Key insights
- Saved four days a month on invoicing, allowing staff to focus on customer relationships.
- Payment reminders to customers are automatic, eliminating friction.
- Forecasts go months into the future and enable improved inventory planning.
- Accounts are visible from any location, saving employees time on the go and increasing efficiency.
BLC Forklifts has grown steadily since the 1990s, from a very limited inventory to more than 100 vehicles in the rental fleet. It has served thousands of businesses, from furniture suppliers and caterers to film sets and football stadium advertisers.
In this article we will talk about the secrets of his success as follows:
How has BLC Forklifts reduced manual management effort?
Watch the video above to learn how BLC CEO Terry Daniels and his son, Director Joe Daniels, grew their business and what success and financial confidence look like for them.
This article shows how choosing the right software helped free up the BLC team to focus on growth, customer satisfaction and being the go-to source for forklift rental and repair in Surrey and the South East of England.
BLC used to spend about four days a month on manual invoice management.
As the team’s tech-savvy director, Joe was frustrated.
The old software was slow and office-based, he explains: “We were still working with the old technology where it was just on one computer and you couldn’t go from there and you just had to back it up manually every day.”
Completing invoices manually took three or four days for both Joe and an accountant: “We wasted so many man-hours just because there were probably all three or four of us working on the finances.”
Joe also needed the ability to forecast a month or two in advance, keep the company stocked with the right forklifts, including sustainable electric options, and manage inventory flow when customers needed trucks for longer-term projects.
He says: “You have to have rental vehicles on five-year contracts so that the money comes in evenly.”
Five years ago, the team moved to Sage Business Cloud Accounting, giving them cloud-based access to their finances, forecasts several months in advance, and Sage Copilot support for invoice reminders.
The savings were immediate. They gained back five days a month, invoicing now only takes a few hours, and the ability to see inventory shortages at a glance.
I would have to write it down on paper and give it to the person who does our accounting. She then typed up every single bill one at a time and then we had to go to the post office and drop them off. So it’s very long-winded.
Joe Daniels, Director, BLC Forklifts
How does automation help?
Using Sage allowed the BLC team to refocus on customer relationships, adding a personal touch every step of the way and helping grow the business through word of mouth and personal attention.
Terry remains traditional in his approach to clients, saying, “I’ll come and see you. And that’s the best thing you can do. And then you meet someone and build a relationship.”
Recognizing the impact of technology making life easier, Joe uses Sage Copilot to send his customers payment reminders without the hassle: “Now it’s like a reminder and they know when it was due or that it’s overdue and they can just do it without any negative connotations attached to it.”
Visibility into the company’s finances has also improved as the team can access the finances from anywhere, as Joe notes: “Everything is updated live in the system. It’s easier.”
The level of automation saves Joe time managing the end of the month: “I can just do it straight away and everything is done right from one desk instead of two.”
I just click a button and a complete statement is created for all my customers and emailed to everyone.
Joe Daniels
How does a forecasting solution help with proactive planning?
Since using Sage, the team can now manage inventory more easily.
Joe explains: “It predicts where your cash flow is going to be (…) It’s pretty good at predicting where you’re going to be, at least in a month or a quarter.”
Sage tells you how much money you will spend and how much money you expected or received. You can balance and see exactly where that boundary is.
Joe Daniels
How does a brand build a good reputation?
When it comes to supporting their local community, Joe explains: “We have to make difficult financial decisions, knowing not only what disposable income we have, but also how much money we have to play with.”
Financial transparency is crucial because it helps Joe decide what charitable donations he can make.
As a local business, the team at BLC often work with other companies in the same complex and are happy to help the children of the wider business community with sponsorship jerseys for sports teams, knowing that every little thing helps.
As Joe notes, it’s more about continuing to support the community: “When people needed sponsorship for jerseys or awards ceremonies, we just jumped in. It was more about helping people and building a nice little family, so to speak.”
This has only strengthened BLC’s reputation and is made possible by a clear overview of its finances.
The circle closes, you are part of the community and enjoy trust.
Joe Daniels
Final thoughts
When dad Terry, now 80, retires, Joe hopes the company’s reputation remains as solid as it was on day one.
Using Sage Business Cloud Accounting has given the BLC team freedom from manual administrative burdens and the time and financial confidence to become deeply embedded in the community, make flexible financial decisions, and know that they can expand for generations thanks to word of mouth from local businesses.
(In) the next five years I just hope that we continue as we have been, that we are reliable and that we build trust so that customers find us and know that they can trust us.
Joe Daniels
For more inspiring stories, visit our interactive EFL map to discover more companies behind the badge.
Frequently asked questions
How can I save time and automate financial management?
Save time, trust your data, and increase your financial confidence with Sage Business Cloud Accounting plans for businesses of all sizes that grow with you. Get your money 7 days faster, save 5 hours of manual administration, and get data at your fingertips that gives you confidence in your urgent decisions.
What is a good HR software that simplifies payroll but grows with my business?
Sage HR offers a customizable, modular plan that grows with your business. The mobile-enabled platform is designed for companies with up to 250 employees. It helps you track employee data on the go and provides employees with mobile self-service for tracking timesheets and holidays, as well as a comprehensive offboarding experience.
How can I use AI in my company?
Generative AI, found in many financial software systems like Sage Intacct Copilot, can speed up manual processes, save you time, automate invoicing so you get paid faster, and give you proactive insights into your business. Because it runs in the background, it is the assistant that will help you save time and gain the confidence to grow your business without the manual administrative burden.