Everyday Heroes: Meet Finning's service ... - Finning Canada

Maury Youngprototype: In 1963, the service depotat Merritt was a model for others to followwhen he got the bill. But Mr. Finning didn’tsend the bill until the logger was on his feet.His fairness and his determination “to takeservice to customers’ doorsteps” continuesto be Finning’s driving force. Mulvaney says,“Mr. Finning always said he’d stand behindeverything he sold, except manure spreaders.He kept his word.”Thanks to honest dealings and determinedservice support, Finning now operates in55 communities in B.C., Alberta, Yukon andNorthwest Territories, has resident techniciansin another 61 out-of-the-way areas, more than400 service trucks and Cat Rental Stores in33 centres.But building service to this level wasn’t aneasy task.Back in the winter of 1933, Con Gurneywas the service department. On one occasion,Gurney hiked 20 miles over MissionMountain in the middle of the night to get toPioneer Mines in Bridge River, B.C., proudowners of the first diesel-powered crawlertractor in the province. He was able to hitcha ride for the last part of the journey but hisfeet were badly frozen. Four months later, hewas still wearing bedroom slippers to work.Gurney went on to become general servicemanager. From this position, he helpedspread his brand of service commitment. Thatwas great for customers, but was not alwayswelcomed by employees.“Mr. Finning alwayssaid he’d stand behindeverything he sold,except manure spreaders.He kept his word.”“With Con, you were never quite sure howlong you’d be gone on a certain job,” explainsFinning retiree Peter Clarke. “You could begone a year because Con wouldn’t give youthe whole story. This was particularly troublingto our wives who’d have to phone Confor our whereabouts.”But with machine populations increasingin the 1950s, the company could no longerrely on heroic service rescues alone – facilitiesneeded to be built to support customers in remotelocations.Caterpillar expressed concern. “But Mr.Finning wasn’t going to be told how to runthe company; he still believed in residentservicemen and not in launching a buildingcampaign. Con, a conservative sort, agreed,”recalls Clarke.Fortunately, Mr. Finning had an ace up hissleeve. His son-in-law, charismatic and MITeducatedMaury Young, was nearly finishedhis Master of Science degree in IndustrialManagement and was ready to take over thereins; he’d joined the company in 1947 andhad seen customer growth firsthand. Moreimportantly, he’d mastered the art of negotiatingwith his father-in-law.With Young at the helm, the company wasable to re-finance, and expansion of Finning’sbranch network to support customers tookoff. “We’re hanging our hat – and the futureof the company – on the proposition thatwe must give the finest service possible,” saidYoung in 1962. “Our future lies more in thehands of every employee in the service departmentthan in any one other particular groupwithin the company.”Almost prophetic, his words guidedFinning’s service capabilities and delivery overthe next five decades.No doubt the old man, and his dog, wouldbe impressed. Now get back to work.www.finning.ca Spring 2008 • tracks & treads 63