Episode Transcript
[00:00:09] Speaker A: Welcome to the Clear Impact Podcast, brought to you by Mitre Brands University. Thanks for joining us today. My name is Sheri Conner and I am your host.
[00:00:19] Speaker B: The innovation is just unbelievable here, so that really stood out to me.
[00:00:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:00:25] Speaker B: So just, I mean, you have an entire lab with multiple buildings that's surrounded about innovation. Yeah, Just the innovation that we already have, let alone what's coming up, is just phenomenal.
[00:00:37] Speaker A: So you went to the Ilab?
[00:00:39] Speaker B: I did.
[00:00:39] Speaker A: Ah. That's a pretty cool spot.
[00:00:41] Speaker B: And it just brings out so many unique competitive advantages that we already have. And then what's coming up are things that nobody in the industry has.
[00:00:52] Speaker A: Good afternoon. We are here on the Clear Impact Podcast and we're doing a little impromptu session today with Rick Moyer, who got his arm twisted a little bit to come in and chat with me. So welcome.
[00:01:03] Speaker B: Thank you. I'm happy to be here.
[00:01:05] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:01:05] Speaker B: And it didn't take so much twisting.
[00:01:07] Speaker A: No. That was awesome. So you live in North Carolina, but you are in Florida this week?
[00:01:14] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:01:14] Speaker A: Until about an hour from now when you're flying out.
[00:01:17] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:01:17] Speaker A: And so tell us a little bit about your background, your role, your responsibilities, and what you're up to these days.
[00:01:24] Speaker B: Okay. So I am ABC's National Account Manager. I've been with MITRE just one year now. It's a year and a few days.
[00:01:32] Speaker A: Congratulations.
[00:01:33] Speaker B: Yes, thank you. But previous to that, I was ABC's national account manager for 14 years.
[00:01:39] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:01:39] Speaker B: I've been with ABC Supply as their account manager for a total of 15 years now. But prior to that, I was with another window manufacturing company.
[00:01:49] Speaker A: Okay. So you know the business and you know the customers and you know it.
[00:01:53] Speaker B: I like to think I do, yeah. Yes. Yeah. And prior to that, I was with distribution, so I understand my customer's point of view as well.
[00:02:01] Speaker A: Oh, that's nice.
[00:02:02] Speaker B: Which helps tremendously with what I do.
[00:02:05] Speaker A: Sure. So I would imagine you have a team underneath you.
[00:02:08] Speaker B: I do not.
[00:02:09] Speaker A: No.
[00:02:09] Speaker B: Yes. Kind of the benefit of my position is nobody reports to me.
[00:02:13] Speaker A: Really?
[00:02:13] Speaker B: Yes. But it's also the challenge because I have to influence without authority.
So, yeah, I get to work with our sales team and our sales managers and then, of course, externally working with our customers.
[00:02:27] Speaker A: Okay. So you have the scope of the entire country.
[00:02:30] Speaker B: I do.
[00:02:30] Speaker A: Okay. And about how many ABC branches are there that aren't customers, would you say?
[00:02:36] Speaker B: So there are well over 700 branches, not including their L and W division, which is Gypsum Board.
[00:02:43] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:02:44] Speaker B: So it started as a roofing distributor. I couldn't Tell you how many of those are involved in Windows, but I would say it's probably more like 500.
[00:02:52] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:02:52] Speaker B: Yeah. So all of those are potential customers for us.
[00:02:57] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:02:57] Speaker B: With ABC Supply. Yeah. But we have really just kind of reinvigorated our relationship with ABC and them with us as well. So we certainly don't have anywhere close to 500 at this point. But I see all of the branches that our sales guys are opening and it's literally on a daily basis.
[00:03:17] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:03:17] Speaker B: So, yeah, kind of our renewed relationship is only about as old as I am with Mitre.
[00:03:22] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:03:22] Speaker B: So only about a year or two old. Yeah.
[00:03:24] Speaker A: Okay. And so I know PGT sells to abc. And so you were here this week kind of getting acquainted with the PGT line and Jim took good care of you, I assume.
[00:03:36] Speaker B: Yeah. So I spent the past year at Mitre understanding MI and rolling out program to ABC and working on both ends internally and externally for the synergies between the two companies and getting us aligned and together and collaborative and everything else.
