H&E Equipment

Advantage:  A publication for and about construction equipment customers

2005 No. 2

http://www.he-advantage.com/H%26E_2005_02.pdf

BOONE SERVICES

Highly diversified Baton Rouge contractor creates quality projects for repeat clients

Highly diversified Baton Rouge contractor creates quality projects for repeat clients Brent Boone started Boone Services in the mid-1970s out of necessity. A factory worker, Boone had been doing small site jobs for a few years on the side and really liked the work, but with five young children at home, he also liked the steady paycheck from the plant. But when that factory job went away, Boone didn’t have to think too hard about what he was going to do. “Of course, starting Boone Services and going to work for himself turned out to be the best thing that ever could have happened to my dad,” said Carey Boone, who, along with his father Brent, runs jobs and oversees field work for Boone Services. Another son, Tracy Boone, is in charge of the estimating, office and financial end of the family business.

Brent started small, doing odd jobs by himself. The work was mostly light residential work like lot grading and bush hogging. Throughout the years, the company grew gradually. In 1993, after graduating from high school, Carey joined his dad full time. Tracy went to college and joined the company full time four years later. “Dad had grown the company to about 10 full-time employees when I came on board,” Carey recalled. “Once Tracy and I both became involved, we started growing more rapidly, which only makes sense when you stop to think about it. With us, there were two more people who had a vested interest in how we were doing, and who went home at night thinking about what more we might be able to do.”

“The result of that thinking is that we began to diversify into some services we hadn’t previously offered,” added Tracy. “That BOONE SERVICES Highly diversified Baton Rouge contractor creates quality projects for repeat clients diversification brought more growth and now we have about 60 full-time employees.”

Full-service site developers

Today, Boone Services is a full-service site development company.

“In the beginning, we did clearing and general dirt work and that was about it,” Carey remembered. “Then we started putting in culverts, sewer and water lines and lift stations. Today, we also do concrete work and demolition. We prefer jobs that include earthmoving, but we also do municipal sewer work, new road work and stand-alone concrete work. Just about anything a customer wants done, we can do it.” “Our main focus is working for a developer who contacts us right at the beginning of a project – whether it’s a residential subdivision, a shopping center, a hospital or whatever,” Tracy explained. “He has a piece of ground he wants to develop and we make it happen, from the clearing to the final dressing. Except for the asphalt work, which we sub out, we do everything else in-house, which is one of our strengths. Being in control of all the various aspects of the job helps us better meet budgets and deadlines.”

Customer service

Boone Services, which works primarily within about a 30-mile radius of Baton Rouge, prides itself on providing top customer service and satisfaction.

“Because of a customer-first attitude, most of our work is for repeat clients,” Carey pointed out. “They come back to us because we do good work, we do it fast and we stand behind it. If there’s a problem on a job and it’s our fault, we fix it. Period. It doesn’t matter if it may be out of warranty. We’re going to take care of it because that’s the way we do business. And

even if it’s not our fault, we’re going to help the customer out. We’ll fix it and charge him a fair price — not gouge him. I think that’s why so many of our customers are loyal to us.”

“We don’t duck anybody, ever,” added Tracy. “If a customer wants to talk to me, Carey or Dad, we get on the phone. We always want to know what’s going on, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent. The other thing is, we try to help our clients up front. Going into a project, if we see something that can be done differently, something that’s going to save them money or improve the job, we’re going to let the owner know about it right away rather than wait and try to take advantage of it later on.”

Employees are key

It’s one thing for owners to think that way. At the most successful companies, employees share that same customer-first attitude. The Boones say that’s the real reason they’ve been able to grow and prosper. “The quality of people we have is the real key to what we’ve been able to accomplish,” said Tracy. “Our management and supervisory personnel are topnotch and they’ve stayed with us through the years. In fact, the first guy Dad hired, David Landry, is still here after almost 25 “We try to treat our employees very well and they repay us with  extraordinary effort,” said Carey. “Tracy and I have a strong work ethic instilled in us by our Dad, and the people who work for us tend to share the same trait. If we’ve got to work Christmas Day to meet a deadline or help a customer in an emergency, Future growth likely for Boone Services

Boone Services’ large fleet of Komatsu equipment includes this PC300LC-6, at work at a Baton Rouge jobsite. “We tend to buy and hold our equipment,” said Carey Boone. “I don’t think we’ve ever sold a single machine. In fact, we still have the first two Komatsus my Dad bought when he was just getting started 25 years ago.”

One of two Komatsu parallel tool carriers owned by Boone Services, an operator uses this WA250PT-3 to clean up at the Legacy Hills job.that’s what we’re going to do. And our employees not only understand that, I think they feel the same way.”

Reliable, long-lasting equipment

To do the timely work that their customers expect, Boone Services relies almost exclusively on a large fleet of Komatsu equipment from H&E Equipment Services in Baton Rouge.

“We probably have 40 to 50 Komatsu machines, most of them excavators and dozers,” noted Tracy. “For us, productivity is what it’s all about and Komatsu equipment is productive. It’s really that simple.” “If it didn’t work and didn’t last, we wouldn’t have it,” Carey added. “Komatsu machines definitely last a long time. We believe in buying and holding our equipment and working it until it just won’t work anymore. I don’t think we’ve ever sold anything. In fact, the first units Dad bought back when he was getting started were a Komatsu PC150 track hoe and a D41 dozer. We still use both machines. They’re not out on jobs anymore, but we still use them in the yard.”

Boone Services’ excavator fleet includes five Komatsu PC200s, eight PC220s and five PC300s. The company also has up to 20 Komatsu dozers ranging from a D31 up to a D85, with most in the D41 and D65 size classes. In addition, they own two Komatsu parallel tool carriers (WA180PT and WA250PT), as well as two WB140 backhoe loaders.

Boone Services does most of its own equipment maintenance and repairs, but calls on H&E Equipment Services as needed.

“H&E has been a really good partner,” acknowledged Carey. “Our salesman Jeff Stringer is very helpful and basically, whatever we need, any time of the day he gets right on it. The people at H&E understand that downtime is enemy number one. I think they also appreciate our loyalty through the years, so they respond very well when we call.”

Still growing

While Boone Services has experienced significant growth in recent years, both brothers say they don’t think the company has peaked.

“I wouldn’t say we’re actively trying to get bigger, but I think we will continue to grow,” said Carey. “It really comes down to people. For us, it’s about getting the people and then getting the work – not the other way around.” “We’ll continue to look for new opportunities, but any growth we experience will not be because of some grand plan on our part,” added Tracy. “Our growth will come from doing quality work, which has always been and will always be our primary focus. That’s what our customers expect and it’s what we deliver because of our hands-on approach to the business. And that hands-on, personal touch is something we’re always going to have because it’s who we are.”

Boone Services owns 20 Komatsu dozers, including this D41. “We buy Komatsu equipment because it’s productive and because of the excellent service we get from H&E,” said Carey Boone.