Know Your Checkbook: How Can An Inventory System Increase Efficiency?

With so many systems and procedures for a business to use, there is one that undoubtedly can help you be more efficient in all your daily activities. An inventory control system might sound complex, but in reality, it will make your daily transactions run smoother and help you provide products to your customers in a timelier manner. You can’t sell what you don’t have, and an investment in inventory management just makes sense.

Jamie Miller, BioZyme Director of Operations Support, said there are three primary benefits for a business to have an inventory system in place.

First, the inventory system will allow the business to visualize its actual inventory. With stacks of feed or supplement bags that may be similar in colors, it can be challenging to keep track of what is actually in stock, especially with multiple employees selling current inventory or unloading new inventory. A centralized computer system helps manage the inventory so you can sell your older stock first, making room for new merchandise that has a longer shelf life.

Miller recommends using the FIFO (first in, first out) system as compared to the LIFO (last in, first out) system to keep inventory its freshest.

The second benefit Miller suggests is warehouse management.

“Depending on the sophistication of your software, these inventory control systems also serve as a great way to know where each product is located in your warehouse so you can go directly to the bin or area to streamline order processing and delivery,” Miller said.

Whether you have one warehouse or multiple warehouses, knowing where products are located by product or lot number will increase the efficiency of filling orders.

Traceability is perhaps the most important aspect to an inventory system, according to Miller. Being part of the Safe Feed, Safe Food certification, BioZyme’s inventory tracking system allows it to track all ingredients from where they came from through the products they are put into and to what dealer they are sold, which is important for any recall that might happen.

“Traceability is the biggest thing of importance in animal livestock nutrition inventory systems,” Miller said. “Even the simplest inventory software systems typically have a recall report to help with traceability, which would be very important in the case of a feed mill.”

Inventory tracking isn’t as simple as counting bags or tubs of products or chalking up tally marks on a legal pad. Increasing efficiencies with product deliveries, mapping your warehouse and tracking products are all important to the success of your business. Don’t let the investment in the software scare you off, because you will see long-term rewards.

Know Your Customer: Is A CRM A Necessary System?

You know how important it is to build quality customer relationships. But how essential is it to have a Customer Relationship Management System in place to help keep and track those relationships? Very, according to one article posted on Forbes.com.

“Any company will benefit from maintaining a record of which conversations, purchases and marketing material can be associated with leads and customers,” wrote author Jason Kulpa.

Veteran BioZyme sales reps agree that managing customer information is vital to any company’s success. Mike Wadle, Additive Territory Manager, and Rod Hutcheson, Animal Health Business Development Manager, shared their thoughts on the importance of organizing customer data and the systems to use.

Keys to Success
Wadle said tracking customer information is vital to help the customer succeed. When dealers understand each operation’s challenges and goals, the dealer takes on the role of a trusted confidant – more of a friend or consultant than a salesperson. With multiple customers it is important to keep all of that information in one location and to keep it current.

“The relationship between the dealer and his or her customer is part of the success of the business. If the customer has success, then I have success. If he has failure, then I will likely fail too,” Wadle said.

Hutcheson shares one example of how he has gathered information over time that makes the customer feel like he or she matters. When he pulls up at a producer’s place and the family dog runs to greet him, he remembers that the producer says, “get back, Charlie,” while calling the dog off. On his next visit, when the dog approaches him, Hutcheson can greet the dog, “hey Charlie,” and scratch his ear, impressing the producer that he remembered his best companion’s name.

“People will do business with those who care about them. It all goes back to the adage, that people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care,” Hutcheson said.

Choosing a System
Just like anything, there are many CRM tracking systems. Hutcheson and Wadle agree that it is most important to use a system that the user is comfortable with, especially if you are a smaller business or not sharing that information across several people or departments. “The best system is the system that works best for you,” Hutcheson said. “That might be an index card or 3-ring binder or keeping
information in your iPhone. I always pull up the person’s contact information in my phone when I’m with them to make sure everything is still correct.”

The next step might be to track customer information electronically via an excel spreadsheet or other database system. You can then share this across users via Dropbox or other sharing platforms.

