Longevity means a lot at Southside Trailer Service. Owner and President Skip Coder’s parents, Boyd and Viola, founded the business in 1974, and the second-generation Coder has dedicated his career helping turn his family’s business into one of the most trusted and respected parts and service operations in western New York and Pennsylvania.
Along with other family members and a workforce that measures its tenure in decades, Southside Trailer Service is a welcoming place that prides itself on being hard to leave. The nature of trucking means customers must come and go, but never for long. Just until the next part or service need arises.
Because once someone has an experience with Southside, it’s hard for them to go anywhere else.
“The No. 1 reason a customer deals with any business is its people, and that’s always been our focus,” says Coder. “If you give them respect and you treat them like family, they’ll come back. That was something started by my parents and it continues to be effective today.”
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The company’s recent milestones make that abundantly clear. Last year the business not only celebrated its golden anniversary but also completed its first regional expansion through an acquisition and this year, for the first time, it has been named a finalist for the Trucks, Parts, Service Distributor of the Year Award.
“One of our philosophies is we believe there are three reasons customers deal with whoever they deal with. In the beginning its price, service and people, but once a relationship is established, one and three switch,” Coder says. “We’ve talked about that for years and years and we see it with our customers.”
“Because of the knowledge we have and the experience we have, a lot of customers will refer us to others. They’ll say ‘Call Southside and talk to so and so. He’s worked there 25-plus years and he’ll help you solve the problem,’” Coder says.
“I think what makes the difference is the knowledge we have compared to our competitors. We know almost everything, and we will always ask the questions we need to ask to help the customer,” adds Diane Schrader, who has 31 years with Southside and is branch manager at the company’s Erie, Pa., location.
“Our six locations operate independently,” Coder adds, “but they all work together to solve each other’s problems.”
And that drive to do whatever it takes is core to the success of the business, which beyond truck and trailer parts, also includes three full-service shops, bench service capabilities and a franchised trailer dealer for more than a half dozen small utility to commercial trailer brands.
Southside Trailer Service managers use analytics and customer expertise to select inventory for their locations to meet market demand.Southside Trailer Service
Coder says Southside’s No. 1 rule is if it doesn’t take care of the customer, someone else will, and its intentionality in cultivating a loyal, dedicated workforce ensures that happens every day.
It’s arguably the most important trait Southside looks for in a potential employee.
“When we interview someone, we look at their parts knowledge, training compatibility,” says Craig Smith, parts operations manager and 10-year company veteran. “But we also try to find someone who isn’t a job hopper,” adds Rich Bailey, branch manager at the Tonawanda, N.Y., store who has 45 years with the company.
Coder elaborates. “One of the questions I ask is, ‘What are you plans for the future?’” he says. “‘Will you remain in the area, or are you just looking for a job?’”
Southside covets the former. A prospect who wants a career, to be part of a shared culture, and will commit themselves to their work. Once onboard, Bailey says Southside instructs associates to treat the business as their own. That buy-in, and the trust from leadership it requires, creates a culture where everyone is driven toward customer service excellence.
“We are given the freedom to do our jobs and the support to do them well,” says Small Trailer Sales Manager Jeremy Tabak, who’s been with Southside nearly eight years. “Southside shows a lot of respect and appreciation to its employees and we, in turn, show that [respect] to customers.”
“Everybody works together,” echoes James Smith, sales manager for the Southside’s trailer sales division and 23-year company veteran. “If you can take care of the customer in good times and bad times they’ll know you, and they’ll come back.”
The TPS Distributor of the Year Award is sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN), Cummins, High Bar Brands, Interstate Billing Service and Procede Software.
