River City Doors, Columbus, Georgia...Success in Business is about VALUE River City Doors Preaches Value at All Levels DOORDEALERDIALOG

Transcription

1 By Todd Thomas International Door Association Midland, Georgia River City Doors, Columbus, Georgia......Success in Business is about VALUE River City Doors Preaches Value at All Levels When Scott Ammerman and his brother started a new construction venture in the small town of Columbus, Georgia, the goal was to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. As Scott explained, We thought we could have a more immediate impact as a business that way, rather than starting out in a big market with a lot of competition from the outset. 22 International Door & Operator Industry

2 Kneeling (from the left): Scott Ammerman, Crystal Becker, Brad Hickman Standing: Bill Becker, Allen McPherson, Dillion Peterson, Courtney Brown, Matt Stinson, Jimmy Shirah, Shaun Booker, Billy Shirah and Cornelius Fudge. Still, there was competition in the small market, where in 1997, the two originally endeavored to build a business specializing in retrofitting and remodeling metal buildings. They quickly gained a foothold in the door business by outperforming established competitors in the South Georgia market. The company was being asked to do so much door work, that portion of the business was split from the original company in Today, both companies exist side-by-side in a newly constructed commercial development which they own. Both continue to enjoy success, and Scott Ammerman has applied all of his time and energies to River City Door Company, while leaving the construction business to his brother. There are many elements of success, but value is the key Scott Ammerman s background is diverse. Having grown up in a somewhat nomadic lifestyle in which his business turnaround consultant father was required to relocate as often as every three years, he learned to adjust to situations and avoid self-limitations. He holds an Engineering Degree from Auburn and an MBA from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. While working for Allied Signal (now Honeywell) he graduated from UNC in Two years later he started River City Construction with his brother. Value over price, Ammerman responded quickly, when asked his business philosophy. New competitors come in and compete on price, and they buy some business. But, when the service level matches their pricing, we will eventually win. The focus on providing value has served River City Door Company well. The company leads the Columbus area in residential sales and service and dominates the commercial market. Nearby Fort Benning is a source of enormous potential to any door company, and most of that business goes to Ammerman s firm. When the base decided to overhaul the housing complex at Fort Benning, it meant renovating or razing 3,500 units, most of which included space for two-car garages. River City Door Company has been proudly festooning the base with CHI garage doors by an average of 15 doors a week over the last five years. Value to the customer Customers expect good service and quality products. Treating them with respect, giving them options and leaving the work area in immaculate condition are among the techniques used daily by River City Door Company. (continued on page 24) VOLUME 48 ISSUE 5 OCTOBER

3 (continued from page 23) Company Owner Scott Ammerman The company has a Wall of Fame in its front lobby, recognizing its certified technicians, including four Master Automated Access Systems Technicians. Dealer Snapshot River City Door Company 6938 Jamesson Way Midland, GA Website: Primary Personnel: Scott Ammerman, Owner Brad Hickman, Sales Manager Crystal Becker, Office Manager Bill Becker, Operations Manager Jimmy Shirah, Lead Commercial Technician Courtney Brown, Lead Residential Technician Shaun Booker, Commercial Technician Matt Stinson, Residential Technician Allen McPherson, Residential Technician Billy Shirah, Commercial Associate Dillion Peterson, Commercial Associate Cornelius Fudge, Commercial Associate Years in Business: 18 Annual Sales (2014): $2.5 million # of Vehicles: 12 Primary Product Providers: Cornell Iron Works CHI Overhead Doors Liftmaster Blue Giant Chase Industries Janus Permatech Nergeco IDA Member: Yes IDEA Accredited: Yes Certified Technicians: Yes Office Manager Crystal Becker Scott Ammerman goes over the day s schedule with Operations Manager Bill Becker. Commercial Associate Dillion Peterson begins the process of securing product prior to an installation. The company places a top priority on protecting product from even the most minor of blemishes. Commercial Associate Billy Shirah Lead Residential Technician Courtney Brown Commercial Associate Cornelius Fudge Sales Manager Brad Hickman (continued on page 27) 24 International Door & Operator Industry

4 (continued from page 24) DOORDEALERDIALOG I ve been to conferences with other door companies and heard people talk about how they won in some issue with a customer, Ammerman said. You never win when the customer loses. If the customer doesn t win, you lost. You lost the customer and everyone that person talks to. Technicians are taught: Always give people choices If calling on a customer with an old door system with a broken spring, tell them: here s the price to replace the springs and repair the door; and here s the price for a new door system. Then let the customer make the decision they feel comfortable with. Conduct yourself on every install and service call as if, at any moment, some guy with a cameraman and a microphone is going to come out of the house and ask you why you just did that. Perform the job as if you want that to happen, so you can stand out as the true professional. We re in the South It s Yes sir, Yes ma am, No sir and no ma am. Good manners go a long way towards giving customers a good experience with our company. Always clean up afterwards. Little things make a big difference. Even if the work area was a mess when you got there, leave it clean. Give people choices If calling on a customer with an old door system with a broken spring, tell them: here s the price to replace the springs and repair the door; and here s the price for a new door system... let the customer make the decision they feel comfortable with. Value partnerships with suppliers When Ammerman speaks of his top two suppliers, he speaks as though he s talking about part of his own company. Well, because to him, they are. Cornell Iron Works is River City Door Company s top commercial supplier. Ammerman serves on the company s advisory council and looks back on the beginning of the business relationship as a turning point for the then-young company. Ammerman recalled having aggressively sold numerous commercial jobs, having bid on them based on orders placed through a rolling steel door manufacturer that went out of business. I had contracts on my desk, and all the sudden, my pricing was way off. That was a tough time for my company, Ammerman said. It took about two years to recover from that situation, and it was during that time that our relationship with Cornell strengthened. I got to know Andrew (Cornell) and Sean (Smith) and they worked with me and really helped me get through all of that. That s how the partnership began and it s why Cornell is my most valuable partner on the commercial side of River City Door. CHI Overhead Doors earned the attention, and ultimately the respect, of Ammerman by demonstrating their own (continued on page 28) VOLUME 48 ISSUE 5 OCTOBER