Of course, there are more technical CRM software systems that allow multiple users to share a plethora of information about customers, similar to what BioZyme uses. These can track basic customer information, orders, marketing, shipping, contact methods and conversations and more. These come with a price tag, but are worth the investment, especially in a growing business.

The bottom line is the customer likes to feel valued. Make sure you know that customer and his or her vital information and can manage that information using a system that works best for you and your business. You and your customers will find success!

Letters From Lisa – April 2022

Systems and processes are the essential building blocks of our companies. Every facet of our business—on the production floor, in the warehouse or in the office—is part of a system that can be managed or improved. A system is designed to connect all of an organization’s intricate parts and interrelated steps so they can work together for the achievement of success.

There are several reasons to implement a business system.

Improving Top-Line Performance: In short, a business system takes care of your future. It ensures if you know you are meeting your customers’ expectations, which is key to growing a healthy business.

Meeting Customer’s Expectations: If you use a system like a CRM and a systematic approach, your organization will be motivated to analyze, measure, compare and test all the possibilities of what your customers want and don’t want.

Employee Development: The goal of the development system is to enable proper education and opportunities to all employees so they can complete their work more efficiently and effectively.

Reduce Costs and Increase Profits: It has been proven time and again that the implementation of a sound business system helps reduce costs. However, a good business system is intended to reduce costs without taking the shortcuts that often lead to an erosion of profitability by lowering quality expectations or service levels.

Unfortunately, you can’t just go buy a business system, you must build it, and it includes 100 parts: an information system, an IT system, a CRM system, a production system, a drive Lisa nuts system and an etc.,etc., etc. system. The choices are many, and therefore the decisions are many, which is sometimes hard. I am by no means a system expert, but this month we will focus on sharing about the three that I do feel we have done well – the CRM, Inventory and Marketing Project Management. I have always believed that most every challenge in business can be solved if you 1) get the right system in place, 2) then develop the processes to properly use that system and then finally 3) ensure the people involved are in the right seat on the bus and are personally inspired to keep themselves accountable to these system and processes. So, you can see I believe systems are first. Why?

  1. Systems provide consistency: With business systems, you can more easily produce the same products and services with the same level of consistency. Once you have created your systems and developed the processes engaged with the systems, your employees can easily be consistent.
  2. Change is easier to accomplish: Systems make a business predictable. So, when change impacts your business – which may often occur these days – knowing that becomes easier. You will also then better predict how the change should be handled.
  3. Training new employees becomes easier: New hires can be quickly integrated into your business when there is a system and a set of procedures for them to follow, so they know exactly what is expected.
  4. Staff can focus on what they do best: Once business systems are established and implemented, some activities can be performed on “autopilot.” Repetitive activities in your business become routine, so you and your team can focus on activities with higher payoffs.

Systems are what make businesses grow, flow, endure and be sustainable. Businesses that effectively use systems find themselves winning against their competition. I leave you with this thought. If you don’t have the resources or time to pick a “high tech” system don’t ignore this letter of ideas. At BioZyme, we have had to start with a paper “system” MANY times. What I have found is that what is not ok to say is, “I will get a system when I can afford it or once this or that happens.” DO IT now, even if it is using a concrete tablet.

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BEAT THE HEAT THROUGH SPRING AND SUMMER

It’s hard to imagine warm days coming anytime soon as the snow piles up outside my office window on an early March morning while the local school district has yet another snow day. However, as you read this April VISION, hopefully the grass is greening, trees are budding, and the sun is shining!

The transition from spring to summer can be a beautiful time of year: however, the heat brings added stress to both people and their animals. If climatologists are accurate, the drought will continue to be prolonged, meaning even more challenges for your customers. That is where the HEAT® products help to maintain normal body temperatures any time the temperature reaches 70 degrees or hotter, or anywhere fescue is present. They also include garlic, a natural insect deterrent. Couple these technologies with Amaferm®, research-proven to maintain performance during heat stress and increase forage digestion, a common issue with fescue.

Regardless of the species or the production cycle, BioZyme offers a solution for your customers to help beat the HEAT.

