Eikenhout : Roofing, Siding and Windows

Back Roads of Michigan by Mike Chase

I just got back from our Corporate Sales meetings where the enthusiasm and energy exhibited made me realize how fortunate we are to have such a talented and hard working team of sales people.

This last year I had the pleasure of traveling with our sales team all over the state.  We have voyaged throughout the Upper Peninsula, the thumb, the West Coast and in our Southern most border.

I didn’t realize that as a sales person I would have to stay in good shape both physically and mentally.  You have to be ready to drive and walk to job sites that require more than just pulling up to a curb and walking up to a house.  You might even need to get your snow shoes ready.

I recall a job site last winter up in Alpena where we couldn’t make it to the house.  The drive was a couple hundred yards long, and we were stuck fifty yards farther down the road.  The hike to the house in all of the snow made me realize what our customers and our sales team go through in the winter to do their jobs.  Pony Express doesn’t have anything on the Eikenhout team.

Another eye opener, which surprised me, was the scope and size of Michigan.  It is big.  It is quite staggering to see all of the small communities that lie hidden between our larger cities.  Many of our contractors live and do their work in these same villages.

I have been to places I never knew existed.  My tracking skills were put to the test after my GPS refused to pinpoint these mapless locations.  I had no idea how I got there, and when the wind was perfectly still, I heard banjo music in the distance.

The contractors continually tell me how glad they are that they finally have a sales person who could find them off the beaten path and who treats them as a professional.  The secret is that Eikenhout was built on these type of contractors.

After this Michigan tour, I realized even more how it takes our entire team of outside sales, inside sales, warehouse staff and delivery drivers to tirelessly support our customer base wherever they live.  We have a great team.  We have great customers.  We have a great state.