Latest / Towing News Now / The Power of Networking in the Towing Field

Transcript

The Power of Networking in the Towing Field · Towing News Now

• 0:05
  Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the American Towing Recovery Institute podcast.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: I want you to remember this is your podcast to promote safety, education, positive public relations and networking within the professional and business minded towing and recovery industry.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: I'm your co-host, dj Harrington, better known as the Toe Doctor.
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: I am honored to have as the other co-host of today's episode a 40 gear towing industry veteran and the founder of the American Towing Recovery Institute and I want to tell all of our listeners and we got a ton of them now We've been listened by over 11,000 groups people and we can't thank you for sharing and letting other people know about it.
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: But he's done over 910 classes, hands on classes.
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: My dear friend Wes Wilburn Wes, how are you on this beautiful sunny day?
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: DJ I'm doing very, very good.
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: Little tired, but very, very good.
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: Yeah, you just came back from having another class.
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: Yeah, just did a private class this weekend for a very forward thinking towing company in Columbus Georgia Griffin, and Griffin telling of Columbus Georgia boy, what a great experience it was for me.
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: This company's got their stuff together.
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: They are motivated, they consider themselves the chick play of the towing industry and that's how they try to operate.
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: As you think about it with that chick play analogy almost any town there's four, five, six different choices for chicken.
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: If you've been to a chick play you got to admit the customer service, their attitude excels.
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: So that's what they try to model themselves.
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: They're trying to create a culture there.
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: Yep and Chick-fil-A's home office is in Atlanta.
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: Truett Cathy was the founder of it.
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: He's up in heaven now and his two sons, dan and his other son, actually run the business.
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: Great people.
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: Yeah, they have a great operation.
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: It's pretty consistent across the country as I've traveled, but anyway.
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: So that's the culture they're trying to create at their towing company.
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: They're doing a good job with it.
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: We plan on having the team of Griffin and Griffin both on an upcoming podcast.
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: They haven't talked a little bit about many, many things, their operation, how they got involved.
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: One unique thing Chuck Griffin asked him how he got involved in towing and he said that he was involved in the boys, went to the Boys and Girls Club as a child and a wife of a towing operator that the whole family was very involved with the Boys and Girls Club was.
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: The president, ran the Boys and Girls Club I'm not sure if president's right term, but was very involved in their local Boys and Girls Club and that's how he first got introduced to the towing industry, to Morris Lewis being wife, being involved in the Boys and Girls Club, and now Chuck's involved as well as an officer in the Boys and Girls Club today.
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: So you know it's very empowering to see people involved in the community like that.
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, our guest today is very involved with his community as well.
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: We'll talk about that some when we get to that.
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: So now that's the long answer to how I'm doing DJ, but I'm still good.
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: Drow home yesterday, got up at my, had a great dinner with my wife last night we got to spend a little time together, so just feeling great today DJ.
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: Fantastic, fantastic.
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: When you say Chick-fil-A, in Georgia and across the country everybody knows that they are the most giving group, and so the Griffin family, you know.
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: That makes sense because Chick-fil-A people give to firefighter training.
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, we did a firefighter towing training and Chick-fil-A provided all of the Chick-fil-A sandwiches given out that day at lunch, courtesy of Chick-fil-A, because it was a firefighter towing training and Chick-fil-A provided it all.
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I've actually seen that as well, now that you mentioned, I didn't think about that, but I have witnessed that as well over the years.
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: They're a wonderful organization with a great community mindset and a great organization to try to mirror and take some of their strategies and use them.
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: And 80% of the Barry College kids are on scholarship from Chick-fil-A.
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: So when you apply for a Chick-fil-A in Georgia, they actually tell you if you would like to go to college, just work here two years and we will send you to college.
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: And they do.
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: They send them to Barry College in Rome, georgia.
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: Wow, wow.
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a great company.
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: You know they're closed on Sunday, so you go to church but they are open, you know, and they're just a great guys, just a good company.
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: All right, I'll be quiet.
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: All about Chick-fil-A Now now one of the things I witnessed and I'm not one of the things that I witnessed when I was at Griffin, and Griffin they asked all the employees what school-age children they had, from kindergarten to 12th grade, and they had a benefit they were giving for each child.
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: They had to help you with the child's school supplies Wow, and I was knocked over by the operators in the room.
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: Apparently it's the first time they've done it.
