Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/772191
16 Cover Story into another region might break down its long-term growth strategy into a series of short-term plans, such as implementing more service features at a later date. Short-term objectives also must be verifi able to be valuable, says Kozami. An example here could be an after- market business that aims to improve the company's customer service depart- ment may implement customer surveys over the course of several months and measure changes in consumer attitudes, tracking whether they are meeting short- term goals that have been set in place. And while planning carefully, even the best long-term plan can fail, which is another reason short-term objectives are important. If an aftermarket distributor is failing to achieve its short-term goals, that's a sign it should reevaluate its strategies. Being able to adjust also is an impor- tant key to any short-term plan. Many factors in the market are often unpre- dictable and cannot be considered when plans are made, so the ability to shift gears is a necessary component. "We set budgets and put marketing plans and sales goals in place each year, but we have to be fl exible because things change," says Ian Johnston, vice president of operations and marketing for Harman Heavy Vehicle Specialists. "We have to look at new product lines, whether new processes or equipment are needed, look at the year to year cost effectiveness of everything we are doing. "From a sales standpoint we are more fl exible from our plans because so many variables can change. Sometimes what we do is affected by vendors and other things that we can't control." Deviating from a plan is occasionally going to be necessary. "You can't sit back and rest on your plans that you have in place on paper," Johnston says. "You have to be receptive to the mar- ketplace and what's going on around you. You can have a plan in place and then a vendor has something that they want you to be a part of and everything changes. You just have to be willing to adjust." And short-term plans allow for quick adjustments. It's better for any business to know early on that they are stalled or heading in the wrong direction. A business owner who fails to measure their progress with short-term objectives might waste years on an inef- fective strategy. T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7 Harman Heavy Vehicle Specialists decided to build a new expanded, warehouse facility after a series of business planning meetings determined a new facility would best position the company for long- term growth. We set budgets and put marketing plans and sales goals in place each year, but we have to be fl exible because things change.BiiB – Ian Johnston, vice president of operations and marketing for Harman HVS