ConstructionDist.com |

Albuquerque, NM -- The worn-out phrase, "thinking outside the box," has rarely applied to Frank's Supply, Co. Inc. Since Frank Deaver began selling tools out of the back of a station wagon, there hasn't been a box big enough to contain this free-thinking organization.

The company founder realized in the early 1950s that he had talent for finding specialized tools for his colleagues and co-workers. He parlayed that skill into a full-time business that has matured to a multistate operation. His "whatever it takes" attitude is still a driving force at Frank's Supply nearly 60 years later.

"Frank figured there was always a better way to do something and he was going to find it," says company president Melissa Deaver-Rivera, the founder's granddaughter. "More often than not, he did, too.

"Today, customers call saying, 'I know you guys don't have this, but can you help me find it?' Sometimes we do have it, but if we don't we'll work with them to see if we can get it. The point is, they think of us first because they know we'll try to help no matter what," she adds.

"One of the reasons we've been so successful in building this business is that we never say no," explains marketing director Rick Lamb. "We have a lot of resources to draw upon in this company, and we refuse to tell a customer we can't help. We always tell them we will get back to them with an answer. You never know when somebody in our organization can draw upon experiences to provide an answer or direct a customer to a solution."

No Restraints

"The fact that this company has always been open to change and we don't have any corporate restraints that keep us from putting in whatever effort it takes to get a job is another key to our growth," points out general manager Randy Irwin. "That means we never have to walk away from an opportunity.

"Flexibility is the element that makes it work for us. We can react very quickly and bring all our resources to bear to adapt and change when we need to," he adds. "And, we've been recognized for it and that's gratifying."

Frank's Supply was named the American General Contractors (AGC) supplier of the year, receiving the Industry Choice Award in 2006 and again in 2008. And, Frank's Supply also was named the United States Department of Energy's Small Business Contractor of the Year in 2006.

"These honors go directly to our concept of customer service and the product knowledge of our people," Irwin adds. "That's what really sets us apart from the competition."

"The AGC awards are particularly gratifying because they are voted on by our customers," adds Deaver-Rivera.

Emphasis on Service

"When you get right down to it, the only way to deal with competition in any market is to out-service them," says Lamb of the company's devotion to customer service. "We know how important it is to get to customers on time, provide competitive pricing and build those belly-to-belly relationships. We're known for providing real value beyond price."

"Providing for a customer's needs goes way beyond having products on the shelves," adds Deaver-Rivera. "When a customer comes in and asks for a drill, what he really needs is a hole. It's up to us to find out what kind of hole, where, when, why, in what, how many and all the rest. When you look past what they say they want and provide the tool that fills their need, you've made the right sale."

Keeping a Step Ahead

Over the decades, Frank's Supply has made a concerted effort to stay ahead of the local competition. It has a strong mix of markets grounded in a strong commercial construction base. "There are always orange barrels," laughs Irwin. "Road projects, bridges, schools and similar projects may slow down, but they won't go away anytime soon," he adds.

"The Albuquerque area is still growing," adds Lamb. "That means schools and everything known as 'infrastructure.' We have a 'zillion' call centers here; four movie studios have been built in recent years along with casinos, hospitals and manufacturing centers. But the largest employer in the state is the federal government."

Being able to tap into several significant government contracts has helped Frank's Supply distance itself from competitors. For example, the company has "just in time" contracts with nearby Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories that commits it to delivering a long list of specific products within 24 hours, guaranteed. The list includes about 1,200 items from hand and power tools to welding supplies.

There's also a detailed contract with the Government Services Administration (GSA) that has them sending products to such places as the island of Guam as well as more traditional local sites. This contract has evolved to include a rental provision that brings Frank's sizable rental division into play.

"One of the things that really sets us apart from more traditional competitors is that we are a full-service rental company and a full-line supply house," Lamb explains. "Most competitors are one or the other. Few have mastered the mix as we have.

The 'Complete Source'

"That's why you'll see the tag line 'The Complete Source' on our catalog and promotional materials. It's true, and it's a unique situation," he adds.

"It all seems normal to us," Deaver-Rivera adds, "but it isn't common. To us it is; it's the only way we know, but it isn't the usual way in this business."

The full-line supply house opens doors for the rental yard and vice versa. The GSA contract opened the door for its rental component -- Frank's is one of just six companies in the United States with a GSA contract for rentals. "Getting that kind of contract certainly isn't easy," reflects rental manager Bill Griffin. "You work hard to get it and you work hard to keep it."

On the local scene, the rental business has become crowded. "There are 16 different rental yards in Albuquerque alone, and about the same in El Paso where we have another large operation," Griffin points out. To say competition is stiff is an understatement. And, there have been others that have come and gone, too.

"It has almost come down to survival of the fittest on the rental side," he continues, "and again, that's where our company's flexibility and willingness to diversify is helping us stay strong. We have continued to build on Frank Deaver's idea of finding what customers need, even on the rental side. Little things, like having Greenlee tools for rent when no one else did, have made a big difference in building customer loyalty, too."

This commitment to doing things "Frank's way" hasn't gone unnoticed among the competition, either. "I was recently at a GSA meeting as part of the ARA Rental Show," Lamb recalls, "and a representative of one of the other, much larger rental vendors wanted to know how many stores we had. When I told her five, she was stunned. 'I thought you were much bigger because at GSA all they talk about is how Frank's does this and Frank's does that.'

"I'm not sure what she expected, but we do a lot with what we have and it allows us to be responsive to what customers need at whatever level we might be working at the time," he concludes.

"The bottom line is that almost anybody can do this," points out the company president, "and somebody is going to do it better… we are determined that we will always be the ones doing it better.

Spread the word: The Marketing Mix

"Anything you can do to get your company name in front of customers is a plus, especially these days," advises Rick Lamb, director of marketing for Frank's Supply. We use everything from our annual catalog to special events. Whatever we can think of."

The annual catalog is a monumental achievement in its own right -- more than an inch thick, it's a compendium of everything Frank's sells or rents. It is all compiled, revised and updated in-house.

On a more regular basis the company makes judicious use of broadcast FAX transmissions. "One of the reasons we use the FAX instead of e-mail, for example, is that people get so many e-mails that are just deleted; we think the FAX gets more attention," he explains. "It's printed out for them and they tend to respond to it.

"We have the FAX number on everyone's credit application so we have a very complete list, too.

"We've had some people ask not to get the FAX, but about 99 percent like getting a message this way -- in the age of e-mail, maybe the FAX has become more unique again. Whatever, our outside salespeople report 'I just got an order from that FAX,' so we know it works."

Using local resources

In most areas there's a local landmark or point of interest that can be built into a promotion. In Albuquerque Frank's Supply has been making the most of the city's AAA minor league baseball team and its new stadium.

An anticipated event

Like many distributors, Frank's Supply has a major open house event each year and it has become an anticipated event in the Albuquerque area.

"We work closely with our vendors to make it a big deal -- DeWalt's NASCAR entry will be there among other things -- and we regularly serve somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 meals," points out general manager Randy Irwin. "We've done it for years and have become well-known for it. We do some radio ads ahead of time and people tell us they really look forward to it each year."

Frank's Supply has built a reputation of being a complete resource for its customers -- rental and sales -- and it takes pride in always being ahead of the curve when it comes to presenting new products, new ideas and new solutions. And that includes what's included in its marketing mix, too.