Building a bond of trust by taking that extra step
Thomas Miller – Co-Founder, Eastland Electric – Lincoln, RI
22 February 2021
During the housing boom back in 1986, Tom was working a steady stream of commercial jobs for contractors. Financing always seemed to follow a boom or bust and he was often waiting to be paid for jobs long finished for months and even years.
“I decided there was a better way,” said Thomas Miller, Co-founder of Eastland Electric, a growing small business of twelve electricians in Lincoln, Rhode Island. “Why not just go work for the homeowner. They're more loyal in paying their bills than a contractor or a big commercial project and the end goal is you're dealing with that customer. So you want to make them happy.”
“The reason why I became an entrepreneur and decided to do this myself was that I was not happy with the way these big commercial companies handled service, “ Thomas said. “I felt I could service the homeowner in a better way by paying attention to details and giving them a better product.”
Although Thomas always wanted to work in the trades, he thought he was going to be a carpenter. “In trade school I was put into an electrical class because there was no room in the carpentry class,” said Thomas thinking back to his school days.
“So after dabbling in the electrical field, getting shocked and experimenting with electricity, they told me they have room for me in the carpentry class. ‘Pack your stuff up and let's go’ they said. I asked my counsellor at the time, can’t I just stay here and they said absolutely,” Thomas said with a chuckle.
To be part of the Eastland Electric team Thomas said the most important factor is your personality. “You have to have a good personality. You have got to be a people person. We do not want to send anybody into someone's house, who is not qualified and they must make sure the customer is happy with our work,” highlighting the mission statement of his company.
Thomas realises that you have to work at maintaining good quality service in order to keep the customer happy which is his secret to success. “You can run a business but there are good days and there are bad days. If someone makes a mistake we learn from the mistake and we move forward.”
As part of the company’s philosophy, Thomas believes that is not enough to manage your employee but it is more important to coach them. “When you coach someone one-on-one you're giving them your upmost respect, and in turn they will respect you,“ Thomas said of his approach to running the company.
He also said that there is a shortage of qualified tradesmen in this field even though it can be a very lucrative profession. “We decided to start our own program and we are looking at the kids coming out of trade school,” Thomas said.
“If the government or local States could put more money into the trade schools it would better help the economy in the long run. We would have qualified individuals coming out of school and they would have a job instantly. My top Tech is making over a hundred thousand a year as an electrician plus bonuses and incentives,“ Thomas said underscoring the potential in this profession.
This profession also seems to be currently immune from technology taking away good paying trades jobs. “A robot can't take a battery out of a box, drive to a multi-unit property replace batteries and exit signs. They cannot fish new wires and circuits into people's houses,” Thomas stated emphatically.
“For existing houses, people need someone to physically go there and work, to get into small and difficult spaces where robots currently can not. Robots perform well on an assembly line. They can make the products but someone has to install and service them.”
However, Thomas does take advantage of the technology that can help them track their trucks, their inventory, manage schedules and dispatch truck to a clients’ house for a repair job.
Thomas says he is proud of his team because they go a little further to help a client whether it is to help them hang a picture, pick-up the papers out on the sidewalk or help an elderly person move items in their home.
“We do it by taking that extra step. We interact with the people because we want them to trust us in their home and build that bond between us,” Thomas said with genuine pride. “We let them know we're not just a phone number you called. We have very personal staff and we will assist you in any way we can.”
Eastland Electric is a family-oriented business from which Thomas built on respect and delivering a quality service for a fair price. “We thrive on a good personal relationship with the customers,” Thomas says with a smile “and we are dedicated to providing the utmost service every time we do a job. Our end goal is to satisfy the customer.”
“I decided there was a better way,” said Thomas Miller, Co-founder of Eastland Electric, a growing small business of twelve electricians in Lincoln, Rhode Island. “Why not just go work for the homeowner. They're more loyal in paying their bills than a contractor or a big commercial project and the end goal is you're dealing with that customer. So you want to make them happy.”
“The reason why I became an entrepreneur and decided to do this myself was that I was not happy with the way these big commercial companies handled service, “ Thomas said. “I felt I could service the homeowner in a better way by paying attention to details and giving them a better product.”
Although Thomas always wanted to work in the trades, he thought he was going to be a carpenter. “In trade school I was put into an electrical class because there was no room in the carpentry class,” said Thomas thinking back to his school days.
“So after dabbling in the electrical field, getting shocked and experimenting with electricity, they told me they have room for me in the carpentry class. ‘Pack your stuff up and let's go’ they said. I asked my counsellor at the time, can’t I just stay here and they said absolutely,” Thomas said with a chuckle.
To be part of the Eastland Electric team Thomas said the most important factor is your personality. “You have to have a good personality. You have got to be a people person. We do not want to send anybody into someone's house, who is not qualified and they must make sure the customer is happy with our work,” highlighting the mission statement of his company.
Thomas realises that you have to work at maintaining good quality service in order to keep the customer happy which is his secret to success. “You can run a business but there are good days and there are bad days. If someone makes a mistake we learn from the mistake and we move forward.”
As part of the company’s philosophy, Thomas believes that is not enough to manage your employee but it is more important to coach them. “When you coach someone one-on-one you're giving them your upmost respect, and in turn they will respect you,“ Thomas said of his approach to running the company.
He also said that there is a shortage of qualified tradesmen in this field even though it can be a very lucrative profession. “We decided to start our own program and we are looking at the kids coming out of trade school,” Thomas said.
“If the government or local States could put more money into the trade schools it would better help the economy in the long run. We would have qualified individuals coming out of school and they would have a job instantly. My top Tech is making over a hundred thousand a year as an electrician plus bonuses and incentives,“ Thomas said underscoring the potential in this profession.
This profession also seems to be currently immune from technology taking away good paying trades jobs. “A robot can't take a battery out of a box, drive to a multi-unit property replace batteries and exit signs. They cannot fish new wires and circuits into people's houses,” Thomas stated emphatically.
“For existing houses, people need someone to physically go there and work, to get into small and difficult spaces where robots currently can not. Robots perform well on an assembly line. They can make the products but someone has to install and service them.”
However, Thomas does take advantage of the technology that can help them track their trucks, their inventory, manage schedules and dispatch truck to a clients’ house for a repair job.
Thomas says he is proud of his team because they go a little further to help a client whether it is to help them hang a picture, pick-up the papers out on the sidewalk or help an elderly person move items in their home.
“We do it by taking that extra step. We interact with the people because we want them to trust us in their home and build that bond between us,” Thomas said with genuine pride. “We let them know we're not just a phone number you called. We have very personal staff and we will assist you in any way we can.”
Eastland Electric is a family-oriented business from which Thomas built on respect and delivering a quality service for a fair price. “We thrive on a good personal relationship with the customers,” Thomas says with a smile “and we are dedicated to providing the utmost service every time we do a job. Our end goal is to satisfy the customer.”