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Dealer of the Month: Taking the Electric Avenue
CEA Tech Home Division's Dealer of the Year, S&S Electric Co., successfully adds low-voltage integration to its high-voltage work in production homes.
S&S' main campaign includes printing brochures that spell out the lifestyle benefits, which are delivered to builders and to homeowners prior to meeting with S&S, "so they are prepared and inquisitive. That starts a dialog," adds Smith.
To keep builders educated on home tech, S&S is constantly sending them new information. The basic messages:
The company sends direct-mail postcards to builders on a consistent basis. "Most builders do not have time to sift through letters," says Smith. "We try to keep it graphically eye-pleasing to catch their eyes. Also, at the end of each month, I send an email to various key people at the homebuilding companies we work with, letting them know exactly how many homebuyers we met with that month and the total sales dollars. We also will send a copy of that letter to builders who we are not working with, so they can see what they are missing out on."
One often-overlooked potential spec and sale for dealers is lighting fixtures. How many times has an overzealous interior designer ruined a home theater with outlandish lighting?
As electricians, S&S is able to resell and install lighting fixtures. In fact, while the company averages about 10 in-wall or in-ceiling speakers per home, it averages 30 to 60 recessed can lights per home. Still, vice president Shawn Smith says lighting has been "a mixed bag."
"We have lost a lot of our decorative lighting-fixture business over the past five years to the manufacturers, who have tried to go directly to the builders and cut out the electricians and the electrical distributors," says Smith. "One thing we have been able to maintain control of are built-in fixtures, such as recessed can lights and under-cabinet lighting. We have had great success in that area. As one contractor selling both electrical and audio, we are able to tell a homeowner exactly what their ceiling is going to look like. We can juxtapose the lights and the speakers in conjunction with each other, and they don't have to worry about two or three different contractors cutting holes in their ceiling for lights, speakers and air-conditioning registers."
Because custom installation is relatively new, it's not often that consumers and builders run across a company with such a long history as S&S Electric in Oldsmar, Fla.
In 1943, Sheldon D. Smith moved his family from Michigan to Largo, Fla. Sheldon was somewhat of a prodigy, a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Smith had several business ventures ranging from restaurateur to used-car dealer and electronics repairman. His passion was electronics ... especially radios. In 1947, Sheldon established Smith Electric Company to take advantage of the postwar construction boom. The company did a little of everything in those days: service, residential, commercial, industrial, and, more notably, most of the original McDonald's restaurants on the central west coast of the state.
In 1961, Sheldon had a company with very little work. Meanwhile, his longtime friend, C. Robert Stuller, had a large contract for the electrical work at Guy Lombardo's in Tierra Verde, but did not have a company. The men formed a partnership, creating S&S Electric Co., Inc., but the partnership of Smith & Stuller was short-lived, lasting only four years. The work at Tierra Verde came to a close, and after several other projects, Stuller decided to leave the company and seek other endeavors.
Shortly thereafter, Sheldon's son, Vern, and Vern's wife, Barbara, became full partners in the company, which grew steadily over the next few years, moving gradually towards a niche in residential. When Sheldon retired in 1977, Vern and Barbara took on the task of running the company.
In 1984, the company relocated from its original home in Largo to its current facility in Oldsmar. This was a strategic move made possible by the building boom taking place in Clearwater's Countryside development, adjacent to Oldsmar. It was also a move made to gain better access to the growing developments in Hillsborough, Pasco, and North Pinellas counties.
S&S Electric is now a third-generation company, with Vern and Barbara's sons, Chris and Shawn, managing the company's continued growth. Christopher, like his father, grew up in the business, and is now the company's executive vice president, managing the construction and services operations. Shawn, after finishing college in 1997, returned home to join the family business, and is currently the company's vice president managing the business operations and new product development. Vern and Barbara's daughter also worked for the company until her death in 1995.
With an existing customer base made up of many of the nation's top production homebuilders, S&S Electric began seeking new business opportunities. One logical strategy for increasing the company's business was to offer additional services and products to existing clients. So, in 1994, S&S Electric established its Air Conditioning Division. In 1998, Shawn brought his grandfather's passion for electronics into the company by establishing a structured cabling division. As Florida's building industry continued to prosper, and customers spread to new communities across the Gulf Coast, the company established offices in Sarasota (1991), Ft. Myers/Naples (1995), and Brandon (2000).
