At Kerridge Commercial Systems, our unwavering dedication drives us to deliver unparalleled service and innovative solutions to our worldwide community of users. And the rental division is no exception. But once a customer is live with their hire management solution, what's next? We recently spoke with KCS Rental veteran, Paul Buckley, and powerhouse, Simon Berry, to discuss how their integral roles play a part of our customer's journey.

What has been your KCS journey?

"I am one of the longest standing members of staff within the UK rental team, having joined back on 03/03/03! I originally started off as a Support Technical Assistant within the Helpdesk team, and there was approximately 15 members of staff and 300 customers. Over the years, I have worked in various roles and departments, including Project Delivery Manager and Customer Success Manager within the Professional Services team, and then 10+ years in Account Management. As of today, I'm the Senior Account Manager supporting inspHire Office customers." - Paul 

Account Management is a key component within the global KCS strategy; in order to continue the development of our solutions and expand into new markets, we need to establish and build long-lasting relationships with our customers. This involves addressing any incoming queries, devising creative solutions, and leveraging collaborations to propel both organisations towards their strategic objectives.

 "My background is 30+ years in Account Management, including 15-years within bluechip organisations that provide credit data to major banks and building societies. I joined the Kerridge Commercial Systems rental team in the middle of the pandemic (2021) as the Key Account Manager." - Simon

What does your current role and responsibilities?

"My role as Key Account Manager involves managing inspHire Corporate Tier-1 clients. What is a Tier-1 client? Essentially, it's a large organisation that has complex operations, requiring in-depth knowledge, time and attention to understand their strategic goals and help drive their objectives. My weekly schedule can involve on-site visits, which can consist of overseas travel, as well as being involved with inspHire Corporate user forums." - Simon

User forums serve as a platform for organisations to engage with customers, gather valuable feedback, and foster a strong sense of community. They also provide users with the opportunity to connect with peers in the same industry, creating a space for collaboration and shared experiences.

"As Senior Account Manager, it is my responsibility to manage our 'larger' inspHire Office users. When referring to larger, it's not necessarily in size, but those with a high volume of users. Day-to-day duties include on-site visits, arrange training with the PSG team, organising system upgrades. Overall, I ensure customers are using their system to the best of its ability and being the main point of contact. In addition to this, I attend industry tradeshows as it presents a great opportunity to see multiple customers and showcase our latest offerings in-person, as well as chair customer user forums." - Paul

Interested in attending one of our forums? Register your interest for the next inspHire User Forum by clicking here.

During these forums, customers actively engage in discussions on a variety of topics, including exploring inspHire roadmaps, assessing service levels, and gaining exclusive access to upcoming releases for testing. In addition, these forums provide a valuable platform for customers to collaborate with like-minded companies, sharing insights on industry challenges and how inspHire's software solutions can effectively address them. 

What trends have you noticed are becoming increasingly popular in 2024?

"The shift towards a digital transformation continues to evolve. Cloud hosting continues to capture the attention of our users, and is beginning to take over on-premise solutions. The general consensus when speaking with clients is that cloud hosting is gaining popularity due to its enhanced security measures, regular updates, and cost-effective professional IT support services. It's a no-brainer really!" - Paul

"One trend I've seen with clients is really optimising their usage of inspHire Corporate. Given the current climate, it's essential to make the most of your solutions, and customers are discovering new areas of the system they hadn't perhaps visited before, tailoring it to suit their operations and they don't look back! It's great to see users get the most of their system." - Simon 

Fancy a career in Account Management or Sales in general? Take a look at Kerridge Commercial Systems careers.