5 (continued from page 27) commitment to value. Having originally used a supplier with distribution facilities in the local Atlanta market, Ammerman was visited by a CHI sales representative who showed unusual confidence in the manufacturer s ability to deliver on his promises. I was asked what my biggest problem in business was, and I told the CHI rep that it was backorders, Ammerman explained. He then offered that if I had a back order with CHI on the first 10 orders, the door was free. That got my attention, but I didn t move. So then, he promised me that if a backorder was on a truck, that entire truck load was free. So, I bought from him thinking I was going to get a free truck load. That never happened. I ve never had a backorder with CHI. Never. Not once. And that is worth a lot more to me than some free doors. Value in Operations and Quality Control Ammerman s MBA degree helps him manage a successful business, but it s his engineering degree and background that can be seen in the day-to-day operations of River City Door Company. The company takes a remarkable and pro-active approach towards product handling. Nicks and scratches are not acceptable and Ammerman and his team take pride in installing doors that are perfect, to the point that they rarely need the touch-up paint on their trucks. Custom designed truck racks that eliminate product shifting during transit, staging and storage procedures that minimize the movement of product from delivery to installation, and other operating procedures are aimed at protecting the doors from even the smallest of imperfections. Other customizations are aimed at efficiency. A new facility was opened in 2014 which featured not only a new showroom, but also a warehouse designed for organization and storage efficiencies. Trucks have been designed with side storage compartments for easy access, and for increased storage capacity. As a result, the company s service technicians are able to complete repairs on a single visit in excess of 95 percent of the time. For the future, we are looking at new computer software and technology applications to continue to differentiate us from the competition and increase information availability to all members of the organization, Ammerman said. Value of employees Ammerman believes employees must be recognized for their contributions to a company s success, and that includes the goal-setting process, not just the end-result. Communicate with them, he said. Let them see how the company is doing. Let them see beyond their daily responsibilities. Make a measurable goal for the group and reward them as a group to promote a team atmosphere. They are part of the solution and part of the action plan. (continued on page 30) 28 International Door & Operator Industry

6 (continued from page 28) Ammerman uses an example of a recent outing in which he took the entire company and their families on a weekend vacation trip to Atlanta. In addition to visiting attractions, including Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium, the families shared free time and meals together. One evening was reserved for the grown-ups, as sitters were hired to facilitate a movie and pizza party for the children while the adults had a quieter dinner together. Another way Ammerman has set his technicians apart from the competition and recognized their professionalism is through IDEA Certification. His company has four Master Automated Access Systems Technicians, which is the elite status granted to those who successfully earn IDEA Certification in Residential Installer, Commercial Sectional Door Systems, Commercial Rolling Door Systems and Rolling Steel Fire Doors. Other certifications are held among the rest of the River City Door staff, and the company also holds IDEA Dealer Accreditation. It distinguishes us from the others that we are accredited and have certified technicians, explained Ammerman. In the past, everyone looked at door installers as common laborers. They didn t seem to get recognized for the special skills they have, such as with electricians, plumbers or HVAC. I used IDEA certification to demonstrate that I recognized them as professionals, and to help them recognize themselves that way. I ve seen the reactions from these guys and know that it s been a boost to morale and given them a lot of confidence in themselves. That carries forward in the field and our customers recognize them as professionals. It makes them realize that not just anyone can do this work. It takes people who have been trained and who have special skills. Value always wins, in the end Ammerman said he is proud of the success his company has experienced in the past 18 years. He knows he could have grown faster, but might not have been able to do so while maintaining a focus on quality. I didn t get into this to be a 5-year wonder, he said. I got into this to be a 50 to 100 year success story. We started in a small town against a big name. We survived bad economic times. We survived against competitors who came in on price and bought business. But because of the relationships we have with our suppliers, the professionalism of our staff and the reputation that we continue to build on each and every day, we ve continued to grow at a steady pace, and I m proud of the way our company serves our customers. I didn t get into this to be a 5-year wonder... I got into this to be a 50 to 100 year success story... because of our relationships with our suppliers, the professionalism of our staff and the reputation that we continue to build [upon] every day, we ve continued to grow... I m proud of the way our company serves our customers. -- Company Owner Scott Ammerman 30 International Door & Operator Industry