Building a partnership approach between broiler and breeder producers and the wider supply chain is something Sharon Smart, ABN’s national lead account manager for poultry is particularly passionate about. Celebrating 30 years with the company this year, Sharon works alongside commercial support team leader Debbie Spooner and account manager Will Reckitt, supporting clients to deliver best practice and efficient feed performance.
“My day generally starts early, checking at e-mails and the latest raw material prices, sending quotes to the farmers on forward feed prices, planning farm visits to discuss their crop results to see how the birds have performed, looking at cash flows and dealing with any concerns customers may have flagged up,” explains Sharon.
“There might be a customer who has forgotten to place an order, or perhaps they have identified something is not quite right with their birds. As no two days are the same, it is important that we are able to respond quickly to any customer concerns or requirements at all times.”
Internally, Sharon works alongside the procurement teams to look at raw material prices as well as the technical teams and nutritionists within ABN, to understand what opportunities and challenges may lie ahead for her customers.
“It is about daily customer service, talking to farmers and on occasion their nutritionists and technical teams, in order to fully understand their specific needs and circumstances”.
“Over my 30 years with the business, the birds have changed and so has their performance. With the cost of production so high, margins are getting tighter. Now more than ever, the importance of good relationships with nutritionists are crucial in making sure bird performance is right and ultimately ensuring that the farmer is making a profit,” she adds.
Sharon also believes innovative technology and new ways of thinking are increasingly playing a more influential role on farm.
“We are constantly working with our nutritional and technical teams, looking at new ingredients or what can be done differently on farm to bring improved performance. Our on-farm trials are essential for introducing new technologies and ways of thinking and have enabled us to offer significant improvements to our customers over the years”.
Understandably, given her strong commitment to customer service, Sharon says her proudest achievement is keeping her customers happy.
“We have some customers that have been with us for 30 years which is fantastic, but I am always keen to meet new customers so that they can benefit from the expertise we have across our teams”.
“Having good relationships with our customers means that they feel comfortable to share honest feedback with me. This in turn strengthens the partnership, allowing us to develop as a team and focus on improving efficiencies and performance, particularly with the increasing threat of cheaper imports on the horizon.”