The family atmosphere continues today at S&S.
"For such a large organization, you get a sense of closeness," says Dave Preloar, sales manager. "The longevity of the employees is a great example of that ... The owner of the company comes in every day and says 'Hi' to everyone. They give you the feeling that you are part of their extended family."
S&S Electric Co., Inc.
105 Douglas Road East
Oldsmar, FL 34677
Phone 800-762-3056
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web: http://www.ss-electric.com
Satellite Offices: Tampa, Ft. Myers, and Sarasota
Years in Business: 57
Number of Employees: 286
Revenues (2003): $22,756,000
Specialty: Residential new construction for production homebuilders; electrical lighting and power; indoor air-comfort and air-quality systems; and audio, video, voice, and data networking
Residential/Commercial Split: 99%/<1%
New Construction/Retrofit Split: 98%/2%
Total Number of Residential Customers (2003): 2,150
Total Number of Builder Customers (2003): 64
Total Number of New Construction Units: 4,709
Major Brands Carried: Bryant, Channel Vision, DataComm, Channel Plus, Direct Connect, DirecTV, Honeywell, Hughes Electronics, IceBox, Leviton, Linksys, LiteTouch, Lutron, Middle Atlantic, NuTone, Panamax, Panasonic, Peerless, RCA, Russound, SenSonic, Sharp, SquareD, Trane, Xantech, Yamaha
Association Memberships: Alarm Association of Florida, CEA Tech Home Division, CEDIA, NAHB, NFPA, Air Conditioning Contractors of America, BICSI, Electrical Council of Florida, International Association of Electrical Inspectors, Independent Electrical Contractors, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association
Best Business Decision Creating a design team to meet directly with homebuyers and sell home- technology system upgrades.
Worst Business Decision Creating a separate division for structured cabling and having different crews wire homes for low-voltage vs. lighting and power. We ended up giving low-voltage back to the electricians.
To keep builders educated on home tech, S&S is constantly sending them new information. The basic messages:
- Technology won't create problems with the construction cycle.
- Buyers of production homes will purchase home technology.
- Home technology can make builders money.
The company sends direct-mail postcards to builders on a consistent basis. "Most builders do not have time to sift through letters," says Smith. "We try to keep it graphically eye-pleasing to catch their eyes. Also, at the end of each month, I send an email to various key people at the homebuilding companies we work with, letting them know exactly how many homebuyers we met with that month and the total sales dollars. We also will send a copy of that letter to builders who we are not working with, so they can see what they are missing out on."
Selling Lighting Fixtures: A Mixed Bag
One often-overlooked potential spec and sale for dealers is lighting fixtures. How many times has an overzealous interior designer ruined a home theater with outlandish lighting?
As electricians, S&S is able to resell and install lighting fixtures. In fact, while the company averages about 10 in-wall or in-ceiling speakers per home, it averages 30 to 60 recessed can lights per home. Still, vice president Shawn Smith says lighting has been "a mixed bag."
"We have lost a lot of our decorative lighting-fixture business over the past five years to the manufacturers, who have tried to go directly to the builders and cut out the electricians and the electrical distributors," says Smith. "One thing we have been able to maintain control of are built-in fixtures, such as recessed can lights and under-cabinet lighting. We have had great success in that area. As one contractor selling both electrical and audio, we are able to tell a homeowner exactly what their ceiling is going to look like. We can juxtapose the lights and the speakers in conjunction with each other, and they don't have to worry about two or three different contractors cutting holes in their ceiling for lights, speakers and air-conditioning registers."
57 Years of Change
Because custom installation is relatively new, it's not often that consumers and builders run across a company with such a long history as S&S Electric in Oldsmar, Fla.
