CVW took a trip to Bedford to talk to UK Truck & Plant’s Sarah Weller, a dynamic leader whose formula for building a successful business is proving a winner.
‘‘Let’s make it happen” is not just a phrase for Sarah Weller, it’s an entire philosophy. Sarah, who co-owns Bedford-based UK Truck & Plant UK with her husband Ashley, is someone who transforms negatives into positives.
From starting the business eight years ago from the back of a van, Sarah cannily used her experience as a former compliance officer and transport manager to build a customer base from all the local hauliers who had had trouble getting their vehicles certified – by her!
As a supplier, she was determined that these customers’ vehicles would spend more time on the road than off it, convincing the owners that any investment in repairs and maintenance would reap big dividends. Trucks on the road earn cash and cash is king. It was music to their ears.
But her approach in those early days, and to this day still, was not borne out of any altruistic motives, but based on cold, business logic. A haulier with a productive, efficient fleet of trucks on the road is making money and is therefore able to pay those workshop bills at the end of the month. It’s a win-win.
And winning is what UK Truck and Plant is very good at. Today the business resides on a seven-acre site, offering the most comprehensive of services to LCV, HGV and PSV customers. Clients include the NHS (East of England and South Central), Volvo Truck & Bus, Movianto, the healthcare logistics company, to name a few.
Share of wallet
The company’s growth, however, does not just rely on winning new business but also on increasing the ‘share of wallet’ of existing customers. While customer acquisition can be costly and long term, customer retention is highly profitable and happens in the short term. “What we noticed was customers saying that they were continually being let down by workshops, especially where work was being subbed out, and this was really compromising their operations,” says Sarah.
“So, we invested in machinery and equipment to make sure we were not guilty of the same faults. For example, our DPF cleaner was a significant spend but we can control the process, let the customer know with certainty when the job will be done so there’s no margin for error. And we only need two DPF cleans a month and the cleaner pays for itself.”
Expansion too is on the cards. The company is currently looking to buy a site in Uckfield, East Sussex, from where it will run a ‘satellite’ operation, partially to satisfy clients from the south, who currently bring their trucks all the way to Bedford. Perhaps the biggest news is the appointment by a major manufacturer to be an approved parts and service dealer, involving significant development to the existing site and an increase in headcount.
Skills in demand
Sarah’s ‘multi-skilled’ workforce currently numbers 41 but this is expected to increase to 64 by the end of the year. And she is passionate about her staff, encouraging social events outside of work to build a strong team ethos while creating the right working environment at work so that people enjoy their jobs.
However, recruitment is a problem. “There’s a lack of skills throughout the sector, hastened in part by the pandemic, where we as an industry lost a lot of experienced heads. They haven’t been replaced and there’s a worrying skills gap,” she explains. “We are looking for attitude and aptitude, but it is difficult to find. We are more than happy to invest our time and money in good people and give them a profession where they can earn good money.”
Like most in the workshop business UK Truck & Plant has not been immune to the shortage of parts and consumables. “There have been problems certainly, especially where customers are wanting genuine parts only and they simply haven’t been in stock,” comments Sarah. “Strategies we’ve used have included convincing operators that refurbed and reused parts such as ECUs, pistons for actuators, modulators, will get them back on the road sooner, rather than waiting forever for new parts to turn up. We have had to be resourceful, but it’s kept us on our toes, and it’s good for business.”
Whatever the future holds, you get the impression that Sarah will be one step ahead of it, will have planned for it and will be waiting to make the most of the opportunities presented by it. It seems to have worked so far.