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: I'm not positive of that, maybe they've done it before, but everybody was very thankful, you know, very, very thankful, and it was very touching.
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: Just a great group of people, great, great training class.
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: Look forward to working with them more again.
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: Like I said, we're going to get them lined up for a podcast interview.
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: So, but I'm rambling this front, let's talk about what else is going on.
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: We are hard at work with updating a lot of our information.
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: We've got some very exciting announcements coming up here very shortly, things that we think are going to help our members and telling the operators out there be more efficient.
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: So we'll be make sure you keep listening and a future podcast will have a major update or something we offer now.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: I think it'll be of interest to everybody listening to the podcast.
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: Speaking of everybody listening to the podcast, very humbling that we're at over 11,000 listeners.
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: We really appreciate that I get.
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: It looks like folks are reviewing us and sharing us and liking us.
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: You know all the things we ask all the time.
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: So if you like this podcast, help us grow.
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: We really appreciate it.
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: Thank you for if you already liked it and shared it and reviewed it.
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: If you haven't, you know what to do.
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: We need your help out there.
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: Make sure you subscribe to us too, because the listener number is everybody that subscribed.
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: So if you're not subscribed, you don't help us with their numbers.
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: And helping us with the numbers helping a lot of ways.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: It really does.
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: It really does.
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: We've got some upcoming training dates.
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: I'm going to go over them real quick before we get to the break.
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: We're going to be at Elkhart, indiana, August 26, 27th with heavy duty rotator heavy duty towing in recovery with rotator class.
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: That will be a major focus in our next segment.
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: September 16th and 17th will be in Elmira, new York, for a two-day firetower cross-training class.
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: We've already been up there before, working with the high-city fire department and other local fire departments in the area Renewal.
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: Cetone's hosting that class again September 16th and 17th.
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: Elmira, New York, which is western New York, the real native of Pennsylvania, Southwest New York State.
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: We'll be at the Midwest Toe Show September 21st, 21st through the 24th.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: We actually got a great podcast coming up with them as well.
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: Next one following this episode.
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: We'll be there at the Toe Show with a booth supporting them.
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: They got a great new location.
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: Take a moment to listen to that next week's podcast and you'll learn a whole lot about what the Cetone's Covering Association of Ohio is trying to do there.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: Back in Albury, Texas, October 14th and 15th for a firetower cross-training and another firetower cross-training in Washington, North Carolina, in November of 5th and 12th we're blessed.
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: We also have several private classes we're doing for individuals.
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: We've probably got one or two more dates to fill in for this year, so if you're interested in a private training class with your company, we'll be interested in talking to you.
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: If you want to see it, reach out to us.
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: We're also putting dates on the calendar for next year.
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: I know it's only August, but a successful class normally takes at least 90 days or more to plan out.
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: So we're working on dates for next year and if you're interested, reach out to us.
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: You can visit our website for contact information wwwamtofriorg.
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: We schedule information a lot of other information about our organization, including our contact information, is available there.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: All right, well, we need to take a quick break, dj.
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: We've got a great guest lined up for the next portion of the podcast.
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: Let's get a turnaround.
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: We'll be right back.
• 10:35
  Speaker 3: The folks at Purpose Record are record specialists.
• 10:39
  Speaker 3: They don't get bogged down with other types of sales like cars, assorted equipment or snow plows.
• 10:44
  Speaker 3: Purpose Record exclusively specializes in towing and hauling From parts in service to financing.
• 10:51
  Speaker 3: They remain focused on providing the best service and customer care to the towing and hauling industry.
• 10:56
  Speaker 3: Even in these trying times, purpose Record works hard to meet the needs of its customers.
• 11:01
  Speaker 3: They are the preferred distributor in North America for purchasing towing and recovery equipment.
• 11:07
  Speaker 3: For more information, visit them on the web at PurposeRecordcom, or speak to a specialist by calling 636-639-9700.
• 11:17
  Speaker 3: That's 636-639-9700.
• 11:21
  Speaker 3: Celebrating 40 years in the towing industry, that's PurposeRecordcom.
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: Welcome back listeners.
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: You have been listening to the American Towing and Recovery Institute podcast with Wes Wilburn, DJ Harrington and our special guest, who's been on before, and Wes will introduce him in a second.
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: Remember, each and every week we bring you informative episodes.
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: Make sure you download and listen.