For Cattle:

Between the lines of VitaFerm®, Gain Smart® and VitaCharge®, several options exist with HEAT: VitaFerm HEAT, VitaFerm HEAT Tub, VitaFerm HEAT with ClariFly®, VitaFerm HEAT CTC 3G, VitaFerm Concept•Aid®5/S HEAT, VitaFerm Concept•Aid®5/S HEAT with ClariFly, Gain Smart Stocker HEAT, and Vita Charge Stress Tub HEAT.

For Sheep:

DuraFerm Sheep Concept•Aid HEAT “I used DuraFerm® Sheep Concept•Aid® HEAT® mineral last summer and the ewes grazed longer throughout the day (even the hot parts of the day) resulting in better body conditions and more ewes stuck on the first cycle.” – Justin Rapp

For Show Livestock:

Sure Champ® Extreme, Sure Champ EXTREME with ClariFly, Vita Charge Climate Control Gel, Vita Charge Stress Tub HEAT.

“We used the Sure Champ® EXTREME product all summer when our temps started hitting the low 100’s and we learned about this great product. We could not be happier with the results of using the Extreme. Our market goat and doe stayed on feed and seemed to be more comfortable in the high temps than in past years. Extreme & Vita Charge Gel will be getting added to our feeding programs yearly moving forward.” – Hunter Wilson

For Horses:

Vitalize Blazin’ is one of the newest products BioZyme offers to help combat heat stress. Vitalize Blazin’ contains a proprietary blend of ingredients to support blood flow and dissipation of body heat and contains antioxidants to reduce damaging free radicals caused by exertion and heat.

Changes Happening in April 2022

Update from the President:

In March we experienced significant cost increases in just about everything. Trying not to be political (yes, this is Lisa) the impacts of our world hit us solidly in the head at BioZyme. Tubs, bags, grains, vitamins, sulfates and even water all went up in price. Add logistic fuel surcharges like we have never seen before in our company’s history along with utility increases just as high and we, despite my giving it my all since March 2020, had to increase our prices across the board. I promise to continue to work hard to keep this from continually occurring, but please PRAY for our country.

PRODUCT UPDATES

A new & improved formula to enhance palatability has been created, tested and implemented for DuraFerm® Sheep Concept•Aid® HEAT®

LTL: Capacity continues to be stressed

  • COVID-19 Omicron variant is causing elevated absenteeism at carrier terminals; expect delays into April as a result
  • Expect persistent delays in LTL carrier networks from the backlogs
  • With capacity already constrained, multiple LTL carriers are now implementing freight embargoes at various locations across the country
  • Rates are projected to stay 35.8% higher than the 2018 baseline – but remain level with Q4/2021

LTL Calculator

  • This tool and its results are for estimation purposes only. There are no guarantees these rates will be accurate when a shipment is rated and booked. If the carrier has Interline on the calculator this could take an additional 6 days or more to receive your order. The Logistics Team usually picks the lowest cost unless it is Interline. If you would like to keep the lowest rate on freight and would like to go interline, please reach out to Ashley Jones at ajones@biozymeinc.com.
  • (interline- a shipment that is transferred between two or more carriers for movement to final destination)

GET TIMELY INFORMATION

  • Enhancements have been made to the Online Dealer Center to make sure that dealers are getting the most current information possible. Login to the Dealer Center regularly or check out the Dealer Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/biozymedealer for timely information.

EMPLOYEE CHANGES

  • Katie Williams has transitioned from the Outreach & Customer Support Center to the Marketing Brand Manager-Regional and will be assisting dealers with their marketing needs.
  • Kenny Voboril is now the Outreach Support Dealer Coordinator-UMW
  • New Area Sales Managers include Brenen Diesen, covering Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin; and Steve Patton, representing Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
  • Lori Lawrence is now the Show and Small Livestock Business Development Manager.
  • Bob Burkham is the National Manager of Supplement Sales.
  • Wyatt Marshall is the Event Manager and Texas Equine Sales Specialist.

