Poowong powers up customer service alongside Gallagher

A customised merchandise display and on-farm technical visits are helping to drive customer service at Poowong Dairy & Hardware.

Poowong township is in the middle of Victoria’s South Gippsland dairying region. The store opened in May 2014, and specialises in a wide range of consumables and farming equipment. With a team of experienced technicians, its affiliated Westfalia Warragul store, based in Yarragon, has been a leader in milk harvesting throughout West Gippsland for more than 20 years.

Poowong Manager Matt Gray says the aim is to provide farmers with quality products from reputable suppliers and advice from their experienced staff.

“For electric fencing, weighing and electronic identification, we’ve gone over to mainly Gallagher gear. Gallagher is well known and trusted, and has great back-up service.”
Earlier this year Gallagher’s Territory Manager for Gippsland, Nick Browne, in conjunction with Bruce Mullen, built a six-metre customised merchandise display at Poowong Dairy & Hardware.

Matt says, “We did this for a few reasons. The store was in need of a facelift — which is still a work in progress really — and this display fits the bill perfectly. It lights the store up and makes it more professional. Also, customers know where to go to find all their Gallagher gear.”

Backing up and extending the in-store presence, Nick has also been on several farm calls with Matt, seeing Poowong Dairy & Hardware customers.

“It’s great for Nick come out on farm for a few reasons. Firstly, it gives the customer great confidence in knowing they are buying the right product for the right application. Secondly, it helps us enhance our relationship with the customer by providing the best level of service we possibly can. And thirdly, the farmers and I really appreciate having Nick there, because it allows us all to work together to achieve the desired outcomes.”

Matt says the time on-farm with Nick has had other benefits too.

“It’s been really valuable to get some electric-fencing training. Every time you go on farm with Nick you learn something. It’s a great way of learning for both the farmers and me.”
Nick says Gallagher’s in-store presence via the merchandising layout at Poowong Dairy & Hardware is working well.

“The size of the display allows the store’s customers to really see our range properly. This, of course, is good for the store, but great for the customer looking for - and easily finding - the product they need.

“It’s the same with the on-farm visits they organised that I’ve done with them. As Matt said before, these help the store to strengthen their relationships with customers. On top of that, their customers have the utmost confidence they’re buying the right product for the right application. Happy customers help make happy stores!”