• 11:47
  Speaker 1: We're available on Spotify, iTunes, Pandora, Google Play, Stitcher, iHeart Media, Amazon or wherever you get your podcast.
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: So right before break, Wes, I'm turning it over to you to introduce our guest, who's been on before, and people love them, so go ahead.
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: Thanks, dj.
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: So I'm going to be introducing the some presenting the others.
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: A friend of the podcast, friend of the Institute and friend of mine as well, michael Lard, the owner of Tom's 24-Hour Towing at Elkhart, indiana.
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: Michael, say hello and introduce yourself a little bit to our guest, if you would please.
• 12:31
  Speaker 4: Hello Wes, Thanks for having me on again.
• 12:33
  Speaker 4: I'm Michael Lard, as he stated, my own Tom's 24-Hour Towing in Elkhart, Indiana, two and a half years on my own from buying out my previous employer, three generations in the business, and just focus on training and making the team and the people here and the equipment the best we can for our customers and our motoring public.
• 12:58
  Speaker 2: Well, I'm following you on Facebook a little bit and interacting with you.
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: It looks like you guys are doing a really good job carrying on tradition that Mike, the previous owner of Tom's, started years ago, I guess.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: And what third time third owner of Tom's, if I'm not mistaken, right?
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: Yes, his, uncle Tom.
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: His uncle Tom started it.
• 13:22
  Speaker 4: Mike bought it from him and then I took over.
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: And his uncle started it.
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: What in the 60s or the 70s?
• 13:30
  Speaker 4: No, it was back in the 50s or 40s.
• 13:32
  Speaker 4: It was way back.
• 13:33
  Speaker 4: Mike took over in the 70s.
• 13:35
  Speaker 2: Gotcha, gotcha, tell us a little bit about the scope of your operation today.
• 13:42
  Speaker 4: Well, in the last couple of years we used to just have a couple of heavies and do your light, medium and heavy recovery.
• 13:48
  Speaker 4: Now we've since I've taken over, we've ventured out to the transport world.
• 13:54
  Speaker 4: We have a Kalen Siebert extendable bus trailer.
• 13:57
  Speaker 4: We use a lot on moving vehicles and machines pretty much anything.
• 14:02
  Speaker 4: We went to Missouri a couple weeks ago and moved some retired oil tanks back to a farmer in Bronson, michigan, to help our friend over at Bill's Towing, bill McClanahan and Freeman Indiana.
• 14:15
  Speaker 4: So we partnered up with him and helped him get his customer taken care of.
• 14:19
  Speaker 4: And we of course still offer the rotator service and the air cushion recovery and that's a winch box recovery also.
• 14:28
  Speaker 4: That's what we're trying to grow the business towards is more and more recovery work and being in that area of the spectrum of our industry.
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: Yeah, well, from some of the jobs I see you guys take on, it looks like you've done a good job in that regard, and others always room for growth, but it looks like you've done a real good job with that.
• 14:48
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir, we're always.
• 14:49
  Speaker 4: We're always trying to grow and perfect our skills.
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: Absolutely.
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: You touch on several things and that answer that I want to touch on.
• 14:59
  Speaker 2: One of them is networking with other people.
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: One of them is that bus trailer and you know other avenues for business, and then also the importance of training.
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: You touched on that as well and we have you're the host of our next class coming off Definitely want to talk about that.
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: Talk a little bit about the importance and what you found the importance and that good and the bad of working with other towers.
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: How about that?
• 15:27
  Speaker 4: To me it is very important, the networking.
• 15:29
  Speaker 4: I mean I got friends all across this country that you know we all have customers, especially in the heavy duty market that travels, you know, nationwide and you never know when they'll need help.
• 15:40
  Speaker 4: And I do have a good bunch of guys that can either point me to somebody that can help out or I can call them directly.
• 15:49
  Speaker 4: You know, and then that is important.
• 15:51
  Speaker 4: I mean we can all do everything.
• 15:52
  Speaker 4: And even you know local telling companies to what you can trust them and not worry about them.
• 15:59
  Speaker 4: You know trying to steal your customer or anything like that.
• 16:02
  Speaker 4: It's good to build those relationships and you know work with each other, grow with each other and train with each other.
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: Absolutely.
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: I know one of the long term relationships that Tom's 24 hours telling us has had is with shoes telling up in Michigan.
