STINAR NEWS
FROM THE CEO
Hey Ground Support world, How is it going today?
I hope well. Did everyone win more in Vegas at the show than they lost?
I feel like we did and I totally lost at the tables! I have always believed that the trade shows are a great place to create and build great relationships. As you are all learning by now, I think this industry is interesting to say the least. My goal for the show was to find out why nobody really plans their purchases, yet everyone needs equipment RIGHT NOW. They already know that in this industry no manufacturers will pre-build anything because the manufacturers have no clue what the industry will buy next. So, guess what, you’re not getting any equipment for six to nine months! RIGHT? Just try to type it out, as you wrap your head around it.
As I navigated the show, I learned, and it all depends on who you talk to. If you’re selling to one of the big leasers, they are at the mercy of the service provider and the airline. If you’re selling to the service provider they are at the mercy of the airline, and a 5-year contract between the two is only as good as the service they provide and the next low-price leader that presents to the airlines. On top of that, the airlines want the provider to have 80% new equipment when they start the service with the airline. Now I understand why the industry has so much USED equipment! As much as everyone in this industry touts PARTNERSHIPs kind of feels more like the partnership between a detective and a confidential informant. It’s only good until the next threat comes along.
Everyone stumbles, but when you have a good partner, they will either catch you or help pick you up. A good partner will never let you fall on your face. I came from the heavy truck world where we had 2500 plus partners and as long as we worked together, we were all successful. I watched them help out competitors and I was good friends with our competitors. We all worked together to make a great industry. Maybe I have not been in this industry long enough yet to develop those relationships.
I had a potential partner tell me my price was ridiculous. I told him he says that the same way my wife does, lol.. yet he took the time to hear me out and I checked off all the boxes. Good partners are needed to succeed. We have units in stock, we have OEM chassis on the lot and if I don’t have the right unit, we’ll build it, but understand the longer you wait the further out your build slot gets.
We don’t build units for finance, we build for operations.
Thanks for letting me stand on my soap box another month. Craig Kruckeberg | CEO / CVO