BACKYARD BOOST® IS KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL CHICK DAYS

Depending on your location, the ever-popular “Chick Days” will be here before we know it, and products like Backyard Boost® will help these young flocks flourish! We encourage you to work with your ASM or reach out to Shelia Grobosky, the Dealer Brand Manager, to help you promote these natural products that are designed to support the health, wellbeing and productivity of poultry.

Backyard Boost Daily Essentials

Backyard Boost Daily Essentials is a pelleted, natural protein supplement fully fortified with the precision prebiotic Amaferm®, vitamins, minerals and organic trace minerals to maximize growth and egg production and support overall flock health. Amaferm is research-proven to increase digestion and absorption of nutrients to help maximize egg production and quality. In addition, Daily Essentials contains additional protein to support growth, feather quality and egg production and calcium and other nutrients for natural improvement of eggshell and yolk quality.

  • 2.5 lb. or 10 lb. resealable bag.
  • Fed at a rate of 0.5 oz/chick/day.
  • For a 6-bird flock, 2.5 lbs. will last 2 weeks, and 10 lbs. will last 8 weeks.
  • Feed daily, either in the feeder or scattered in the pen.
  • Intended as a supplement, not a complete feed

Backyard Boost Defense

Backyard Boost Defense is a liquid supplement that promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery to help support digestive health and a healthy inflammatory response. With natural products like the prebiotic Amaferm that helps combat the negative effects of stress and gets your hens back to producing eggs faster, and MOS to trap and expel unwanted disease-causing pathogens, limiting their ability to do harm, Defense promotes feed and water intake. It also contains electrolytes to support proper hydration and works with antibiotics to improve health and recovery.

  • 16 oz and a NEW 8 oz twin neck bottle with dosing chamber.
  • Added to water at the rate of 1 oz per gallon.
  • Mix daily to best freshness.
  • Designed for intermittent feeding during stress/recovery; can be fed at same time as Daily Essentials.
  • Maximizes the effectiveness of antibiotics.

SMART STRATEGIES FOR SELLING BACKYARD BOOST

Upselling and cross-selling are marketing tools that will help both you and your customer. They help your customers succeed in their feeding and production endeavors, and they help you meet your sales goals. When you combine the two and work them together, your business will experience even more growth.

Upselling is the is the practice of encouraging customers to purchase a comparable higher-end product than the one they might be originally considering. Cross-selling urges customers to buy related or complementary items. These two practices are most effective when they are used synergistically, and the end result for you, the dealer, is increased sales and hopefully a customer who sees better results.

Cross-selling is a practice that should be used in business nearly every time you make a sale. Products in the new Backyard Boost™line like Backyard Boost Daily Essentials and Backyard Boost Defense were created for cross-selling opportunities. Most people won’t immediately think of nutritional supplements for their backyard birds. However, they will think of other essentials like coops, heat lamps, bedding and feed. When they go pick out their feed or have questions about bird health, these are some ideal times for some cross-selling statements.

  • Have you thought about how you’re going to keep your chicks healthy?
  • Would you like to add a supplement to your chick feed to keep them feeling healthy and keep them happy?
  • Did you know that a product like Daily Essentials will help your chickens get the most nutrient supply from their feed?
  • How are you going to treat your chicks when they stress out and get sick? Have you thought about Defense.

Cross selling allows you to add on an essential product that will benefit the customer in his or her endeavor. Often times when you cross-sell, the customer hasn’t thought about that additional need yet, but when you mention it, it becomes an “ah-ha” moment for them, and a cross-sell suggestion often saves the customer a trip back to the store in the future, while helping you create a sale.

Upselling is a tool that should be used anytime you have a product that contains Amaferm®. With a prebiotic like Amaferm, products like Backyard Boost Daily Essentials and Defense are already more beneficial than other supplements that exist on the market. The Amaferm advantage and other natural ingredients in these supplements will:

  • Support performance and health of the birds by supporting the digestion and absorption of nutrients.
  • Reduce digestive upset, therefore improve the overall health and wellbeing of the birds.
  • Increase egg production, while improving eggshell and yolk quality.
  • Supports growth and feather quality.
  • Boosts immune response and combats negative effects of stress.

