In this Q&A session, Stacey Wallington, Community Engagement Manager at Intact, chats to Sales Director, Simon O’Hare about how O’Hare Components have tackled challenges and driven growth using Intact iQ during changing industry landscapes and regulations.
Could you provide an overview of your business?
O’Hare Components is a family-owned Irish business that started in 1960. We pride ourselves on the quality of products and services provided to our customers. Our extensive range of engineering and manufacturing consumables allows us to supply a wide variety of customers in multiple markets.
We offer an extensive selection of metric and imperial fasteners in diverse finishes. We’ve also established distribution partnerships with renowned hand tool brands like Gedore, Bessey, Bondhus, Stanley, and other leading names in the industry.
What’s your role and what do you do?
My official role is Sales Director, but I wear many hats and am happy to do so! Since implementing iQ, I’ve been able to automate more tasks, giving me more time to focus on growing the business.
How are you finding business with everything going on in the world?
It is not without its challenges and certain factors have played a major role in how we operate day-to-day. Anti-dumping regulations by the EU on fasteners and now the requirement for country of origin (COO) has certainly changed the landscape. These, along with improving our environmental footprint have made doing business more expensive.
How has iQ software helped you with current industry challenges?
Being in a variety of markets and industries has its challenges but we’ve been able to overcome many obstacles, thanks to iQ. Pricing and stock management are major factors, having flexibility and visibility in iQ has given us better control on our stock holding.
How long have you been using Intact iQ and what features of our software have had the most significant impact on your day-to-day operations?
We went live in May 2022. The entire system has enabled us to break free from the restrictions our previous system had placed on us. iQ gave us the ability to build a system based around how we operate as opposed to how a piece of software or IT engineer would assume we should. Its bespoke nature and familiar user interface made switching to iQ an easy choice when compared to the alternatives reviewed. There are features in each module that make day-to-day operations run efficiently, saving our staff time. Each staff member engaged with the Intact consultant to make iQ bespoke to their needs.
If you could choose your personal favourite feature of iQ, what would it be and why?
Two of my favourite features are “Last Price Paid” on the quotation entry screen and “Last Sale Date” on the sales order entry screens. The replenishment rules are another widely used feature to make sure we have the right stock on hand to satisfy our customer orders.
What tips would you share with other customers for maximising the effectiveness of Intact iQ?
Don’t be afraid to consult with Intact and be honest with how you use the system. Approaching iQ in this way has given us the opportunity to have a single system that has standard processes and procedures but the flexibility to reflect how each member interacts with it.
Are there any third-party integrations you’ve found beneficial? We would love to know about them!
The integration with Office 365 has proven invaluable, and our Aphix website has played a crucial role in giving us an online presence.
Can you quantify the time you and your colleagues have saved since implementing Intact iQ?
We have one customer whose order processing previously took several hours to complete due to its complex nature. This is now completed in 40 to 60 minutes, and the time saved allows us to focus on other tasks.
Can you share any time saving shortcuts or features that other customers could benefit from?
There are so many! The best thing to do is to try and break the system, (in test mode, of course!) I have yet to find something it can’t do.
Looking to the future – what are your plans with Intact iQ and your business in general?
We’ve engaged with a digital marketing team who will be working with us to drive traffic to our website. The aim is to increase online sales and generate new prospects which we can put in our sales pipeline. The CRM and Marketing module isn’t one that we use yet, but the plan is to start using this module to capture this data.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?
Our business was built on the principles of quality and service, “The customer is always right” is the mantra that has been instilled in me from a young age.
What is the most valuable business lesson that you’ve learnt yourself?
Open, honest communication is vital, without it you may as well shut the door.
Finally, to finish, tell us an interesting fact about you!
A relaxing holiday for me is getting lost wandering around exploring cities. I enjoy getting fully immersed in other cultures and experiencing local cuisine.
