The Little Details

“Hey Jonathan, I’m looking for six pieces of carbon square tubing … 6" x 6", 1/8" thickness. Need it by tomorrow.”

For Mike Barnes, owner of BrinTough Equipment, a simple text message like this to SteelNow is all it takes to get the material he needs. And that’s a big deal to him. You see, he may be considered a small business, but his jobs aren’t of small importance.

Just ask the rancher who hired him to build a custom corral, pen, and chute for his Longhorns just outside Huntsville, Texas. Or the farmer who needs him working on the chain link drag harrow for spreading manure or preparing seed beds.

So that means spending time searching online for the best price and lead time on metal doesn’t fit into his day. Instead, he feels confident that his rep (Jonathan) will take care of those details instead.

“I get in my truck, put on the speaker phone and (audio) text my order to Jonathan. From there, he takes care of everything and all I need to do is show up to pick-up the material.”

It feels like a working relationship to Barnes, who has been spurned by other suppliers in the past. “Typically, I only need a few pieces at a time, but I need it fast,” he says. “And I’ve dealt with suppliers that made me feel like my order didn’t matter.”

Julie McKinley echoes this sentiment. She and her husband run a small horse trailer repair shop a few hours south of Dallas. A typical job for them might require square tubing, aluminum sheet, and angle iron. Whereas other suppliers wouldn’t prioritize a small order, SteelNow makes it a mission to find her the right price.

She too is a fan of text messaging her orders. While she has no issue with picking up the phone when necessary, she likes the in-the-moment peace of mind that texting allows.

“We will be on a job and my husband will ask if I order the material, and all I have to do is look back at my messages and see that I did indeed place the order,” she says.

Not to mention it feels like she has a supplier that always has her back. “Chuck (her rep) will check in on occasion just to see if we need anything. I appreciate that.”

It’s the little details that matter the most—no matter what size order, or business.