Trucking company quickly builds customer base after adding key personnel - Kansas City Business Journal:

idozxun.blogspot.com
But rather than put the brakeson , whicb he founded in 1996, Rice, 64, broughty in longtime friend Gary Watson as an investofr last July to help him expand the business. In early May, the pair movex the company’s operations from an apartment complex Rice owns to leases space at954 E. Kentucky St. in They also hired office manager Kim Barnetgt to handle accounting andmarketing duties. through face-to-face visits, and Barnett, througyh telephone marketing, have continued to add clients. Now Rice envision a day when he won’t have to handlre administrative duties or drive trucksto Columbus, Ohio, or D.C.
Rice said he’s at the poingt in his career wherd he’d rather sit on his boat in the middlre of a lake and thinkk aboutExpedited Trucking’s success while castinv another line. “Being in this business for 13 yearxsis remarkable, but I couldn’t do it by myself anymors because it was just getting too big,” said who left a 34-year careee with Fetter Printing Co. in 1997 to beginb the business. “Gary is younger than I am, and I know he and Kim can do a greatr job buildingthis business.” Expedited Truckintg has found a niche in taking some of the smallp business that the larger companies don’yt have time for, Rice said.
The company got its stary hauling pallets of materials primarily for printing companies but has branchedd out to serveother industries. It will haul most typee of dry cargo, with the exception of hazardous Watson said. Rather than owning a fleegt of vehicles, the companyh leases vans and straight trucks on demand from Pensk and EnterpriseCommercial Trucks. The approach removes the cost of preventativremaintenance work, oil changes, license plates and other expensez that come with owning a truck Watson said. “When I got here, I was amazes at the rates (Rice) was getting for trucks,” said 59, who has more than 30 years of sales experiencew in thetrucking industry.
“Thids is such a smart way to go for a busineszsour size.” Being a small business also allows Expedited Trucking to offer a personal touch, Watso n said. “The business has changed so much. Now the big companiee do everythingby computer, and the personak level is gone,” Watson said. “Oudr customers know they can pick up the phone and talk to one of us That means a lotto them.” Expeditef Trucking has gone the route of many householdsx by operating on a cash only basiw rather than putting expenses on a credit card.
It’x somewhat unusual for a truckinbg company to send a driver on the road with a pocketg full of cash rather than acredit card, but it’d an approach that co-owner Jack Rice said workes well for his “The drivers are good about bringingt back all receipts and leftover cash they Rice said. “If we happeb to underestimate the cost, the drivers will put what they need on their personal cards orpay cash, and we will promptlyg reimburse them. “It’s not always easy, especiallyg when cash flow’s low,” Rice added.
“But at the end of the it’s nice knowing you’re not going to be getting some big credit card bill or fuel bill and wondering wherethe money’s going to come from.”