As we enter the cold winter months here in the far north of Alaska, a time for reflection and turning inward begins. We look forward to gathering with our families and for a time spent together in appreciation and thankfulness. And as the holiday season unfolds, here at ESI Alaska, we like to reflect on the past year, on our customers who make our work worth it, and on our employees who keep our services running day after day.
Without loyal customers and our faithful employees, we wouldn’t have an ESI Alaska to call home. And during our year in review, we’d like to highlight some of the moments that made our job and lives worth waking up for each day.
Going Above and Beyond
Beginning with our “top dog” in sales, Chad Marcy, you can get a good sense of why we have such an established repeat customer base. Chad not only walks customers through the process of ordering equipment and figuring out exactly what they need, he frequently comes up with “creative ways to finance used equipment,” he says.
At ESI, we go out of our way to make our customers feel comfortable and appreciated. And to ensure this is achieved, Chad affirms that you “always treat them with respect,” he explains.
Even when a customer calls ahead to order a piece of equipment and shows up carrying an ammo box full of cash, Chad makes his customers feel welcomed and valued. Chad frequently receives pictures of customers using their machinery, and the occasional email and phone call thanking him for his kind service.
Happily Going the Extra Mile
At ESI, our customers are our first priority. And another star team member in our sales department, Milo Hajdukovich, shows our customers the best care, goes the extra mile, and truly lives up to our core values here at ESI Alaska.
Milo understands that many of our customers don’t have the experience or knowledge regarding how to solve a problem – and solving these problems and seeing customers leave with smiles on their faces is what motivates Milo each day. “What I really like about sales is helping people out who can’t find a solution to their problem, and being able to take care of things for them and keep them from having to do back-breaking work,” Milo explains. Milo also enjoys hearing customers’ stories and affirms that time after time, faithful customers come back in and love telling him what they’ve done with their tractors, “whether it’s hauling firewood into their garage 25 feet away that they used to carry by hand, or anything else, they’re always ecstatic about it,” he says.
What’s more, even if a customer lives 15 to 20 miles away, Milo goes the extra mile and ensures that all of ESI Alaska’s customer needs are met – even if it’s driving miles away to help a customer pick up an auger that dropped off of a trailer, or ensuring that a customer’s needs are met before they make the rough drive back to out to Tok, Alaska to break up the ice.
We all Love Those Smiling Faces
When it comes to making a customer feel comfortable, Service Specialist Lisa Williamson prides herself on being one of the first smiling faces our loyal customers see when they come to ESI.
Lisa enjoys helping customers who have unique problems and making sure that each person leaves satisfied with their service, no matter what their problem might be. In fact, Lisa recounts that when a customer had an electrical problem with a skid steer and it wouldn’t shut off even when the key was removed. “It caught on fire on his trailer and he didn’t know it. But we were able to work with Kubota and got it covered under warranty,” she explains.
No matter if a customer comes in with a dent in the hood of their tractor as Lisa recalls, the team at ESI is always accommodating. In recalling a customer with a dented tractor, Lisa explains, “The guys in the shop popped out the dent with no problem. And when we walked him out to pick up his tractor, he was so happy you would have thought we’d just given him a million dollars,” she says.
Each customer is valuable to us here at ESI. After all, if it wasn’t for our unique demographic of residential customers, we might as well be in another line of business. And in order to show a customer that they are appreciated and valued, Lisa says, “I treat them the same way I would want to be treated. And I try to treat each customer like I already know them. Because when you walk in the door, it’s nice to know that people already know your name.”
It’s Official – We Have the Best Customers
At ESI, we love seeing our customers happy. And Parts Sales member Angie Lucksted affirms this ideal and loves seeing all of her customers whenever they come in, and even having only started at ESI in the summer of 2022, Angie offers that, “Pretty much all customers that come in are pretty great people to deal with.” And this echoes the overall sentiment here at ESI – that our customers are our extended family and we’re here today because of our customers – because we mutually strive to help and support one another.
“It’s always nice to get calls and emails and keep the communication open,” Angie affirms. And she also says that many customers and other vendors frequently call or send emails thanking her for keeping them in the loop — that it’s greatly appreciated in a day and age where so many businesses don’t offer that warm, personal touch.
Angie also loves working with her coworker, John Adams, also in parts and service, and claims that he’s “One of the best coworkers I’ve ever had and he always makes things happen for customers no matter their situation,” she says.
You Can Count on Our Expert Service
In his nine years at ESI, John Adams has continually gone above and beyond for our customer family and has handled several critical situations, often running out after hours to drop off equipment for those needing something the same day such as for a generator that’s stopped running. “Some people have family members on life support and other critical situations, and you have to make sure they’re up and running,” he says.
John has even brought parts and equipment to doctor’s offices in town, completing customer requests and making it as convenient for them as possible. And he equates his lifelong skill and knowledge in the trade industry with his ability to direct customers toward the best solutions.
“A lot of the time, a customer doesn’t have the technical knowledge to decide what they need, and usually I know exactly what they need. And if I can’t supply them with it, I can tell them where they can go, or I can go out and find it for them,” John explains.
In Thanks and Appreciation
No matter if it’s the Fairbanks area or in Anchorage, our customers are what drive us to come to work each day. We understand that no matter where you live in Alaska, you have to rely on the people around you.
At ESI, we know it’s tough out here, and people living in Alaska know how difficult it can get, especially during the long, cold winters. Our customer family has always served as our extended family. This is why we appreciate and value each person and go the extra mile to meet their needs – because, at ESI, we’ll do anything for our family.
No matter if it’s Lisa following up with a customer to make sure their heater was delivered, or if Milo and Chad are busy retrofitting parts to solve a customer’s problem, we look forward each day to seeing you walk through the door and meeting your needs. Because at the end of the day, without our customers, and without you needing our help, there wouldn’t be an ESI for all of us to call home. So, from all of us to all of you, thank you, and happy holidays.
ESI Alaska is so appreciative of our Alaskan customers and team! To learn how we can help your business in the upcoming year, contact our amazing staff today.
