Mercer Landmark is a co-op in Ohio with over 30 locations across the agronomy, energy, and grain business units. In 2023, they launched a digital platform, ML Connect, with AgVend to achieve greater productivity across their team processes and customer interactions.
From Vision to Victory: The Roadmap of Setting and Conquering Big Goals
High Demand for Energy Services Drove the Search for New Efficiencies
With multiple locations in Ohio, the customer call for support was high which spread the energy team thin. Between the administrative tasks, sales team duties and truck drivers’ deliveries, the pressure was on for high-quality, high-yielding work. The Mercer Landmark team knew they needed a way to improve the current processes.
Solutions to Streamline Manual Processes Using ML Connect
Once the online platform was established, the Mercer Landmark energy team was eager to gain efficiencies. The goal was to use the ML Connect digital tools and help streamline processes for servicing the customer and helping the internal team work more efficiently.
“We knew it was only a matter of time before ML Connect would begin to put money back into our bottom line. We just didn’t realize what that impact would be.”
– Joe Hart, EVP of Energy at Mercer Landmark
Redefining Productivity: How Digitizing Work Processes Changes the Game
Maximizing Team Time and Enhancing Customer Experience
Before introducing ML Connect to their teams and customers, the Mercer Landmark energy team took fuel delivery requests via phone, averaging 5-10 minutes per call. This manual process was time-consuming and often led to inefficiencies, especially during peak demand periods and outside regular office hours. Additionally, managing orders and requests on paper added more complexity to the workflow, requiring significant administrative effort.
Redefining Processes with Digital Tools
ML Connect streamlined the service and delivery request process, enabling customers to submit orders conveniently at any time, including holidays, weekends, or after office hours. In just a few clicks, customers can schedule a delivery without spending time on the phone. Leveraging ML Connect allowed Mercer Landmark’s energy team to execute higher-value tasks, such as face-to-face engagement with customers, event planning and employee outreach, ultimately making them more engaged and satisfied in their work.
Beyond Expectations: Reaching the Ultimate Digital Experience
Time Savings
Mercer Landmark’s energy team saved almost five days of work during the first winter season since launching the digital platform. By digitizing the request process, the time spent on phone calls was significantly reduced, allowing employees to focus on more strategic tasks like marketing campaigns to increase adoption on ML Connect.
Team Optimization
When ML Connect made it easier to submit requests, more customers began using that method instead of a phone call. This allowed the Mercer Landmark energy team to condense its administrative work from four full-time employees to 2.5 full-time employees. Now, not only is the administrative team spending less time answering phones, they’re more engaged in valuable customer engagement activities, which has improved their satisfaction on the job.
As the Mercer Landmark team transitioned through a retirement and an employee leaving, they were able to take those salaries and invest back into the business because of the efficiencies gained through digitizing the process. This unlocked almost $100,000 in the first year of using their digital tools.
“Our phones aren’t ringing as much as they used to because of the app. So now by operating with a leaner team, our staff is able to stay productive, do additional tasks and in the end, they’re happier because of it.”
– Joe Hart, EVP of Energy at Mercer Landmark.
Improved Customer Experience
The convenience of requesting fuel deliveries online improves the customer’s experience as well. ML Connect allows customers flexibility to place orders when it works for them. Out of 334 requests made in the first season with ML Connect, 64% of those were outside regular working hours, including six over Christmas Day and New Years Day – eliminating the need to take care of work while on holiday. Because of ML Connect, customers can make their requests when it works best, putting time back in their day too.
Driving Toward Future Opportunities
Today, there is still more than 90% untapped opportunity ready to be unlocked through the portal. Only 6% of total energy requests are done through ML Connect.
“With only 6% of total energy requests done through the portal today, we are excited to see what the future brings with time savings for our energy team.”
– Neal Horrom, Chief Operating Officer at Mercer Landmark
Ultimately, it doesn’t take 100% adoption to see real financial and operational impacts. While there are still a lot of opportunities for additional cost savings, Mercer Landmark is seeing great engagement and monetary gains for their business.
The Mercer Landmark energy team continues to evaluate how to operate effectively with a smaller team and the digital tools. The AgVend Digital Enablement tools don’t replace team members but they will continue to reveal efficiencies and cost savings.
