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24 November/December 2012
Tamara Ferguson
of WCP Solutions,
Kent, WA
ing janitorial supplies, but we still have
the walk-in retail vacuum cleaner business.”
Seeking just one location, VCC built
a new facility five years ago. The new
building includes offices, a showroom,
warehouse and four rental locations that
VCC rents to other businesses.
“We have a very good location with a
nice walk-in business,” Hill said. “We
also have a full-service repair department
with four repair people. We service
equipment from propane buffers to
household vacuum cleaners to battery
operated equipment. We also expanded
our office space last year.
“Business has been good and
we are trying to control growth
to make sure we are financially
sound. We have worked hard to
be confident that what we have
in our warehouse is what we are
selling.”
Also last year, the company
reconfigured its warehouse, adding space by
narrowing aisles and taking advantage of the warehouse’s 30-foot ceiling to stack products
higher. VCC purchased a $45,000 fork lift as a part of this project.
When it comes to customer service, VCC seeks to establish relationships with customers
where they feel the company is their partner.
“Our goal is for our sales reps, as they work with an account, to partner
with customers to see where there is opportunity for us to help them
save money — to be valuable to them,” Hill said. “We have had distributors
in our area who go after low margin items and they price
them low. Then, a month later, these distributors raise their prices. We
don’t conduct business that way.
“We seek to give our customers value, while building long-term relationships that are
positive, professional and honest. We have developed our business with integrity and honesty.
When we say we are going to do something, we try to follow through with what we
promised.”
An important aspect of building lasting relationships with customers is service after the sale.
“For example, we support customers when they purchase equipment,” Hill said. “We train
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their employees how to operate the equipment, and we also follow up with service. We take
care of warranty service if needed.”
As well as offering training at the customer’s site, VCC has a conference room that will
accommodate up to 25 people where it conducts seminars from time to time. The new conference
room was part of last year’s office expansion project.
“When we have people in for a training seminar, we also offer tours
of our warehouse and facility,” Hill said. “When we train, there is no
cost to the customer. These events have helped seal our relationships
with customers. We are trying to be a value-added with an emphasis on
service.”
VCC’s low turnover rate among employees also aids in building relationships, as customers
are able to deal with the same people over a period of years.
“We have 25 employees and they are the best,” Hill said. “When people visit our facility,
they see the same faces. When our
guys deliver, we stack the items
where and how customers desire.
“Our drivers have relationships
with customers and they actually help
us retain business. They let us know
when there are issues at an account.
We all work together. I tell all our
people we are all commissioned sales
people, whether we get paid by commission
or not.
“We have a great group and that is
the key to success of our company.
Our employees are top-notch.”
While demand for environmentally
friendly products is not yet
huge in VCC’s delivery area, the
company offers green products and
is gearing up for when the demand in-
creases.
“We are preparing our
customers for when green
becomes more focused in
our area,” Hill said. “Many
people still have the, ‘If it is green it
Randy Hill of
VCC Janitorial Supply,
Bossier City, LA
doesn’t clean mentality,’ but we have tried to show this attitude is old
history. Today, the new green products perform well.
“I have dealt with a lot of chemicals over the years. When we are conducing in-service
training, I tell housekeeping people, ‘We must take care of ourselves before we can take
care of other people.’ We have to be concerned about what we are exposed to, whether we
are breathing it or touching it on our skin or ingesting a substance — we have got to take
care of ourselves. This is where green products have an advantage. They are safe, not only
for the environment, but also for us.
“We have a major contractor customer that is LEED certified. We have supported the
company with eco-friendly products from microfiber to chemicals. This service has been
very effective and we have developed a good relationship with the contractor. We work with
and train its employees.”
Hill said VCC has good relationships with its suppliers and the company has recently
joined a national buying group.
Looking down the road, Hill said VCC’s emphasis will be to continue to look for ways
to enhance the company’s value to customers.
“It is very important that we remain a source for solutions and not just a price,” Hill said.
“Anyone can get the price, but we have got to be bigger and better than that. We will accomplish
this by getting off of the price and becoming valuable to our customers by being
a resource. When there is a need, we fill that need.”
Contact: VCC Janitorial Supply, 65 E. Texas, Bossier City, LA 71111.
Phone: 800-326-5442; 318-746-5442;
Email: vccjanitorial@bellsouth.net.
Website: www.vccjanitorialsupply.com.
While Domade, of Boones Mill, VA, near Roanoke, was founded more than 30
years ago, it has been owned by Todd Dean for just a little over a year. Dean describes
Domade as primarily a specialty chemical company, with an emphasis on
harder-to-find industrial strength products.
“Our sales are probably 70 percent chemicals and 30 percent hardware,” Dean said. “We
offer products in such categories as industrial, jan/san, herbicides, insecticides, auto care,
floor care and hand care, servicing Virginia and North Carolina.”
Domade’s customer base includes schools, colleges, universities, manufacturing, trucking
and a variety of small businesses.
“Municipalities are a big customer segment for the company,” Dean said. “When I say