Based in Holland, Michigan, HES Equipment has built a national reputation for offering quality used construction and agricultural equipment backed by industry expertise and reliable service. As a family-run business, the team at HES takes pride in doing business the right way—built on trust, knowledge, and a strong work ethic. 

Over the last eight months, HES has entered a new phase of growth, driven by a clear focus on operational improvement and team alignment. From defining company values to modernizing internal systems, the dealership has embraced change to better support both employees and customers. 

As part of that journey, we sat down with Brent Gravenhof, the COO at HES, to learn how the team is using ASPEN, ASPEN Mobile, and Service Queue to eliminate duplication, improve technician communication, and build a more efficient service department. 

What do you like most about ASPEN? 

Brent: I like that it’s simple and affordable. But what I appreciate most is that the ASPEN team isn’t standing still—they’re building. The new service-related features—like ASPEN Mobile and Service Queue—are signs that they’re listening to dealers and iterating fast. 

That responsiveness makes a difference. When you see something that needs to be improved, and they actually do something about it? That’s huge. 

How has your experience with ASPEN Mobile been so far? 

Brent: We just started using ASPEN Mobile in the fall, and I’d say it was a bit of a slow start, but I get that. Sometimes you need to get the product out there and refine it based on feedback. 

We’ve had great support—especially from Pranav, who’s been fantastic to work with. He’s turned around fixes fast, and that gives me confidence. 

We’re already seeing progress in how our technicians engage with work orders. It’s helping us reduce duplicated work, especially compared to what we were doing before with Smartsheet. 

Can you explain what your dealership was doing before ASPEN Mobile? 

Brent: Before we had ASPEN Mobile, we were using Smartsheet to manage open work orders and assign them to technicians. But it was all duplicate entry—someone had to update Smartsheet, and then separately update ASPEN. 

Now, that’s changing. Technicians can see what’s assigned to them directly in ASPEN Mobile. It’s eliminating the second system and giving us a single source of truth—ASPEN. That clarity helps everyone align better, from the shop floor to leadership. 

What’s your experience been with Service Queue so far? 

Brent: Funny enough, before we even had Service Queue, I basically built a version of it in Smartsheet. I worked with ASPEN’s technical team to pull open work order data using command prompts and then built dashboards for our service team. 

Now that Service Queue exists within ASPEN, we’re moving toward using that natively. It’s giving us the same visibility—just much more integrated and reliable. I think Service Queue and ASPEN Mobile are going to work hand-in-hand for us. 

What advice would you give to another dealer considering ASPEN Mobile? 

Brent: If you’re trying to get better visibility into your service operations, this is a great tool. If you’re still running separate spreadsheets or don’t have clarity on what your technicians are working on, this can be a game-changer. 

It gives you one source of truth, better communication, and it’s clear that ASPEN is continuing to invest in making it better. That’s the kind of partner you want as you grow.