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Find out how Southwest Georgia Farm Credit uses Acres to streamline processes and tailor customer outreach.
In today’s competitive agricultural lending market, having the right tools and technology can transform operations and customer interactions. We spoke with Lee Folsom, Chief Appraiser at Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, about his team’s challenges, successes, and how Acres.com is reshaping their approach. Here are five key takeaways:
1. Meeting Diverse Client Needs
Southwest Georgia Farm Credit serves a wide range of borrowers, from lifestyle property owners with 25 acres to multi-generational family farms spanning thousands of acres. Despite their differences, Lee emphasizes the importance of offering every customer the same level of care and expertise.
“We try to make sure that everyone gets treated with the same tender love and care, and they have the great customer experience. It should be no different from one to the other,” Lee says, underscoring their commitment to exceptional service across all customer types.
2. Tackling Challenges in Agriculture
The team faces increasing input costs, fluctuating interest rates, and market uncertainty. These issues are compounded by delayed farm bill legislation, which affects long-term planning for farmers and lenders alike.
“Input costs... really put a burden on them, and interest rates are a little higher than they have been in the past,” Lee explains, pointing to tightening market conditions and highlighting the need for proactive solutions.
3. How Acres Enhances Efficiency
Southwest Georgia Farm Credit has turned to Acres to streamline research and prospecting processes. With a centralized platform, the team can access land transaction data, government maps, and other critical insights in one place.
“With our team, we accumulate data from so many different sources. You can never have too much information. In that vein, what we found with Acres is that we can get the vast majority of the information that we need in one site,” Lee says.
This efficiency allows the team to focus on building meaningful relationships rather than spending time piecing together fragmented information.
4. Improving Customer Interactions with Data
Armed with Acres’ comprehensive data, Southwest Georgia Farm Credit’s team has elevated its customer outreach. By identifying potential clients with precision, they can tailor their approach and maximize their impact.
“It gives our lenders access to more information so that they know more about who they’re dealing with,” Lee says.
This strategy not only improves productivity but also enhances the customer experience.
5. Advice for Adopting Technology
When it comes to adopting new tools, Lee stresses the importance of efficiency and adaptability. He notes that Acres combines advanced features with a user-friendly platform, making it an invaluable resource for any lending team.
“The Acres software provides you with that because they have done all of the backroom stuff of assimilating all of the various data sources that you need,” says Lee. “From the sales to the parcels to any governmental maps that you need. They're all right there.”
Final Thoughts
Southwest Georgia Farm Credit’s success story is a testament to the power of data-driven tools in transforming agricultural lending. With Acres, Lee and his team have gained a competitive edge, enabling them to better serve their diverse clientele and navigate industry challenges.
Want to learn how Acres can benefit your team? Visit Acres.com or contact us at support@acres.com to get started.