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
• 16:23
  Speaker 2: Which are not very far from you guys.
• 16:27
  Speaker 4: No, they're only about a half hour to a half hour, 45 minute drive.
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: And since the early days of Tom's hosting classes and whatnot back in the 90s, the middle of the 90s, mike Dunso was definitely one of the first people that has enough faith to me to host a class and let me come up and teach it Trues and times have always worked together very well With the upcoming class that we've got at your place coming up.
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: They're helping as well, like they did last year, right Tay.
• 16:56
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir.
• 16:58
  Speaker 2: Talk about that a little bit.
• 17:00
  Speaker 4: Well, we were doing the heavy duty with some rotator training.
• 17:03
  Speaker 4: So I got with Travis and between us two and his dad we came up with a couple vehicles that are going to be loaded for the training class and we'll keep that a secret until you get here, those that do come.
• 17:17
  Speaker 4: But between the two companies we're going to provide good lunches for you, great equipment to operate and knowledge from both sides, and both companies have the eagerness to make our employees the best that they can be for our customers and the motor and public.
• 17:36
  Speaker 2: We really do, and it's just amazing that the networking that goes on has been going on for decades now and how well it works for both sides, not only on the training event like this, but also with helping each other with calls and whatnot.
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: I worked for a gentleman with a good new year's bill, howard Wright, and he wasn't the first time I'd worked for, and when he gave me a call one evening and said it's for another towing company that we're helping out, I had a puzzle of a book on my face, I guess, or maybe ask some question, I don't know.
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: But he said I think I must have said something to the effect that we're doing a call for another towing company and which was very foreign in 1983 or 1984 when this was happening, yeah, and he said yeah, who needs to tell more than another towing company?
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: And just a very intelligent way of looking at it back then, and I think it makes sense even more nowadays, with the type of profit margins and whatnot, to work together on many different things training calls, training classes, et cetera.
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: Trues is a really great dynamic A father and son team working together.
• 18:53
  Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, we're going to try to get them in on a podcast coming up as well.
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: There's definitely dynamics, so a father and son work you know this is a stressful business on its own.
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: Working with family can add to that stress, so we're hoping to have them on a podcast as well.
• 19:09
  Speaker 2: So we're working with a local fire department for the classroom, aren't we, michael?
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: You work with your local fire department quite a bit, don't you?
• 19:18
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir, Same with the training.
• 19:20
  Speaker 4: We always invite and offer our services to them in any way we can, and also the fire department, which is just a street over from us.
• 19:29
  Speaker 4: They've offered up their training facility again for us.
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: So we have a nice classroom with PowerPoint and then you know anything that we would need.
• 19:38
  Speaker 4: There's kitchen and stuff like that there, so we can, of course, enjoy some coffee and donuts before and after the class and socialize a little bit too.
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: Absolutely.
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: It's all right.
• 19:49
  Speaker 2: They're convenient and they are very welcoming there.
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: We've been there many times over the decades again, and they're great folks to work with.
• 19:58
  Speaker 2: First, we've got to take another quick break.
• 20:01
  Speaker 2: I want you to hang around because I got a lot more I want to talk about with Michael from Tom, 24 hours old.
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: Hang around, we'll be right back.
• 20:12
  Speaker 3: The best towing companies offer a combination of great training, efficient operations, along with quality supplies.
• 20:18
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• 21:02
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• 21:10
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• 21:18
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• 21:21
  Speaker 3: We look forward to serving you.
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: Welcome back listeners.
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: You are listening to the American Tone Recovery Institute podcast with Wes Wilbur and DJ Harrington and Michael Ard from Tom's 24 Hours Up in Elkhart, indiana, the home of the capital of RV industry, that is for sure.
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: Wes, I want to remind all our listeners that if you'd like to hear some expert like Tom's 24 Hour Towing, remember to like, review and share everywhere and by all means, let Wes know.
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: We have a hotline number.
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: Let me give it to you 706-409-5603.
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: 706-409-5603.
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: And if you'd like to hear from another industry expert like Michael, by all means just call Wes and Wes will do the very best to get him on the next podcast for you.
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: All right, wes, I'll turn it over to you, buddy.
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: Thank you, dj.
• 22:20
  Speaker 2: I want to again make sure we thank all our listeners.
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: Can't appreciate the numbers and the success we've had with this podcast enough.
