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of the industry as a whole.
When that takes place, he says even
competitors can be allies.
"Some of us share similar customers
but the reality is we are all professional
individuals and our goal is to take care
of the customer," he says. "So if there's
something I can do to help another
distributor better take care of a customer,
I'm going to do it."
Neeley, whose corporate headquarters
is a little more than 90 miles from Purcell
at Stone, subscribes to the same theory.
"There's no reason we shouldn't help
each other," he says. "Some guys get
stuck in their ways and when a customer
comes to them looking for a part they'll
say, 'We'll get it' but they won't even
think about calling anyone else. And
that customer will wait days for that part
when another distributor down the street
had it in stock.
"That doesn't get the customer back on
the road, it doesn't refl ect positively on the
[independent distribution] channel."
Relationships remove that standoff-
ishness. The aftermarket works best as a
team, and good relationships build the
team's chemistry.
"From time to time we may be
competitors but there is business out
there for all of us," says Greer. "Most of
our problems are similar in nature. If we
work together as a group, we can work
out those problems and help each other
build stronger, better businesses."
W W W . T R U C K P A R T S A N D S E R V I C E . C O M J u l y 2 0 1 5 | T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E
Cover Story
We're all part of the same aftermarket.
If we're going to survive as a group, we've
got to be able to help each other.
– Edward Neeley, president at Truck Supply Co. of South Carolina
Aftermarket relationships also can lead to
personal relationships, and friendships that extend
out of the business realm into your personal life.