Now that that's somewhat underway, I need to learn PGT and Milgard and Anlin and Western Window. So Jim was nice enough to host some training sessions for ABC and invited me down. And the past two days have been a huge eye opener. Incredible.
[00:04:13] Speaker A: Nice.
[00:04:13] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:04:14] Speaker A: So that's one of the things that is really fun is just to see how similar the different manufacturers are within the Mitre brands umbrella. There's so many great people that the right heart and the right attitude and, you know, let's get it done. Let's do the right thing by the customer. So for us, we're two plus years into the integration when they acquired us. And so it's been really fun to just see how aligned we were at the beginning, but now just even how more exciting it is as we really get to know each other and work together.
[00:04:47] Speaker B: Right.
[00:04:48] Speaker A: So what would you say the key differences are that Mitre brings to the market? Obviously, you're familiar with the different manufacturers and the different products that are out there.
Having been on the other side of things. What would you say are some of the key differences that Mitre brings to your customers?
[00:05:04] Speaker B: It's the people, it's the relationships. And specifically with ABC Supply. As a matter of fact, when I first started and our leadership team was going up to Beloit, Wisconsin to ABC Supply headquarters to meet with them, I asked their leadership team, what did you want to talk about? What did you want me to be prepared for so we don't miss anything? And he said, rick, we just Want to get to know you guys. We're a relationship oriented company, you know that you've known us for 15 years. We just want to get to know you. So the synergies between the two companies were just so obvious.
[00:05:41] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:05:42] Speaker B: It's a unique and interesting collaboration and that's what makes Miter brands unique.
[00:05:48] Speaker A: Yeah, agreed.
[00:05:49] Speaker B: It's the people and the culture.
[00:05:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:05:51] Speaker B: That has been created here.
[00:05:55] Speaker A: We are sharing our expertise around all topics relating to the window and door industry. Whether you are a customer selling our products or a homeowner doing research, the Clear Impact podcast provides helpful content that makes an impact. Subscribe today wherever you listen to podcasts.
Well, and I love that one of the things, you know, especially before larger meetings and gatherings, we go through the quality pillars and one of the things that's highlighted in there is the profitable partnerships. And you know, we always want to be a good customer to our vendors, but we also want our customers to be good to us and we want them to be able to be profitable so that they can continue to do business and serve the homeowners and the contractors and their end users. Are there any other things that stand out as far as like, I don't know, quality or pricing or delivery or service or any of those things?
[00:06:48] Speaker B: Yeah, having the experience with other manufacturers, you know, from where I came from, quality is top notch. The more important thing to our customers, especially distribution customers, is the on time and in full delivery.
[00:07:01] Speaker A: Right.
[00:07:01] Speaker B: And 98.3% of the time, that's what we deliver on. It's phenomenal. And they don't get that. I know they don't get that from our competition. So yeah, it's all those things and the fact that we pay attention to it and you can tell the culture, even in the plants, that people care and they're looking for ways that they can do a better job with what they do. And that lends itself to the innovation, creativity and the quality.
It just comes out in the people because they care.
[00:07:32] Speaker A: Well. And when you feel like you're cared for as an employee, it makes it easier to come in and give it your best all day.
[00:07:38] Speaker B: That's what part of the easy part of my job bringing ABC and Mitre brands together is they're very similar in that respect as well.
So the synergies are uncanny in some respects. The give back philosophy. We even have some of the same organizations that we deal with. Home for our Troops, for example.
[00:07:57] Speaker A: Oh, right.
[00:07:58] Speaker B: Yeah. So literally, you know, similar contacts and friends.
Yeah. So it really is a great opportunity and Partnership that we're kind of re engaging right now.
[00:08:08] Speaker A: That's amazing. Well, in abc, I know we've had many different branches of abc and for training events over the years, you've mentioned recently that they've made a pretty big investment in their training initiatives.
[00:08:21] Speaker B: Yeah. So when our executive team went out. And I love what we're doing here from a training perspective and education perspective, because in my opinion, the best thing a manufacturer can bring to their customer is education. Their processes, their products, their relationship, all of those things. And you don't have that if you don't go out there and educate them on it. So what we're doing here, including your podcast, is evident in that. And you know, obviously our customer, ABC Supply, values that as well.
[00:08:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:08:52] Speaker B: So very similar values.
