Welcome to part two of a four-part series highlighting Hubbell's strategic objective, Serving Our Customers. In this series we surface stories of the amazing individuals behind the Hubbell platform as they represent the four pillars in which we stand; Serving Our Customers, Operating with Discipline, Growing the Enterprise, and Developing Our People. This month meet Josh, a Hubbell Gas Connectors and Accessories employee, who specializes in Customer Service as a Sales Manager.
Josh has been with us for about 10 years now and is based out of our office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He started in Customer Service for Continental Industries, then made his way into Sales Management, where he provides specialized support to our customers across the country.
Let's get to know him.
What is your role at Hubbell Gas Connectors and Accessories? What does your day-to-day look like?
I started my career with Continental Industries in 2010 as a Customer Service Representative. Six months later, I transitioned to Outside Sales and then was promoted to my current role in January of 2019 as the Plumbing and Propane Sales Manager.
My day-to-day involves a variety of different tasks, most of my day is dedicated to providing specialized support to our customers and our employees either on the phone, through email, or meeting in person. I am on the road almost every week so I spend a lot of time in airports and hotels.
What led you to HGCA and to be a Sales Manager?
I think I inherited my care for helping others from my parents. Growing up, I was raised to always show common courtesy, like saying thank you or holding a door open. A former college roommate was working in Customer Service at Continental Industries suggested I would be a great fit for the job because of my passion to help others.
What do you think makes a great Sales Manager? How does Sales and Customer Service correlate?
I am only one year into a management role, but believe in keeping the customer experience at the forefront and inspiring my team to believe the same way.
Be honest and always follow up. After every meeting with a customer there should always be a follow-up email or phone call to follow through with what you said you would do. Stay involved in the process from the initial meeting to delivery of the order to make sure the customer is taken care of. We provide specialized service throughout the entire sales process to make sure the customer is beyond happy so they will continue to grow their business with HGCA.
What are some initiatives for good customer service? Explain the value of customer relationships.
Customer service is just as involved in the process of serving the customer as the salesperson is. Customer service fields call daily for order updates, pricing questions, and application questions. We have set the bar extremely high for customer service in our industry. There is no other company that provides better customer service than HGCA.
I believe that building rapport with our customer base is vital in maintaining and growing our business. Customers are more than just customers to me. I have been calling on some of the same customers for ten years now. Our conversations involve more than just business, we often talk about our families and discuss our other interests besides work.
What's the most exciting aspect of working with customer's on a daily basis?
Building relationships with our customers is my passion. My job becomes exponentially more enjoyable when you get to call on people you can relate to on a regular basis. I work with the best customers.
How do our customers define good service? And how do we exceed their expectations?
- Highest quality products
- Competitive pricing
- On-time delivery
- Clear communication
We engineer and assemble, with a commitment to providing our customers with the highest quality products at the best value. Our products meet or exceed all ASTM and D.O.T. requirements and make safe reliable and economical connections. With the increased demand of Natural Gas Products throughout the country, HGCA has made numerous capital improvements to better service our customers needs, faster. We keep our customers involved through the entire sales process with clear communication provided by the salesperson, and the Customer Service team. We work tirelessly to exceed the expectations of our customers through our expertise, versatility and customer service.
Who and/or what has contributed to your success during your time at HGCA? How has it left a lasting impact?
Vice President and General Manager, Tim Hoagland and Vice President of Sales, Jake Naylor are strong leaders who possess the extraordinary ability to effectively engage others and form strong connections with people. Their leadership skills are truly something I admire.
How do you spend your time outside of the office?
When I'm not working at the office, I enjoy spending time with my family. I have a beautiful wife and a four year old son that I am privileged to have in my life. My son loves professional wrestling and Oklahoma State sports, so the weekends are always entertaining when there's a game.
What has been your proudest moment or accomplishment?
I'll always remember the first order I ever received after I moved to Outside Sales. It was with one of our largest distributors and in a location that we had not sold to previously.Vice President of Sales, Jake Naylor and the Director of Human Resources, Shari Sherman conference called me to say congratulations. This was a huge moment that I still cherish 10 years later, especially because Jake has been my mentor from the beginning.
