Following the completion of its purchase of Smart Ag Services, Hunt Forest Group (HFG) has announced that Smarts has been appointed a Kramer dealer for its existing John Deere territory in Dorset and Somerset. The move helps align the business with its parent company so that customers experience consistency across the trading area.
Meanwhile, Smarts’ JCB dealership has been terminated by the Staffordshire-based manufacturer following the sale of the company
“During the transition of the business to Hunt Forest, it was planned to continue with all of Smarts suppliers,” Colin Smart said. “It’s a surprise that JCB should take such a decision when Smarts remains in business, and our wish was to continue what I considered to be a very successful relationship.
“We’re a business that’s well known for customer satisfaction and outstanding support, which partnering franchises have without doubt benefited from to build excellent levels of market share. The product is only part of the story, and Smarts as a business has been instrumental in the success of JCB in the area, with a market share in excess of 65 per cent.”
Although the agreement to supply JCB machines ended on March 12, 2021, JCB has asked Smarts to continue to supply parts and service support and warranty coverage through its network of technicians for the next six months.
“In Kramer, we have a highly reliable and quality product that we excel with in our current area,” the business development director at Hunt Forest, Paul Burnett, said. “Using this recipe of staff attitude, knowledge and understanding of what customer support really means, I have no doubt Smarts can replicate that success with Kramer.
“After completing a business wide product roadshow for all staff, we’re in great shape to hit the ground running and very much look forward to inviting new and existing customers to experience the Kramer product. The company has a large level of stock with demonstrators available, and all HFG machines are also supplied in special colours to signify that we can offer something a little different. To prove that, we will support all new sales with a four-year or 4,000-hour warranty funded by Hunt Forest as an introductory offer until July 2021.”
