Page 4 - ForkliftServiceCompany

The Forklift Industry
Forklift Service covers servicing and repairs having to do with material handling. “Our biggest goal is to provide the most com- prehensive set of forklift services to our customers as possible. We are a small independent company right now and we still have more rentals than factory stores out here in the Valley and we’re proud to offer that convenience, too,” explains Schertz.
The company has larger corporate clients including juggernaut, Procter and Gamble. “Even back when I was working for a forklift dealer, I was taking care of them,” says Schertz. “I was their go-to guy back then and when I went out on my own and bought my own business, they were happy to come on board with me, so I’ve had their business for 20 years.” As a fun side note, Procter and Gamble manufactures Metamucil and the Valley is the only place in the world the fiber supplement is made. “I’m just a regular kind of guy,” adds Schertz in a tongue-in-cheek remark.
The far-reaching impact of forklifts may not be something that the everyday consumer considers. “Think of it this way – every- thing you touch today has been handled by a forklift in one way or another. From a cargo ship to a warehouse to a loading dock and in a store, forklifts have moved it all,” Schertz says. “Right now we have 31 forklifts that we rent out. Everything from repairing them to selling them to a full-maintenance lease, there’s not one thing we won’t do with a forklift.”
Management
Before he was a business owner, Schertz was a mechanic. His transition into ownership was probably inevitable. “Now, I’ve got- ten to the point where I could only do mechanic work for so many years. Eventually, your body will break down. Physically, I’m beat. I’ve tried to build Forklift Service as quickly as I could,” Schertz explains. He bought the business at a peak time and keeping it moving forward while still being profitable has been a challenge. “I was bringing people on and selling customers on what we do. We now have four mechanics and my daily job is basically keeping all of these guys busy.”
“Believe it or not, one employee that I have is the guy who hired me when I moved to the Valley. He was working at the dealership and he was the manager there and he hired me. Now, he works for me,” Schertz says.
Addressing the Competition
Indeed, there are other businesses in the Valley that offer forklift repair and maintenance, but Schertz does not see competitors as a threat. “There are a lot of small independents like me, but most of them are a one-man show. I don’t want to be like that,” Schertz explains. “Our service really stands out. We have a great name in the Valley and we get a lot of referrals. We’ve made it through a very tough economic time and all without advertising.” All new business coming to Forklift Services comes by word-of-mouth and professional referrals.
Keeping the Staff Happy
“I pay the staff very well and that’s how it works. Bigger cor
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