When Shawn Blatt purchased KC Power Equipment in 2006, he purchased a dying business. The previous owner had lost interest in the company and had let everything about the store go downhill, including the customer service. Every bank he went to for financing told him he was trying to do the impossible.

Shawn, however, knew otherwise. He'd worked for KC Power Equipment as a manager from 1991-1997. He knew he could turn things around, so that's just what he set out to do. He wanted to set himself apart right from the beginning, so he set his sights on providing excellent customer service.



Question: Was Ideal your first software choice when you started your business?

Shawn: "No, we actually purchased a cheap automotive service system about a month after opening our doors. It really didn't work for us, especially the accounting features. I knew we needed something else, so I started researching better business management systems."

Question: How much research did you do before choosing Ideal?

Shawn: "I think I did about two months worth of research. It finally came down to Ideal and C-Systems, and Ideal was really in a class by itself. I knew another dealer in Kansas City who had bought the program, so I went and checked it out. It was very user- friendly. My entire family works in this business, and I thought for my dad, especially, it would be very easy for him to pick it up, and it was."

Question: How has Ideal helped with your customer service goals?

Shawn: "Ideal has made a big difference in our customer service, especially when it comes to job tickets. When we first started our business everything was written out by hand. If a customer called wanting to know the status of his repair, we'd have to search through a bin of job tickets for 4 or 5 minutes to find his ticket. It was a nightmare. Now we just type in the customer name and it comes right up. We're working more efficiently and providing better customer service."

Question: Do you feel your employees are more productive using Ideal?

Shawn: "There's no doubt they are. We used to spend so much time researching things and following a paper trail. Now, we just type in what we're looking for and it's there."

Question: How extensive is your inventory?

Shawn: "We carry around $400,000 in wholegoods, and around $100,000 in parts."

Question: How has Ideal helped at point of sale?

Shawn: "Ideal definitely helps us get our customers checked out faster, but the system also helps us with our margins. We can easily adjust them to where they need to be, and that's been very helpful."

Question: What do you think makes your business different than other retailers in the area?

Shawn: "We really push the fact that we're family owned and we have family values here. My dad, my granddad, my wife, my kids, they all work here. My goal is to have KC Power Equipment like the old Mom and Pop stores. Customer service is our highest priority; we treat our customers like we treat our family. We follow-through on everything we say, and I think that makes us unique."

Question: Do you feel Ideal is helping you achieve the goals you set for your business?

Shawn: "Absolutely. I've set monthly dollar goals for the business, and because I can easily track where I'm at I can better plan where I'm going. I use reports all the time to track my progress, and that's been instrumental in our success."

Question: Has Ideal's support been up to your expectations?

Shawn: "Ideal's support has been completely phenomenal. Every time we make a mistake, we get on the phone and it's fixed."

For More Information About Ideal's Business Management Software...

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