FAIRFIELD BRANCHES OUT

Eye candy.  Its’ great for the senses and still leaves a good taste in your mouth.

In the case of KSC-Fairfield, photos, graphic displays, and just funny little thingamajigs catch the attention of customers everyday. In some instances, the customers themselves are a part of the featured attraction.

Evidence this photo of the Fairfield Customer Wall of Fame. This idea originated with former branch manager Keith Collins and, like comfortable wallpaper, has been stuck there ever since. Not only is it a good conversation piece, customers enjoy being part of the landscape. It’s their “fifteen minutes of fame”.

The vast array of photos that decorate the Wall of Fame is an obvious testimony to the number of customers that have darkened KSC’s doorway in Fairfield and have continually returned, both for the needed product and the fine customer service that the branch teammates provide. That says volumes about Branch 9’s finely tuned performance.

The KSC Fairfield team is only three deep with manager Jeff Johannes and his capable assistants John Yanda and Adam Stafford. And, according to Adam, there’s no time for warming the bench.

“Our walk in trade alone is tremendous,” he told us. “We stay extremely busy.”

Of course, sales are contingent on inventory and that means KSC’s Fairfield Three also mark their time checking in orders and stocking the shelves.

“We get at least one big order a week from Osky,” Adam said, “as well as a frequent shipment from Hastings.”

While the main product thrust at the Fairfield branch has been in the electrical and plumbing areas, Jeff has been working hard to introduce more agriculture-related lines to their inventory.

Cooperatives such as Agriland and Golden Furrow are a huge presence in the Fairfield area, where corn, beans, hogs and cattle play a prime role in its Ag industry. KSC is making a concentrated effort to capture a portion of that business.

Jeff recently spent several days in Nebraska, visiting the Grand Island, North Platte, and Norfolk branches, studying the Ag market and drawing from the well of experience and knowledge while working with Marty Gratopp and Rick Hoffman.

The efforts are already paying off. As we spoke, Adam was putting together a nice stainless steel and PVC order for one of the Coops.

They are strongly marketing themselves through Jeff’s over-the-road travels around the area and seeing to it that the Kelly Supply catalog is only an arm’s length away from each of Fairfield’s valuable customers.

Yet the KSC team still has time for fun, not only sharing it with the customers, but making them a part of it.

People like that. It makes them feel good. About themselves and about KSC.