Precision Decisions
Precision Decisions is a family-led business offering full service farming precision with a ‘hands on’ approach. It is this approach which owners Clive and Sue Blacker believe sets them apart from the competition.
SCY helped Precision Decisions to:
- Improve business and information systems
- Identify increased opportunities for growth
- Set a long term strategy
- Form strategic alliances
- Develop sales and marketing strategies
The outcome
- Saving time and improving cash-flow
- Expanding their market
The business has over 500 customers and employs nine team members. Using GPS signalling and auto steer hardware, Precision Decisions is helping farmers to improve efficiency, reduce costs; increase their crop yield and margins through the latest software and technology systems.
SCY Business Mentor Nick Dunlop-Jones helped Clive and Sue consider how best to align the organisation for the present and the future, working with them to:
- improve their business and information systems
- review their business strategy
- investigate increased opportunities for growth
- look at key business processes
- mark out a five year strategy
Alliances and acquisitions
A direct benefit of working alongside Nick has been the formation of a strategic alliance with crop care experts Agrovista to become its precision farming arm. Nick was instrumental in looking at opportunities for alliances and acquisitions and helped the company develop an agreement with Agrovista, giving them access to a larger market whilst, importantly, retaining Precision Decision’s independence.
A fresh business perspective
By having a fresh pair of eyes in Nick, Clive and Sue were able to get a new perspective on the existing accounting and management reporting systems and identify that a new package would be beneficial.
Says Nick, “This relatively small investment in the new accounting management package will pay dividends to Precision Decisions. It allows them to provide more transparent and timely information and saves time spent invoicing as well as giving them real time stock availability information and improving their cash flow.”
According to Clive, Nick’s support has been truly invaluable, “He has given us a stronger, more confident and more professional approach to forming new alliances and growing our business further. He has been a vital sounding board, giving us an objective perspective on often complex industry issues. He has also tailored the support around our workload and changeable schedules.
“The service has helped us with so much – from advice on sales and customers, purchasing and operations and accounting, through to looking at the marketing mix and personnel management.”
“It has been a huge comfort knowing that Nick was just a phone call away should we need guidance and knowing he is someone we can trust with our most confidential business information and plans. He’s been like a third partner to us – except without the pay cheque.”
Nick comments, "There is huge potential for growth as they have seen with the strategic alliances formed in recent months. We are now working on a further agreement which will present them with an even greater opportunity for growth.
Precision Decisions continues to working with Nick as the company prepares for the increased business which lies ahead.
Image credit: Daniel Oxtoby
