Introduction
Western States CAT, a renowned Caterpillar dealer with over 15 branch stores across Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, plays a pivotal role in supplying heavy equipment and services across various industries. With a vast customer base and complex credit and finance operations, the company faced significant challenges in managing liens, waivers, notices, job information, payment deadlines and other interactions efficiently. The need for a robust solution was evident, and that’s where Handle came into the picture.
Challenges Faced
Before implementing Handle, Western States CAT grappled with several operational credit department inefficiencies. One of the primary challenges was protecting payment rights (lien management) and managing/collecting job information effectively. The manual and disjointed systems led to delays and errors in processing job details, which in turn affected customer service and credit department operational efficiency. Additionally, keeping track of customer notice and waiver changes was cumbersome, often leading to outdated or incorrect project
“Western States really didn't have a solid lien management process up until maybe the last few years. A lot of the data we got back from internal teams as far as requesting job information was missing much needed info. There was a lot of negativity throughout the company centered around that process. With the new Handle process, we have established better relationships internally with our internal teams. And thanks to Handle we also have more collaborative conversations and relationships with those teams as far as notifying us when things are changing with job sites and all of that. ” said Jennifer Krasselt, Financial Services Manager at Western States CAT
Solution Implementation
In their quest for an effective solution, Western States CAT turned to Handle. Handle’s promise of streamlining job information management, notices, waivers and improving payment interactions was compelling. The implementation process involved integrating Handle’s system with the company’s existing infrastructure, a task that was quite quick and easy. The transition to Handle was a significant change for Western States CAT, marking the beginning of a more efficient and customer-centric operational approach throughout the credit and finance departments.
Positive Outcomes
Improved Data Management
The integration of Handle revolutionized customer and project data management for Western States CAT. As one of the team members aptly put it,
“We had a scenario where Handle highlighted a name change for a customer and got us the data we needed... It was a huge win for us.” said Lindsay Azevedo, Credit Analyst at Western States CAT.
This instance underscores the system’s capability to keep customer information updated and accurate, which is crucial for maintaining healthy customer relationships and efficient account management.
Enhanced job information was another huge benefit from using Handle. Equipment dealers often struggle with finding accurate job information for the projects they rent equipment to. This can be due to equipment dealers being “first on-site” as heavy equipment is usually some of the first tasks needed (clearing foundation, etc). Because of this, sometimes projects don’t even have an address yet. Handle solves these issues by providing tools like GPS mapping and land parcel tracking to ensure you have accurate job information at all times (even if you aren’t provided that info from your customers).
Parcel Map for Instant Owner Verification.
Internal Lien & Notice Process Improvement
The introduction of Handle also transformed internal lien and notice processes. “With this new process, we have… tighter, more collaborative relationships with our internal teams,” remarked a team member. This improvement in internal communication and collaboration was a direct result of the cohesive and integrated nature of the Handle system. Before using Handle, the lien and notice management process at Western States was very manually intensive. Since using Handle, those processes have been much more efficient across all parties involved.
“On top of that, another important benefit from Handle has been enhanced relationships with our customers. Our customers probably weren’t excited to get preliminary notices in the mail. But now with Handle, it's become much more of a common practice within Western States and way more efficient.” said Jennifer Krasselt, Financial Services Manager at Western States CAT
Customer Relationship Enhancement
Western States CAT puts world class customer service at the top of their list of priorities. The reliability and efficiency of Handle led to a noticeable shift in customer perception. More customers began requesting notices from Handle, demonstrating their trust and reliance on the system. This shift was a testament to the system’s effectiveness in enhancing customer relationships.
Increased Efficiency and Visibility
Handle’s dashboard provided unparalleled visibility into operations, significantly increasing process efficiency. The user-friendly interface and real-time data access facilitated quicker decision-making and better management of resources.
Enhanced visibility.
Enhanced Waiver Process
Before Handle, Western States had a very manual waiver process. Their credit team had a “huge stack of waivers every day”. Handle will help streamline that entire process and increase the speed of which every waiver is handled. Western States’ customers also love the new waiver process as it makes the entire waiver exchange process easier for both sides.
Customization and Support
Western States CAT highly appreciated the customization options and support provided by Handle.
"Handle ensures their tool works for us... they're always listening to our needs and their support and implementation teams have been super helpful." said Jesikah Luangaphay, VP of Finance at Western States CAT
This adaptability and customer-focused approach were crucial in the successful implementation and ongoing effectiveness of the system.
