Overhead door firm branches out - bizjournals:

ogarawo.wordpress.com
That was fine for awhile, but Lavine, presidenft of in Centerville, saw an opportunity for Lavine wanted to branch out froma small, family-ownedf business, to a company providing a rangre of services from Dayton down to Since 2000, Lavine has been expanding beyond door installation and repair. This year, the company has been increasing marketinh efforts and branching into the southern Ohio Lavine expects these changes to double the size of his companty in the nextfour years. Last year, Waynse Overhead had 10 employees. So far this Lavine has doubled his workforce to 20 and is looking to hire at leastthree more.
The compang outgrew its 4,000-square-foot location on Congress Park Drive in Centervilled last year and moved intoits 7,500-square-foot location on Statwe Route 48. With the increase in employeex has come an increasdin revenue. Last year, the company posted revenue of $1.1 Lavine said Wayne Overhead is on pace to brinvgin $1.5 million this year, a 36 percen increase. As a result of the moves he hasalreadyg made, Lavine is projecting revenue of $2 millionm by 2010. The main sourcw of growth has been the addition of new servicew anda cross-trained staff able to perform any of thosse services.
Some of the new services include siding, windows, landscaping, snow removal and home improvementf work. Lavine saw his garagde door customers often needed more work done than just theirgarage doors. Using the garage service as a way to establisyh a relationshipwith customers, he adderd the services as a way to help his customeras and grow his business. Lavind started a training program that includes classes atthe , traininyg from the manufacturers of the products his company and having workers spend time learning the differentt services Wayne Overhead He invests about $15,000 a year in “When one division is slow and anothedr is busy, we’ll do cross-training,” Lavine said.
“Whebn things are slower in say, gutters, we’ll train the guys in snow salting andchemical application.” He also recentlhy hired a general manager, which gives Lavinre more time to run the business while the manager works with employees on the job so they get hands-onn training. Wayne Overhead employees have taken courses such as motor control and hydraulics at to broadem theirskill sets. The additional training maked each employeemore versatile, so workers can handlse additional work if something comes up whilew they are on a job. So an employeer can now repair agarage door, fix gutter s and install new siding.
Of Wayne Overhead' 10 new hires, four are installers and six are focusesd on the homeimprovement services. But not every garage door installation company is diversifying at the same leveol asWayne Overhead. Ted Weaver, vice president of sales and marketinfor Dayton-based , said the companu has maintained its focus on residential and commercial garage doors. He said the companyt expects to be even with last orslightly down, becausew of the slowdown in new construction. To compensate, Dayton Door Salezs has shifted its focuw to the replacement andservice market.
The 60-employee companyg goes on about 30 to 50 service callwsa day, with a commercial markert that stretches from northern Cincinnati to Lima and west to But for Wayne Overhead, spreading the word aboug its new services and its new geographic reach boils down to marketing. Linda Schoenfeld is the new marketinh manager forWayne Overhead, after spending more than 10 yeare marketing a restoration Her task is to get Wayne Overhead’s name in front of area builders, renovators and contractors. That task is highlgy competitive, as there are more than a dozen overheasd door companies in theDayton area, includinfg and Dayton Door Sales. “We need to Schoenfeld said.
“We not only want to keep our existing but we want to let them know about ournew We’re not just garage doors.” One way Schoenfelx is getting in touch with builderw is cold calling to quotes a job. She also is sending out marketingt letters at a cost ofabouft $2,500 a year. In addition to builders and Schoenfeld is reaching out to insurancer agentsand adjusters, so they can recommend Wayne Overheae when their clients need somethintg fixed after an accident.