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Industry Beat - Special Member Profile ask the right questions to make sure we are watching for all the right pitfalls," said President Mark French, who is the brother-in-law of Bill Williams. And even when the company changed its status from public to private in 1993, the Board remained. Bob Bidinger, senior vice president with PNC Bank, describes W.W. Williams as an easy company to do business with. "They understand what the bank needs and have a high level of professionalism and integrity," he said. "They probably put more pressure on themselves than the bank puts pressure on them." Photo by The Columbus Dispatch Lesson 4: Do the Right Thing W.W. Williams has represented many brands over the years (Koehring, International Harvester, Euclid, TEREX, Komatsu, Deere, Detroit Diesel, Allison Transmission, MTU and Carrier Transicold), but their commitment to customer service has remained constant, a carryover from its heritage as a construction equipment dealer. "Service has always been a top priority in our book," said Bill Williams. It's a message that is driven down to every employee on the front line, whether in the shop or in the field. "Their reason for being is to provide good service and we expect that they will do the right thing by the customer," explained French. "It is not, did we make money on the transaction? It's, did we treat the customer right?" The Williams Way is "doing the right thing." The company's attention to customers has not gone unnoticed by manufacturers. "Top management is very involved and very organized," reported Denny Breedlove, director, Global Channel Development & Aftermarket Programs for Allison Transmission. "They have systems in place that enable them to identify problems and opportunities that they can take advantage of," he said. The company consistently scores in the top 25 percent on Allison's performance measures for its distributors. Quarterly Brothers-in-law Mark French, president, (left) and Bill Williams, chairman and CEO, W.W. Williams Co. W.W. Williams at a Glance • Locations: 38 • Cities: 30 • States: 12 • Countries: 2 (U.S. and Mexico) • Employees: 1,000 • Years in Business: 100 Services and Products: Engines, Transmissions, Power Generation, Marine, Fire Support, Bumper to Bumper Truck Maintenance, Alternative Fuel Conversion, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, Distribution of Low Volume OEM Parts, Logistics and Training customer satisfaction studies and other customer-focused metrics keep the company on target. Lesson 5: Acquire Companies That Are a Good Fit W.W. Williams has bought and sold many companies over the years. Today, it is looking to acquire successful companies in related or one-off businesses. "We are looking for companies with good people, a strong management team, and we also look at the cultural fit," said French. "It is very important that the people involved in the acquisition have a similar set of values that the Williams Company does." Lesson 6: Prepare the Next Generation to Lead Through four generations of leadership, W.W. Williams Company has survived and thrived. Both Bill Williams and French worked their way up through the ranks in the company, Williams on the accounting and finance side and French in operations. "You hear of so many stories where the next generation doesn't have the same work ethic," said Bidinger. "That's certainly not true with the Williams Company." Mark's son David French joined the company 18 months ago. "They wouldn't let me work at the company right out of school," said the younger French, who has moved around the company in various positions since his start date. He's grown a new appreciation for the work accomplishments of his dad and other family members. "We have 1,000 employees and my dad knows most everyone," French said. Mark French and Bill Williams are loyal to the employees who make it all happen. "They are your eyes and ears out there," said Williams. "The best ideas come from them." "The people in the field have to see that you are engaged in the business and understand what their life is like," added French. "It is important to understand different roles." As successful as the company has been, Williams still worries. But it's probably not a bad thing. If he's learned one thing over the years, it's that you've got to be ready for whatever might be coming next. n July 2013 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 19 18_Beat_WW_Williams_Feature_KP.indd 19 6/27/13 3:12 PM