Upselling allows you to share experiences of a high-quality product with your customer and those benefits that a premium product will provide. Remember, a premium product doesn’t always have to be the one with the highest price tag; it is the one that is backed by research and has the most high-quality ingredients included in it.

Take the time to practice upselling and cross-selling across all species and products. There is always a product that will add value to another product.

New Product Alert!

Sure Champ Extreme with Clarify is available to order March 15! 

A pelleted, daily supplement with the Amaferm advantage for show cattle and pigs that can be top-dressed or mixed in the ration to promote appetite and digestive health and includes technologies designed to help support animals during extreme temperatures and to control horn, face, stable and house flies in their larval stage. 

Ready to order in Online Dealer Center: https://dealers.backofficeapps.com/products/2147

Two Minutes in Ag: March

Last month, many of the BioZyme sales and marketing staff attending the Cattle Industry Convention in Houston. It was great to talk to so many customers and potential customers about our products. While there, CattleFax presented its annual market and weather forecast, which is typically right on target. 

 According to CattleFax, even with continued challenges and uncertainty from the pandemic, cattle price and profitability trends for producers are heading in the right direction. While issues around labor and packing capacity have lingered, both are expected to improve in the year ahead. Expansions in capacity combined with strong global and domestic consumer beef demand suggests increased profitability across segments, good news for our customers. 

Kevin Good, vice president of industry relations and analysis at CattleFax, provided the following market forecast: Average 2022 fed steer price at $140/cwt., up $18/cwt. from 2021, with a range of $130-155/cwt. throughout the year. All cattle classes are expected to trade higher, and prices are expected to improve. The 800-lb steer price is expected to average $172/cwt. with a range of $158-184/cwt., and the 550-lb steer price is expected to average $205/cwt., with a range of $180-230/cwt. Finally, Good forecasted utility cows at an average of $75/cwt. with a range of $65-85/cwt. and bred cows at an average of $1,850/head with a range of $1,700-2,000 for load lots of quality, running-age cows. 

The weather forecast isn’t quite as favorable as the cattle market with La Niña staying in control of the ocean-atmosphere system. For the U.S., barring any change to the La Niña outlook or sudden warming in the Gulf of Alaska, dryness continues across the Southwest and South with warms temperatures, too. The Northern Plains and Corn Belt are expected to have wetness farther east this spring and drier conditions for this summer, with temperatures closer to normal compared to last year. 

As you know supply chain and transportation issues continue to challenge everyone in agriculture.

Look for more positive news next month, when hopefully we start to see some April showers! 

Dealer Spotlight: Simme Valley Feed Focuses on the Customer

For a young boy from Providence, Rhode Island, spending summers on his aunt and uncle’s farm in NewYork were a highlight. It is there, he first showed Simmental cattle and learned to appreciate the wide-open spaces.

Fast forward in time, Philip Paradis offered to return to Simme Valley located near Groton, New York, to help his aunt Jeanne White after his uncle passed away. At first it was just for a breeding season. Then for a little while at calving.And, now for the past nine years, Phil has become a permanent partner withJeanne, who started the Simmental operation with her late husband more than 50 years ago.

“It was quite a change for kid from the inner city. I was just going to come help with calving for 60 days, and I’m still here,” Philip said.

Those early summers showing at fairs with his aunt and uncle foreshadowed what would become a passion for Philip, as he now shows the family’s beloved Simmental cattle all through New York and along the East Coast. That is how he discovered BioZyme®-through the Sure Champ® products.

“With Sure Champ, when we are traveling and showing our cattle never go off their feed or water regimen,” he said.

Then, he discovered the same Amaferm® advantage in the VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® products. However, sourcing them wasn’t the easiest, so he decided to become a dealer, and he hasn’t looked back.