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: So, Michael, I see on Facebook all the time what you guys are doing, eh, and be how you all participate in your community.
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: How important do you feel social media is to as a part of your success, with your growth and your business?
• 22:52
  Speaker 4: It is very important.
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: I mean in any way you try to be involved with your community.
• 22:57
  Speaker 4: I mean cause, like our industry, nobody wants to call a tow truck.
• 23:01
  Speaker 4: You know it's always at the most unopportuned times, whether it's an, a wreck, a breakdown.
• 23:06
  Speaker 4: You're always trying to get to an appointment or family function.
• 23:10
  Speaker 4: But we want people to know that they can trust us with their vehicle and get propped professional service.
• 23:17
  Speaker 4: And when we do reach out to the community and try to train, cross train with fire departments or sponsor functions and stuff like that, I mean that's all you can do is just try and try to make the best image of your company that you can for them.
• 23:34
  Speaker 2: Well, from what I see, it looks like y'all do a good job of that.
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: Involved in what was it?
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: Demolition Derby recently.
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: Talk about some of the events you spawned or are involved in.
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: Yeah, sorry, the.
• 23:49
  Speaker 4: ITWA, the Indian Toeing Wreckers Association, the northern chapter.
• 23:53
  Speaker 4: Here in our county, the Wreckers Services, most of them, participate.
• 23:58
  Speaker 4: We do the demolition derby at the county fair where they have the wreckers on standby to lift them off the barriers and stuff like that when they get wrecked and can't drive out.
• 24:10
  Speaker 4: This year we're sponsoring the Grand Prix, which is a go kart racing deal in downtown Elkart.
• 24:18
  Speaker 4: That's actually this weekend and a couple of the drivers are actually racing in that and we sponsor that event and we do.
• 24:30
  Speaker 4: I'm not sure if they're around you guys, but we have these fire side magnets that the fire department advertises for like your local fire departments, and they put like the steps on what you should do if there is a fire or whatnot.
• 24:46
  Speaker 4: We sponsor our local fire departments on that Pretty much anything we can.
• 24:51
  Speaker 4: You know what I mean.
• 24:52
  Speaker 4: That does have a good cause and that's gonna help the community and especially the children.
• 25:00
  Speaker 2: That's awesome.
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: As you know, that's very important and very near and dear to my heart, so that's awesome to hear.
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: Not only are you good to your community, it seems to me, you're very good to your employees.
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: Tell us about the truck you took delivery of, and they're sending the operator the new truck, to the tow show without him.
• 25:25
  Speaker 2: You tell the story.
• 25:27
  Speaker 4: Okay, so well.
• 25:28
  Speaker 4: I had a gentleman named Martin that came from Illinois.
• 25:32
  Speaker 4: He worked for a towing company down there and his family was from here.
• 25:36
  Speaker 4: He came up here and he was driving our Sterling medium duty wrecker and he was never done anything medium or heavy duty and so we got him trained on that and he loves driving wrecker.
• 25:48
  Speaker 4: He's not one to jump in a flatbed, let's say you have to, but he was proving himself and wanted a little bit bigger truck so I could do more.
• 25:58
  Speaker 4: So I sat down with Lance last year and told him what I wanted.
• 26:05
  Speaker 4: Me and Art both liked the new medium duty Mack chassis that they came out with and Lance found us one of those because I was back in the time you couldn't really order anything unless you wanted to wait a couple of years.
• 26:17
  Speaker 4: So we had to find a chassis that was available and we had to paint it and everything.
• 26:21
  Speaker 4: But I kind of just put my feelings out and seen what Art was looking at out of truck and, of course, what I knew we needed for the customers.
• 26:31
  Speaker 4: And we had a beautiful truck built by Lance and the team at B&B, as just like Bill Bottoms used to do, and the Wisconsin tow show just happened to fall right when the truck was getting finished and a month or two prior to that this driver had finally I've been harassing him for a while now proposed to his fiance and so I told him that this was a weekend getaway for me, a present, you know, for them, to hotel and everything was provided food and everything.
• 27:05
  Speaker 4: And it did happen.
• 27:07
  Speaker 4: They couldn't work down more perfectly because when they pulled into the hotel he missed the front drive, where the car was supposed to go, and he went to the second entrance, to where all the records were, and it just so happened that that Mac was sitting right there and he told his wife.
• 27:22
  Speaker 4: He said he got a fiance.
