconsidered how our businesscould not only evolve to cope withthe demands, but also exceedthe expectations of today’s – andtomorrow’s -- market place. “His company’s Mission is tobecome a World Class companywithin the Clark dealer network.With this in mind, he had toconsider how Forktruck’s Missionand Vision could not only benefitits customers but also enhancetheir businesses and partnertheir own Mission and VisionStatements.“So we sought out and trialledindustry-specific software,” heexplains. “And after a lengthyevaluation process, we made aconsiderable investment to installand implement a system capableof taking our business to £20million turnover…and beyond.“The system would also provideour customers with as muchdetailed analysis as they requireto surpass their own expectationsand also add real value to theirbusiness.”Forktruck’s attention to detail isalso illustrated by their partnershipwith Chaintec, the UK’s leadingsupplier of off-the-shelf and8 M H W Magazine Issue 17 Visit www.mhwmagazine.co.ukMaterials Handling WorldMagazineVisit www.mhwmagazine.co.uk M H W Magazine Issue 17 9Materials Handling WorldMagazine