‘I’m so glad I switched to the VitaFerm mineral. Concept•Aid has shortened our calving window from 60days to 45 days on natural heats. Getting done calving in 45 days was amazing! BioZyme has created a product that sells itself,” Philip said. He uses a lot of signage and word of mouth to share his success with the products and to grow his business. He also uses social media to share what he does on the farm and what shows he will be attending. When he first started, he had three customers. Three years later, he has more than 40 customers. He is trying to diversity his offering, by finding sheep producers to try the DuraFerm® line. He said one of the most popular products he sells is the Country Vet Natural Dog Food. He said his customers appreciate the price point, the way it helps their dogs not feel gassy and how it clears up their skin.

His best advice is to make sure to know what your customers use and don’t use so you keep your inventory correct and don’t have unnecessary products.

From the city life to simpler ways, Philip Paradis has become a successful BioZyme dealer in New York, living his dream. Thanks for sharing the Amaferm advantage with so many others, Philip!

Master Dealer: Information Grows Your Passion To Sell

Knowledge is power. The more information BioZyme® can provide its dealers and distributors with about products, marketing tools and resources, the more effective salespeople they will be. That’s why in 2022, the BioZyme Master Dealer Training Program is getting a makeover – to make it more user friendly, provide more current and continuous information.

“Our goals have always been to provide our dealers with the product information they need to succeed, and in 2022, we are taking that a step further. We are creating new Master Dealer chapters that will help refresh their knowledge base to not only grow their BioZyme business, but their overall business as well,” said Jennifer Miller, BioZyme’s Outreach Sales & Support Senior Manager.

Coming Soon!
Miller said one of the most exciting changes coming to the Master Dealer program is the addition of curriculum. Starting approximately March 22, Master Dealer Chapter 3, will be launched, with a focus on the Online Dealer Center. This new session will cover pertinent user information about the ODC, which is also being revamped this spring.

Once the Master Dealer Chapter 3 is released, dealers will no longer have to wait a year to take the course work between the Master Dealer and Master Dealer 2. Dealers will be able to take all the course work in consecutive order and qualify for the Master Dealer status as long as they continuously carry four of the five product lines.

With no wait times in between courses, Miller said that dealers will remain fresher in their knowledge and be able to continue to learn as their time allows. She also said that new chapters will be released every six months to keep the content relevant and interesting to the dealers.

“They spoke and we listened. The dealers said they wanted more training tools and educational resources, so we are going to deliver these new chapters on a schedule every six months,” she said. “We are working to provide our dealers with the information they want and need to succeed in their business.”

More Changes
The new Master Dealer Chapters will be focused on one subject area and will be only four sessions long, for consistency and user ease, according to Miller. So, Chapter 3 will focus only on the tools provided in the Dealer Center and how to use those to grow sales.

Another change is that publicity won’t necessarily be sent with the completion of each chapter, but more upon completion of the first level and milestone levels.

Here to Stay
Because the BioZyme Team understand that some things are working great with the Master Dealer Program, some features are not changing. For example, dealers will still log in through the ODC for the Master Dealer portal. A dealership can also have multiple users taking the trainings.

Miller said the reward system will also stay the same, as it is important to recognize those dealers who do go above and beyond to seek extra information. Rewards are as follows:

  • Chapter 1:
    500 Action Awards Points, Master Dealer Jacket and store
    signage
    • Chapter 2:
    250 Action Awards Points, BioZyme Yeti and VitaFerm® caps
    • Chapter 3:
    250 Action Awards Points, BioZyme Sweatshirt,
    • Chapters 4 & Beyond:
    More Action Award Points and amazing prizes

Finally, because new products are launched and other changes happen, the Master Dealer on-demand courses will remain. Any time there is timely information one of these programs will become available in the on-demand curriculum until it is no longer a timely course; then it will be moved to the Master Dealer Chapter 1.

The Master Dealer Program is all online, user friendly and available to you at your time.

“I feel that in the last three days of going through all the training courses, I have learned so much that as a rancher myself, I was not aware of. I look forward to using your products as well. I appreciate the opportunity to learn all this information,” said Missy Rerich, BWI Inside Sales, Schulenburg, Texas.

Join Missy and nearly 300 other dealers who have completed the Master Dealer Program to better their business. Use the tools, learn the products and watch your business grow!