• 27:24
  Speaker 4: He's like I wanna go see this Mac and he wanna.
• 27:28
  Speaker 4: Drove up beside it and they seen the orange boom, which is pretty distinct colors that have switched to.
• 27:33
  Speaker 4: He knew that something was up and that's how he found out that his new truck was being delivered at the tow show.
• 27:39
  Speaker 4: So I thought it was pretty cool to reward a driver like that, and stuff like that is very important to me.
• 27:46
  Speaker 4: I mean that everybody runs their business differently and does things differently, but I want to provide my employees with the best that I possibly can, from pay to equipment benefits, and that's just how I run my business.
• 28:02
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a great story.
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: Just I really felt good when I heard it and sure it meant a lot to him and his wife as well.
• 28:11
  Speaker 2: But B and B Industries built the late great Bill Bottoms.
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: He was out of Elkhart.
• 28:19
  Speaker 2: Talk about your relationship with him a little bit before we go to break.
• 28:24
  Speaker 4: Starting back, like I said, three generations my grandfather, my uncles and my dad they all ran Bill Bottoms equipment and bought Bill Bottoms equipment.
• 28:33
  Speaker 4: So I've been going around there since I was a child and it's always been a dream of mine to have his equipment and build my own truck and go over there and watch it be built.
• 28:43
  Speaker 4: And every Saturday morning I used to go and spend time with Bill Bottoms every day at the factory and the guys over there that I'm still good friends with today.
• 28:53
  Speaker 4: And that dream finally came true and I got to build this 16 ton that he built for Lansditt.
• 29:00
  Speaker 4: Now, unfortunately, it wasn't Bill Bottoms, but it's still that legacy that I grew up with that we're able to move forward with.
• 29:09
  Speaker 2: Every time you talk about that.
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: I know you had a real special relationship with him and I think it's awesome that you're keeping up moving forward.
• 29:17
  Speaker 2: Great story.
• 29:19
  Speaker 2: Thanks for telling me.
• 29:22
  Speaker 4: Yeah, it's one of those things that I'm just very happy that Lansditt took it over, and I mean I'm not the only one.
• 29:29
  Speaker 4: Bill Bottoms was very important to a lot of people in this industry because he did more than just build tow trucks, that's for sure.
• 29:37
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, absolutely.
• 29:39
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 29:41
  Speaker 2: Hang around, we'll be right back after a break.
• 29:44
  Speaker 2: We've got more to talk about with Michael Larson, tom's 24 hour towing in Elkhart Indiana.
• 29:49
  Speaker 2: We'll be right back.
• 29:53
  Speaker 3: Information in this podcast is made possible by generous sponsorship from Henry's Record, serving the community with quality towing and recovery for over 40 years.
• 30:01
  Speaker 3: Henry'srecordcom.
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: Welcome back listeners.
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: This has been a great one, michael, as usually has done his deal, wes.
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: I'm passing it over to you, my friend.
• 30:15
  Speaker 2: Thank you, dj.
• 30:16
  Speaker 2: I serve my pleasure.
• 30:17
  Speaker 2: So, michael, being in the RV capital of the world, which it really is, is, folks have been to Elkhart, indiana.
• 30:27
  Speaker 2: It's amazing how many different brands of RV travel trailers are made right there.
• 30:31
  Speaker 2: What kind of work does that create for towing and recovery?
• 30:36
  Speaker 2: That is specific to the RV world.
• 30:42
  Speaker 4: Well, there's one when things are going good.
• 30:45
  Speaker 4: There's a lot of undecking and most people around the country they do piggyback style, I guess, where they stack the front ends on, For here we do a lot of full chatty lifts because they like the freight liner plants, they stack them pretty high on trailers and we have really close relationships with all the factories around and we do all that.
• 31:06
  Speaker 4: It's definitely slowed down a lot since the RV industry is slowing and there's been quite a few big layoffs and stuff here.
• 31:17
  Speaker 4: But we're still pressing on and I mean it's pretty much your normal delivery drivers and stuff going to the RV factories because pretty much everything is manufactured here anymore as far as anything from walls to insulation and axles, because we have everything right here from Dexter to Lippert and all that in-house in this county or surrounding areas.
• 31:46
  Speaker 2: How many different manufacturers of RVs and trailers are there in the area?
• 31:50
  Speaker 2: I know you'll take a guess over 20, over 50?
