Page 29 - NECO News

“The biggest challenge today is getting the message out to people that we can be as competitive as the big box stores on price and that we provide better service and installations.” ~ Jake Burkholder
“I help oversee marketing and advertising,” he said. “The partnership with NECO and utilizing the plans that they have is really a benefit. They provide a really good online marketing plan each month. We select brands and dates and they take it from there, but it looks like we did it.”
Matthew said taking advantage of NECO assets like Face- book ads can make dealers “look really good.”
Jake said Martin Appliance also benefits from NECO mem- bership through group buying power and warehousing.
“The option of getting next-day delivery on products we do not have to warehouse ourselves is huge, as is the whole NECO team-effort of having everyone work together so manufactur- ing companies recognize members as somebody to be dealt with in the industry,” he said.
Martin Appliance has had staying power in Southeast Penn- sylvania because they are responsive to the needs of customers. “There are going to be economy swings,” Jake said. “Sales shift from more high end to more mid-range appliances de-
pending on the economy.”
Over the decades Jake has seen first hand how factors like
zoning changes can affect people’s ability to buy land resulting in some years with more new construction, and some with
more remodeling. These factors can impact appliance sales, but a locally focused business like Martin Appliance is more agile and able to adapt quickly to local trends.
“Right now we’re on the upswing of both remodeling and rebuilding,” he said.
The Martin family members, along with the Burkholder family members and all Martin Appliance team members work under some basic guiding principles, which are clearly stated on the company website:
“With God’s blessings and many loyal employ- ees’ commitment the company has continued to grow from one location to six locations today. Re- gardless of how large the company grows you can still be assured that we will continue to focus on the old fashioned core values that helped us grow, that is our focus on serving others. Our “Golden Rule” motto still applies today as it always has. Our goal is to make each customer who calls or walks through our doors a TRULY SATISFIED CUSTOMER, serving you the same way we would want to be served with friendly, prompt, profes- sional service.”
Those words, Jake said, are always “foremost in our minds” and what make his family so dedicated to the Martin family business.
“I feel that while we’ve grown a lot as a company since I started here, we still take care of customers the same way,” he said. “Dennis Martin saw a huge need in the community to have someone take care of their appliances like you’d take care of your own.” N
Now with six stores and more than 60 associates, Martin Appliance has made a name for itself throughout Pennsylvania.
DECEMBER 2016 NECO News 29