CCWC mag Sept-Oct 2020_web

2020 International Carwash Association
(ICA) Hall of Fame shortly before his
passing. Now the company is run by his
son, Robert Pecora, who is continuing
the family tradition of innovating some
of the industry’s highest quality brushes
as company president.
“Robert is modernizing the way Erie is
operating to make it easier for his distribution
partners to do business with
him,” says O’Connell. “He is simplifying
the ordering process, revising his pricing
for distributors, and stocking the
more commonly sold cloth to expedite
delivery.”
Because the carwash equipment and
consumable supply industry continues
to innovate and evolve, O’Connell looks
for deep product expertise in a brush
partner than can help to improve cleaning
and operational efficiency.
“There are a lot of new products out
there. With a company like Erie Brush
with decades of expertise, we can talk
about the different types of cloth, different
patterns and
“IF I NEED SOMETHING, I PLACE A CALL, SEND AN EMAIL OR TEXT,
I WANT MY SUPPLIER TO GET BACK TO ME QUICKLY. WE ARE
COMPETING FOR BUSINESS, SO IF IT TAKES US THREE DAYS TO
GET BACK TO A CUSTOMER INSTEAD OF ONE DAY, WE COULD
LOSE THE SALE.
material compositions
that
result in better
performance for
our carwash customers.
That is
the kind of support
we need,” says O’Connell.
Of course, cost plays an important
role in any decision.
“If you examine the costs, you also
have to figure in your time. If I call a
brush supplier, give them an equipment
model, and ask for the appropriate
cloth and they say, ‘this is what you
need and this is the cost,’ I’m finished. I
want a quick, simple transaction,” says
O’Connell. “On the other hand, if I have
to make the same call and spend time
working with the supplier to figure out
exactly the right type of cloth that is
much more costly than a single phone
call transaction.”
Finally, O’Connell seeks immediate
responsiveness in a supplier so he
can respond in kind to his carwash
customers.
“If I need something, I place a call,
send an email or text, I want my supplier
to get back to me quickly. We are
competing for business, so if it takes
us three days to get back to a customer
instead of one day, we could lose the
sale. So, working with a supplier that
responds quickly is a competitive advantage
that can win us more business,”
concludes O’Connell.
Del Williams is a technical writer
based in Torrance, California. For more
information, e-mail sales@eriebrush.
com or visit www.eriebrush.com.
MEET THE SMOOTHEST TASTE
Acqua Panna Trademarks are owned by Sanpellegrino S.P.A., San Pellegrino Terme (BG), Italy and used under licence. © 2020 Sanpellegrino
14 / SEPTEMBER OCTOBER ISSUE