Business View Caribbean September/October 2018

44 45 of fleet customers and certain companies that have a shorter repayment term. But it’s not widespread. “We leave that to the banks,” says Harney. “We have a very good relationship with the banks on the island, so we work closely with them to get a quick turnaround.” Harney Motors has been the go-to automotive supplier for Antiguan and Barbudian families for almost five decades. They also cater to small and large companies and have loyal fleet cus- tomers. The government of Antigua and Barbu- da has been a major customer throughout the years; and expats appreciate that they can get first-class service right in the Caribbean. Family businesses have the most remarkable legacies, and Harney Motors is a prime exam- ple. Harney-Barnes reflects, “Back in the day, Mr. Harney’s love for drag racing gave us a lot of notoriety– this is where, as the daughter, a little boasting may come out, in that he’s known as one of the best drivers in Antigua. He’s a leg- end in the drag racing world. As a 23-year-old businessman, his love for cars extended into the racing world and a lot of our customers have come up loving Toyota and trusting Mr. Harney–his mechanical background, driving knowledge – knowing he’s not going to bring anything unworthy to the Antiguan public.” Harney Motors Ltd. and Ace Enterprises Ltd, combined, have about 80 employees on the payroll. Low staff turnover is attributed to the family type culture that is nurtured amongst all staff at every level. Employees are empow- ered and encouraged to live up to their fullest potential, which is achieved through continu- ous staff training. The service department and all technicians are trained and certified by the various manufacturers. Employees travel to courses in Panama, Japan, Korea, or the United States, and there is continuous online training. HARNEY MOTORS LTD. If mechanics and sales representative are not up to date on training, it would make it difficult to claim back manufacturers’ warranties. Invest- ment in the latest information and diagnostic tools is also critical, so the business can ad- vance along with ever-evolving technology. Harney Motors takes pride in maintaining very good relationships with its manufacturers, as well as all of its customers and business part- ners to include the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the banks, insurance companies, the transportation board, rental fleet customers, and small to large business affiliates. Twenty percent of company revenue comes from the service sector. After-sales service is a main driver of car sales. Harney-Barnes shares, “We’ve been streamlining our parts department utiliz- ing CDK dealership software, and the fact that most manufacturers have huge warehouses in Miami, so the lead time to get parts here is sig- nificantly reduced. That has helped us become leaner in that regard, because we don’t have to carry such heavy inventories.” Embracing innovation and environmental stewardship, Ewart Harney started Local Oil Limited to address safe disposal of waste oil. According to Harney, “We take used oil and re-refine it into virgin oil, which we blend with jet fuel and sell for use in diesel engines. A by-product that comes off is a small amount of