In 1943, Sheldon D. Smith moved his family from Michigan to Largo, Fla. Sheldon was somewhat of a prodigy, a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Smith had several business ventures ranging from restaurateur to used-car dealer and electronics repairman. His passion was electronics ... especially radios. In 1947, Sheldon established Smith Electric Company to take advantage of the postwar construction boom. The company did a little of everything in those days: service, residential, commercial, industrial, and, more notably, most of the original McDonald's restaurants on the central west coast of the state.
In 1961, Sheldon had a company with very little work. Meanwhile, his longtime friend, C. Robert Stuller, had a large contract for the electrical work at Guy Lombardo's in Tierra Verde, but did not have a company. The men formed a partnership, creating S&S Electric Co., Inc., but the partnership of Smith & Stuller was short-lived, lasting only four years. The work at Tierra Verde came to a close, and after several other projects, Stuller decided to leave the company and seek other endeavors.
Shortly thereafter, Sheldon's son, Vern, and Vern's wife, Barbara, became full partners in the company, which grew steadily over the next few years, moving gradually towards a niche in residential. When Sheldon retired in 1977, Vern and Barbara took on the task of running the company.
In 1984, the company relocated from its original home in Largo to its current facility in Oldsmar. This was a strategic move made possible by the building boom taking place in Clearwater's Countryside development, adjacent to Oldsmar. It was also a move made to gain better access to the growing developments in Hillsborough, Pasco, and North Pinellas counties.
S&S Electric is now a third-generation company, with Vern and Barbara's sons, Chris and Shawn, managing the company's continued growth. Christopher, like his father, grew up in the business, and is now the company's executive vice president, managing the construction and services operations. Shawn, after finishing college in 1997, returned home to join the family business, and is currently the company's vice president managing the business operations and new product development. Vern and Barbara's daughter also worked for the company until her death in 1995.
With an existing customer base made up of many of the nation's top production homebuilders, S&S Electric began seeking new business opportunities. One logical strategy for increasing the company's business was to offer additional services and products to existing clients. So, in 1994, S&S Electric established its Air Conditioning Division. In 1998, Shawn brought his grandfather's passion for electronics into the company by establishing a structured cabling division. As Florida's building industry continued to prosper, and customers spread to new communities across the Gulf Coast, the company established offices in Sarasota (1991), Ft. Myers/Naples (1995), and Brandon (2000).
The family atmosphere continues today at S&S.
"For such a large organization, you get a sense of closeness," says Dave Preloar, sales manager. "The longevity of the employees is a great example of that ... The owner of the company comes in every day and says 'Hi' to everyone. They give you the feeling that you are part of their extended family."
Vital Statistics: S&S Electric Co., Inc.
S&S Electric Co., Inc.
105 Douglas Road East
Oldsmar, FL 34677
Phone 800-762-3056
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web: http://www.ss-electric.com
Satellite Offices: Tampa, Ft. Myers, and Sarasota
Years in Business: 57
Number of Employees: 286
Revenues (2003): $22,756,000
Specialty: Residential new construction for production homebuilders; electrical lighting and power; indoor air-comfort and air-quality systems; and audio, video, voice, and data networking
Residential/Commercial Split: 99%/<1%
New Construction/Retrofit Split: 98%/2%
Total Number of Residential Customers (2003): 2,150
Total Number of Builder Customers (2003): 64
Total Number of New Construction Units: 4,709
Major Brands Carried: Bryant, Channel Vision, DataComm, Channel Plus, Direct Connect, DirecTV, Honeywell, Hughes Electronics, IceBox, Leviton, Linksys, LiteTouch, Lutron, Middle Atlantic, NuTone, Panamax, Panasonic, Peerless, RCA, Russound, SenSonic, Sharp, SquareD, Trane, Xantech, Yamaha
Association Memberships: Alarm Association of Florida, CEA Tech Home Division, CEDIA, NAHB, NFPA, Air Conditioning Contractors of America, BICSI, Electrical Council of Florida, International Association of Electrical Inspectors, Independent Electrical Contractors, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association
Best Business Decision Creating a design team to meet directly with homebuyers and sell home- technology system upgrades.
Worst Business Decision Creating a separate division for structured cabling and having different crews wire homes for low-voltage vs. lighting and power. We ended up giving low-voltage back to the electricians.
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