• 31:56
  Speaker 2: .
• 31:58
  Speaker 4: Oh yeah, and then, just like the record industry, you've got your major three, four, because, like the Winnebago's and Thor's and all them, they've consolidated or bought out other companies and stuff and it's kind of hard to keep track of.
• 32:10
  Speaker 4: Stuff will happen and then you won't see it in the news for weeks or months later and you find out that you know what I mean.
• 32:16
  Speaker 4: Three different companies became one overnight, so it's kind of like becoming a huge, I don't know like a whirlpool deal where they own everything.
• 32:28
  Speaker 2: Gotcha.
• 32:29
  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's happening in a lot of businesses, happening in the telling business a little bit as well.
• 32:35
  Speaker 4: Yes, it is.
• 32:40
  Speaker 2: So we've got this class coming up at your place.
• 32:42
  Speaker 2: Folks can register with us here at the American Tone and Utopia Institute, 910-747-9000.
• 32:51
  Speaker 2: Again, that's 910-747-9000.
• 32:56
  Speaker 2: But you can wait for the line.
• 32:58
  Speaker 2: The shortest way to our website is wwwamtoriorg.
• 33:01
  Speaker 2: That's the short pedal.
• 33:08
  Speaker 2: Take your edge on our website that people can register.
• 33:10
  Speaker 2: We're gonna focus on heavy duty towing and recovery.
• 33:15
  Speaker 2: We're gonna do a rotator recovery.
• 33:17
  Speaker 2: What kind of rotator are we gonna be working with, michael?
• 33:21
  Speaker 4: We have a Jerdand 5060 rotator.
• 33:24
  Speaker 4: Truz will be bringing their Jerdand 5060 rotator and there has been talk of a couple other guys out of Michigan that were coming.
• 33:32
  Speaker 4: Possibly could be bringing one of their millers down.
• 33:35
  Speaker 4: Not sure what size because they have quite a few different in range.
• 33:41
  Speaker 2: Awesome.
• 33:42
  Speaker 2: And then we're also not only gonna be working with rotators, we're gonna work with some straight stick records as well.
• 33:49
  Speaker 2: What do we have there, Michael?
• 33:53
  Speaker 4: All of our straight records are custom built.
• 33:55
  Speaker 4: Our new one might be done.
• 33:58
  Speaker 4: Nick is building us a 50 ton tri axle right now and it's gonna be right there falling in line with the class, so we might have that here.
• 34:07
  Speaker 4: Or we have our 30 ton custom build also.
• 34:11
  Speaker 2: Awesome.
• 34:11
  Speaker 2: You said you're gonna get us some load itself to work with.
• 34:16
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir, awesome, and I like how you leave that hanging.
• 34:21
  Speaker 2: That's awesome.
• 34:23
  Speaker 2: We're gonna be focusing on toe hookups as well.
• 34:26
  Speaker 2: Any class can get better, but we feel really proud of where we are with education at this point.
• 34:36
  Speaker 2: The hands on will be right there at your lot, won't it?
• 34:44
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir, yep Training at the fire department, class training, and then lunch and hands-on will be here at our shop.
• 34:52
  Speaker 2: And I'll tell you, if you got home hungry for the class of their place, it's your own fault.
• 34:56
  Speaker 2: They take good care of feeding you.
• 34:57
  Speaker 2: Make sure you got everything you need the last week at a Walgreens.
• 35:01
  Speaker 2: So just time to get ready for winter.
• 35:03
  Speaker 2: So I'm looking forward to it.
• 35:05
  Speaker 2: It kind of kicks off our fall season.
• 35:07
  Speaker 2: We're going to be really busy this fall, so this I'm looking for a bang up start out in your place.
• 35:13
  Speaker 4: We look forward to seeing you here.
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: Hey Michael, this DJ.
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: I want to ask you how far in the past have you had people come, because we have a lot of listeners that actually call and wanting to know how far away has past attendees come?
• 35:32
  Speaker 4: The last year.
• 35:32
  Speaker 4: Last class we had people from Pennsylvania and Minnesota, so whether they're coming from eight hours away or farther, to be in these classes.
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: And you got a hotel nearby.
• 35:47
  Speaker 4: Yes, elkhart, not even two miles from our shop.
• 35:50
  Speaker 4: I think.
