North East Enterprises Thrives on Repeat Business

Wed November 07, 2001
Mary S. Yamin-Garone

“We want our customers to give us their business not because they feel obligated but because we earned it.”

With a modus operandi like that how could a business be anything but successful?

Started 18 years ago as a storage container and storage rental business, North East Enterprises of North East, MD, has moved on to bigger and better things. The company expanded its horizons in 1994, when owner Robert J. Hodge decided to become involved in trailer sales. He quickly signed on Landoll Trailers, manufacturer of container delivery trailers. That was the beginning of a long and successful relationship.

Starting out with four people in one office, North East sold 12 trailers that first year. When Hodge added Trail-Eze products to his line the following year, his sales doubled to 24.

In addition to container delivery trailers, Landoll and Trail-Eze build heavy equipment trailers. These sliding or traveling axle-tilt deck trailers are used for hauling anything from forklifts, track loaders, bulldozers and backhoes to tractors, rubber-tired equipment and sky-lifts.

With the success of these two trailer lines, Hodge continued to expand his inventory. Over the next several years, he added Fontaine Specialized, Benson and Winston products for a more diversified stock. Fontaine manufactures lowboy, drop-deck heavy equipment trailers and a complete line of flatbeds. Benson carries aluminum dump trailers and aluminum flats, Winston produces utility tag construction-type trailers. The Winston models range from 6 to 30 ton (5.4 to 27 t), with most being ramp, tilt-type trailers for pulling behind a dump truck or similar vehicle. They focus more on smaller construction businesses.

Recipe for Success

North East Enterprises has experienced rapid growth in the past three years, increasing its sales to more than 70 trailers annually.

So what brings customers to its lot?

“We don’t sell them just one trailer,” explained Wayne Brown, general sales manager of North East. “We treat them right the first time and every time after that because we want them to continue to do business with us. By treating them right, they’ll remember us when it’s time to buy trailer number two and three and …”

The company also prides itself on selling quality products its customers can depend on. “We sell only the best. However, if a customer does have a problem, we want to be there to take care of them. We have a complete parts inventory so, in most cases, customers can have their parts the next day. There also is a staff of certified mechanics who have been trained by the manufacturers. That way, if a customer has a problem there’s a 99.9 percent chance it can be fixed on site,” reported Brown. “And, with the manufacturers’ warranties, if you’re too far away to bring it to us, you can go to any qualified repair facility. They’ll take care of it for you and it will be covered under the warranty.”

Another drawing card for customers is that North East Enterprises is willing to take trade-ins. Whether it is a truck or a trailer, as long as it can be disposed of, inventoried or resold, they’ll take it for trade.

Large Inventory a Plus

Whether a customer is in the market for a heavy trailer, specialty trailer or a heavy equipment trailer like the Landoll 660 and 323 — a rare and unusual trailer for the east coast — chances are he or she can find it at North East Enterprises. They are proud to boast the largest stock of any Landoll dealer.

“One of the reasons we are successful is because we keep so many trailers in stock,” said Brown. “When you put 30 or 40 trailers on your lot, and $1 million to $1.5 million of your money is tied up so when a customer says they want it, you have it, that shows you’re committed to customer satisfaction.

“We’ve grown so rapidly that we want to have what our customers need when they need it. We don’t want them to have to wait. That goes for new and used trailers, parts or service,” he added. “If we do have to order a vehicle there’s a good chance we can have it delivered within 30 days, instead of 60 or 90.”

Customer Satisfaction Comes First

Part of the company’s uniqueness can be found in its employees, all of whom have service or service-oriented business experience. That and the fact that they don’t want to have to say “no” to a customer.

“If there is any way possible we can do what the customer wants, give them what they want, make it happen in a timely fashion that will make them happy, we do it,” Brown claimed. “There’s no reason we should have to say no.”

Brown admits, however, there is an ulterior motive behind the company’s philosophy — to earn a customer’s repeat business, every day, not just when they buy their trailer.

“More of our trailers are sold to repeat customers and those referred by other customers than through any other [advertising] medium. That’s how you develop a good, strong business. We all know word-of-mouth advertising is the best there is,” he said.

What about the future? Wayne sees North East Enterprises shifting its focus to an expanded service department. “We would like to add more mechanics so we will be able to do more than just warranty work and taking care of our own customers. We would like to expand to include outside service as well. Ultimately, we would like to handle other trailer buyers’ needs so they can see how we do business and come back and see us.

“While we don’t have an etched in stone, carved-on-the-wall mission statement, all of our managers agree: we have to make the customer happy.” CEG