The 23rd annual Trucks, Parts, Service Distributor of the Year award program is underway once again.
Graciously sponsored by Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN), Cummins-Meritor, High Bar Brands, Interstate Billing Service and Karmak, this year's program features a trio of prior finalists and two first-time program honorees. As always, the Distributor of the Year program seeks to recognize the independent aftermarket's strongest, most innovative operations for their unending commitment to customer service and business success.
In leading up to the presentation of our next Distributor of the Year award winner on Jan. 21, 2025 at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week, TPS will be regularly shining our spotlight on our 2024 award finalists and what makes their companies so special.
Today we feature The Service Company, who is a finalist for the Distributor of the Year award for the first time.
When was your business founded, and by whom?
How many locations do you have? (Please list the cities)
We have four locations all in Ohio: Covington (1978); Greenville (2005); Dayton (2016); and Springfield (2024).
How many employees do you have?
We have 75 employees including part-time and full-time associates.
How does your business recruit new employees?
We use word of mouth, employee referral bonuses, and some ads. Most of our great hires have come as referrals from existing employees.
What is your company’s value proposition?
- Uptime —We keep your truck in operation by providing parts and services that fit your schedule and budget. Our business is keeping your business on the road.
- Expertise and Quality — We invest in training our technicians and salespeople to be accountable and responsible, ensuring top-notch service and customer care. From bumper to bumper, we provide the parts and service you need to keep your trucks running smoothly.
- Commitment to Customer Service — We work hard to meet and exceed your expectations. Our straightforward policy guarantees that if we sold you a part or serviced your truck, we stand behind it—period.
- Geographic Focus — Strategically located in Southwest Ohio, we are perfectly positioned to serve the Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati regions with efficiency and speed.
- Innovation and Industriousness — We embrace innovative solutions and a strong work ethic, ensuring that your satisfaction is our top priority.
- Integrity and Relationships — We build lasting relationships with our customers, founded on honesty, trust, and integrity. We are more than just a service provider; we are your partners in success.
Do you offer any additional services to complement your parts offering?
We are a full service shop at every location, doing bumper to bumper repairs, diagnostics, engine, drivetrain, etc. We also build drivelines, clean DPFs, grind flywheels, and have a mobile division. We recently purchased a paint booth and are in process of adding paint and body to the list of services we offer our customers.
How do you differentiate your business from your competitors?
- There are several things, one is we do not quit or give up. If you need a part or need your truck repaired we have the resources, passion and desire to solve your problem. We are creative in our approach, thinking outside the box to help a customer.
- We have a very diverse offering on anything heavy-duty and our people learn to sell a large variety, truck parts, trailer parts, hydraulic, engine, tarps, tires. If it's on a truck or trailer we sell it or fix it. If we don’t know, we will learn.
- Our stores are geographically positioned to overlap and cover a large area so if a customer needs parts or repair we can land them at one of our stores quickly. We have shuttle drivers on four routes a day between stores so we can distribute parts branch to branch very efficiently.
What is the biggest challenge facing your business in 2024?
Probably recognizing we are in a freight recession and being strategic about how we are structured so that hopefully we can benefit when the industry rebounds. We are daily asking the question: Are we making the best decision to do what is right for our employees and customers?
Why do you believe the heavy-duty aftermarket has nominated you for this award?
I can't say for sure but I hope that it's because we are respected for our values and are involved and invested in the industry.
Stay tuned, as in two weeks will learn more about 2024 award finalist Vander Haag's.