• 35:51
  Speaker 4: There's over 2,000 rooms now, very nice hotels and motels, I mean, whatever you'd want, it's there.
• 35:58
  Speaker 4: Any brand?
• 36:00
  Speaker 4: There's no short of that.
• 36:01
  Speaker 4: Unless you get a Notre Dame home game, then we'll be in trouble.
• 36:04
  Speaker 4: But we don't have to worry about that this time of year Exactly.
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: I've been to Elkhart many times for Damon Motor Homes and they got bought out but I was their national sales trainer for seven years.
• 36:17
  Speaker 1: So I went up to Elkhart.
• 36:19
  Speaker 1: A lot and a lot of good hotels near you.
• 36:22
  Speaker 1: So I want to tell all our listeners August 26th, 27th is right around the corner, so make sure you call 910-747-9000 and get one of your people at that place so you can improve your bottom line.
• 36:39
  Speaker 1: The best investment we have is our people.
• 36:43
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and I can't stress that enough that you are already investing in your people.
• 36:49
  Speaker 2: And, michael, that served you very well, hasn't it?
• 36:53
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir, it has.
• 36:53
  Speaker 4: I mean there's no.
• 36:54
  Speaker 4: The question comes up.
• 36:58
  Speaker 4: You hear it a lot in many different industries.
• 37:00
  Speaker 4: Well, what if you invest all this and the person leaves?
• 37:03
  Speaker 4: I don't think about that, honestly.
• 37:05
  Speaker 4: I don't focus on the negative, I think on the positive and I get up every day and try to be the best I can for, like I said, the employees and the motor and public, and what fate have its way and we can't sit around wondering what if we just have to do the best we can.
• 37:22
  Speaker 4: And I feel it's very important, especially at this day and age, with new vehicles, the electric stuff, these low profile semis, things going from steel to plastic.
• 37:35
  Speaker 4: Training is evolving every year and it's only going to help your bottom line to train your men and women that's out there every day making your business be the best it can be.
• 37:47
  Speaker 2: Absolutely Two comments.
• 37:49
  Speaker 2: One of them is we have at the class we're also going to talk about electric heavy trucks a little bit.
• 37:55
  Speaker 2: We have some factory information on that.
• 37:57
  Speaker 2: I'm glad you reminded me that that's part of the class as well.
• 38:00
  Speaker 2: We're updating that electric information constantly and getting more and more of it.
• 38:05
  Speaker 2: And the other thing is, you know the whole what if you pay for someone's training and they leave?
• 38:14
  Speaker 2: The other side of that coin is what if you don't pay for training and they stay?
• 38:19
  Speaker 4: Exactly Michael.
• 38:21
  Speaker 2: I can't thank you, go ahead.
• 38:25
  Speaker 4: Everybody's different.
• 38:25
  Speaker 4: I can't speak for everybody.
• 38:26
  Speaker 4: I just feel like that is a.
• 38:28
  Speaker 4: It's just a bad mindset to think like that.
• 38:31
  Speaker 4: You just got to try to see the best of people and keep moving forward.
• 38:37
  Speaker 2: That's right.
• 38:37
  Speaker 2: That's exactly right, Michael.
• 38:40
  Speaker 2: I can't thank you enough for taking time out of your busy day to be here.
• 38:43
  Speaker 2: Let us interview you again.
• 38:45
  Speaker 2: I'd like to get you to come back after the class and talk about how it went, if you'd be so kind.
• 38:50
  Speaker 4: Always, always available, so let me know.
• 38:53
  Speaker 2: All right, so I look forward to seeing you a couple weeks and again, thank you for taking your time, dj Chuck.
• 39:00
  Speaker 2: I want to thank you guys for the great job you do at the podcast and helping to keep moving forward and growing.
• 39:06
  Speaker 2: We got a lot of great ones coming up, so I encourage our listeners to keep listening to us.
• 39:12
  Speaker 2: I do thank our listeners for being here, want to thank my team at ATRI and want everybody to be careful out there.
• 39:21
  Speaker 2: You know school's about to start back, so be careful about that With you know, make sure make that part of your safety meetings.
• 39:28
  Speaker 2: Schools about to open back up, depending on what part of the country you're in.
• 39:32
  Speaker 2: So I want to thank everybody.
• 39:35
  Speaker 2: We'll see you soon.
• 39:37
  Speaker 2: Stay safe out there.