Dennis Mahoney has used a loud paint job and a lucky phone number to draw first time customers to his start-up business Alder Glass. But, he says, gimmicks alone can’t grow a business the way his glass services company has.
Just an empty cinder block shell last January, Alder Glass is now a bustling 8-man operation that juggles a steady flow of residential and commercial jobs. The shop, unmistakable in a coat of bright green, sits back from US 41 North about quarter mile past the bypass.
The early success is a credit to building the right reputation, Mahoney said. Do the little things that customers notice. Return phone calls promptly. Get to the work site on time every time. Deliver on what was promised.
Company manager and namesake Tim Alder says attention to such details has brought customers back for repeat business and turned customers into advertisements.
“In Hopkinsville, word of mouth is everything,” Alder said.
Alder Glass has already locked in numerous subcontracts with developers and manufacturers. But perhaps the growing popularity of the company is most evident with local Amish and Mennonites.
Alder worked connections with these communities that originated from his days as a home contractor in north Christian.
One Mennonite farmer ordered a replacement the broken windshield in his tractor. After the job was done, Mahoney and Alder began to see a steady flow of buggy and tractor traffic into their parking lot.
“Once you’ve done good work for one of them, they tell everyone,” Alder said.
Neither Mahoney nor Alder claim to be old hands at the glass business. Mahoney was a longtime landlord who noticed that the market for residential window installation and repair was underserved.
“I knew there was a big backlog (of this kind of work),” Mahoney said.
Mahoney started simply when he purchased the building in a small strip of businesses on Mitch Lane. The facility had housed glass-cutting tools before as well as an inventory of window panes and mirrors. But the original business there, Action Glass, had been allowed to deteriorate drastically.
Mahoney had to clean up a huge mess Meanwhile, Mahoney was looking for a manager. He persuaded Alder, who had just been layed off from TGASK, to come on board. Together the two dove into the world of glass. They studied the properties of glass when tempered or laminated. They learned how to install huge insulated panes that can weigh hundreds of pounds each.
The first few months were long days, sometimes up to 20 hours straight. There were estimates, which Alder does for free, to make. There were glass table tops to cut, windows to install and deliver.
Of course, there were employees to train and test out. Alder ended up recruiting those he could count on: family members, including his son. Five Alders now work either full or part-time at the shop.
Mahoney said he put Alder’s name on the sign instead of his own because it is so recognizable in the area. It also made sense because Alder is the public face on the business when he makes estimates and does final inspections of completed work.
The green paint was an epiphany that hit to Alder while sitting in traffic and noticed a similarly painted truck stand out in a long line of vehicles.
Mahoney said the playful color not only makes it easier for customers to find Alder Glass but it has also prompted motorists to pull in off the highway to inquire about the business.
The choice of phone number too is a curious one. When Mahoney called up to order a new number, he was shocked to learn the 887-0000 was available.
“It was pure luck,” Mahoney said.
Staying safe in the glass shop is one thing that cannot be left up to luck. Mahoney’s employees have cracked enough glass to learn the importance of taking time to move pieces. Some of which can be as large as a store front but have a thickness of only 1/16th of an inch.
Cary Alder said he needs to work with the same person for a period of time before tackling the big jobs.
Alder has quite a few big jobs under his belt, including the entire window set for the United Korean Church in Oak Grove, Ky.
Even with their success, Mahoney and Alder remain cautious about their fast growth.
“We don’t want to get too big that we can’t deliver the same kind of customer satisfaction that got us this far,” Alder said.
In addition to windows and furniture insets, Alder also services mirrors, screens and shower doors. |
