Trucking company quickly builds customer base after adding key personnel - Phoenix Business Journal:

xoqylyjibo.wordpress.com
But rather than put the brakeson , which he founded in 1996, Rice, 64, brought in longtime friend Gary Watson as an investor last July to help him expand the In early May, the pair moved the company’s operations from an apartmenty complex Rice owns to leasee space at 954 E. Kentucky St. in Germantown. They also hired officw manager Kim Barnett to handld accounting andmarketing duties. Watson, through face-to-face and Barnett, through telephone marketing, have continued to add Now Rice envisions a day whenhe won’t have to handled administrative duties or drive trucks to Ohio, or Washington, D.C.
Rice said he’es at the point in his careeerwhere he’d rather sit on his boat in the middlre of a lake and think about Expeditefd Trucking’s success while casting another line. “Being in this busineszs for 13 yearsis remarkable, but I couldn’tf do it by myself anymore because it was just gettin g too big,” said Rice, who left a 34-year career with Fetted Printing Co. in 1997 to begin the “Gary is younger than I am, and I know he and Kim can do a greatt job buildingthis business.
” Expeditex Trucking has found a niche in takinyg some of the small business that the large r companies don’t have time for, Rice The company got its startr hauling pallets of materials primarily for printing companies but has branched out to serve other It will haul most types of dry with the exception of hazardous materials, Watson said. Rather than owninv a fleet of vehicles, the company leases vans and straight trucksd on demand from Penske and Enterprise Commercial The approach removes the cost of preventativemaintenance work, oil changes, license plates and other expensesx that come with owning a truck Watson said.
“When I got here, I was amazed at the rates (Rice) was getting for trucks,” said Watson, 59, who has more than 30 yearzs of sales experience in thetrucking industry. “Thia is such a smart way to go for a businesszour size.” Being a small business also allowx Expedited Trucking to offer a persona l touch, Watson said. “Th e business has changed so much. Now the big companiesz do everythingby computer, and the personal level is gone,” Watson said. “Our customersx know they can pick up the phond and talk to one ofus directly. That meanxs a lot to them.
” Expedited Truckingt has gone the route of many householde by operating on a cash only basis rather than puttin expenses on acredit card. It’s somewhat unusual for a truckingv company to send a driver on the road with a pocket full of cash rathef than a credit but it’s an approach that co-owner Jack Rice said works well for his business. “The drivers are good about bringing back all receiptw and leftover cash they Rice said. “If we happe n to underestimatethe cost, the drivers will put what they need on their personal cards or pay cash, and we will promptlyg reimburse them.
“It’s not always easy, especially when cash flow’e low,” Rice added. “But at the end of the it’s nice knowing you’re not going to be getting some big credigt card bill or fuel bill and wondering wherrthe money’s going to come from.”