[00:08:54] Speaker A: No, I love that because there is so much to it. Like windows and doors are highly complex and, you know, it's not something people buy every day and it's not something that you can really wrap your head around in a five minute tutorial. You have to do a little bit of a deeper dive to really know where, what it is that you need. And you know, when you walk into a dealership or a distributorship and you kind of know what you need, you're really relying on someone there to know more than you and to trust them to guide you in the right direction so that you're not spending thousands of dollars on the wrong thing. Right, right.
[00:09:25] Speaker B: Exactly right.
[00:09:26] Speaker A: So I want to hear what your top three things are that have stood out to you in the last couple of days here at pgt.
[00:09:33] Speaker B: I have to say, it's the people. Right. It's you guys. You guys have been so gracious, you know, to spend the time with me and really take me through the product, the processes and the innovation is just unbelievable here. So that really stood out to me.
[00:09:50] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:09:51] Speaker B: So just, I mean, you have an entire lab with multiple buildings that's surrounded about innovation.
[00:09:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:09:57] Speaker B: And it's just the innovation that we already have.
[00:10:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:10:00] Speaker B: Let alone what's coming up is just phenomenal.
[00:10:04] Speaker A: So you went to the ilab?
[00:10:05] Speaker B: I did.
[00:10:06] Speaker A: Ah, that's a pretty cool spot.
[00:10:07] Speaker B: And it just brings out so many unique competitive advantages that we already have. And then what's coming up are things that nobody in the industry has.
[00:10:17] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:10:18] Speaker B: So, I mean, that's phenomenal. That really hit home to me. And then to see what you guys are doing here in Mitre Brands University is phenomenal too. Like I said, there's nothing of more value that a manufacturer can bring to their Customer than education.
Yeah.
[00:10:36] Speaker A: Well, I love that we've indoctrinated you.
[00:10:38] Speaker B: Yes, you have.
[00:10:40] Speaker A: Yay. That was the goal.
[00:10:42] Speaker B: Nobody bribed me to say that. This is not scripted.
[00:10:45] Speaker A: No, it was not scripted. No. Jim Shank and Francisco Filas. And you didn't get a chance to meet Patrick Jameson.
[00:10:52] Speaker B: No, I have.
[00:10:52] Speaker A: Oh, you met.
[00:10:53] Speaker B: But we met in the field.
[00:10:54] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah, you met Patrick.
[00:10:55] Speaker B: So he was out with me. Yeah. Which is invaluable. We're trying to grab as much of his time as we can.
[00:11:00] Speaker A: Man, we gotta find a clone machine for that guy. He's amazing.
Yeah, no, he is a walking encyclopedia. That man knows so much.
[00:11:07] Speaker B: He does.
[00:11:08] Speaker A: Yeah. We're lucky to have him.
[00:11:10] Speaker B: Yeah. He was very well received out in the field.
[00:11:13] Speaker A: Yeah, no, he's fun. All right, I think that covers all but my final question for you. And we've been asking this of a lot of people on the podcast lately, and that is, what is your favorite Mitre DNA point and why?
[00:11:26] Speaker B: Oh, okay. So are you going to limit me to one?
[00:11:29] Speaker A: No, you can have more than one.
[00:11:30] Speaker B: Okay, good.
So owner operated business and that part of that, that family values that brings, it's just so evident in our culture. And it works well. It works well for our customers, it works well internally to get things done. And then, you know, the give back aspect all comes from those family values.
[00:11:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:11:52] Speaker B: So I love that. I love that about the company. And then, you know, I mentioned it before, abc, people buy from people. Right. And ABC even said it to us. We want to get to know you guys.
[00:12:02] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:12:03] Speaker B: So to tie the two companies together, that bullet point business is personal. It truly is. Yeah, it truly is. I love that about us.
[00:12:10] Speaker A: Nice. Well, I appreciate your time, Rick. Thank you for coming in. And I appreciate your hanging out with us for a few days and learning more about pgt. And we are here to serve your team and your customers. And so as things come up and you know, if there's pieces that we're missing in our content, please let us know. And if you think of a topic that would make for a great podcast episode, let me know. We can do remote recordings as well. And so every now and then I'll pack it all up and put it in a case and show up at a training event and grab people that are coming out of training. So we'll have to keep an ear out for when those opportunities might land.
[00:12:47] Speaker B: I sure will. Thank you for your time.
[00:12:49] Speaker A: All right, have an amazing day.
[00:12:50] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:12:51] Speaker A: All right, take care.
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