Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/34592
54 • JULY 2011 • WORLD FENCE NEWS A few years back I wrote a series of articles centered on the real life ex- periences of true fence industry veter- ans in which I asked them some serious questions about their careers and businesses. Their responses were quite interesting, to say the least, and I am once again reaching out to some of the most experienced players in the in- dustry to gain their views, opinions and real life fencing experiences and share them with World Fence News readers. In my humble opinion, nothing can teach us and help us to improve our own experiences in life than to lis- ten to people who have “been there and done that.” Learning from experi- ence is one of the best teachers and hopefully you will be able to draw a Listening to the voice of experience BY TOM LUBY, PROFIT BUILDERS INTERNATIONAL bit of insight from this and other up- coming interviews. Our industry has seen some very interesting and sometimes curious characters over the past several decades, and before I begin the current series of articles I would like to thank some of my past contributors. These are fencers I have personally known as long as 15 and 20 years, and from whom I have received honest and in- sightful feedback. All of my past contributors have more than three decades of experience in the fence industry. People like Joe Cox from Coggins Fence in Califor- nia, Joe Miller from Miller Fence in Massachusetts, Bill Morrison of AAA Fence in Florida and Charlie Weston of Guardian Fence in South Carolina. Thanks guys, you are true pros! This is the first of a two-part arti- cle based on my interview with Ray Hohe from Complete Northern Illinois Fence Company, with branches in West Chicago and DeKalb, Illinois. Ray has been involved in the fenc- ing industry for more than 30 years as of this summer, and he will be joined in the business by his son, Kevin. I would like to tell you one quick funny story about Ray that still gives me a chuckle to this day. Ray is a former semi-professional football player and has the very dubi- ous honor of being the only player ever to have played for two different teams in the same game. (He was traded at halftime!) That is a football hall of fame blooper if I ever heard one, and to hear Ray tell the story it is even fun- nier. But seriously, having a fun-loving and gregarious personality in your company can be a good thing, and is a benchmark of a great salesperson. I’ll bet you know someone like that in your company, yes? Someone who is a real character and always making everyone laugh. Channel that person- ality and they will make a great sales- person. OK, enough fun, now down to work. Tom Luby: Ray, in your opinion, has the relationship between contrac- tor and supplier changed over the years, and if so, how? Ray Hohe: In the beginning I al- ways dealt with whoever was most convenient and close to shop. As time went on we dealt with the supplier who best could meet our needs, and their price had to be com- petitive. That evolved into dealing with people we had great relationships with, and could service our account and be competitive. Over the last three years it has been a fight to stay com- petitive, so low price wins most deals as relationships have become second- ary to survival. We can’t help anyone if we don’t survive first! TL: I guess you can’t argue with that logic. Ray, have you seen any changes in consumer preferences, and if so, what? RH: Up until about three years ago, consumers were upgrading to maintenance-free fences like alu- minum and PVC. They wanted the best product and cost was secondary. But over the last three years most consumers shop and shop to try to get the cheapest price, and quality of prod- uct or installation doesn’t matter continued on page 56 Pictured along with the staff of Com- plete Nor left to right, t a g er K u t K r hern Illinois Fence Co. ouse and Ra e Cr vin Hohe , g (Photo b eneral man- o are , y Hohe . y T m Lub y)