Risk & Business Magazine Nesbit Agencies Risk & Business Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 30

PFLIPSEN TRUCKING Pflipsen Trucking: P flipsen Trucking was started by Bill Pflipsen in 2004, servicing Minnesota and the surrounding states, to help local farmers get the products they needed in a timely, efficient, and safe manner. Once the customer base was established, Pflipsen started differentiating itself and expanding to nearby locations. The company uses its fleet of trucks to haul mostly agricultural products, including grain and turkey litter, and livestock. Right from the start, a few key elements were thrown into the mix to ensure that the company would be able to successfully grow and carry out business operations as efficiently as possible. Mostly doing local hauls, though sometimes long hauling, Pflipsen places customers first. People don’t like to wait for their products, and when it comes to agricultural products or livestock, there often isn’t an option of taking too long anyway. Taking too long would mean 30 A Fleet Done Right ruined products, which wouldn’t be good for anyone. Training processes are held to a high standard. All drivers are thoroughly vetted and trained before hitting the road. Likewise, equipment is fully maintained. With one part-time and three full-time mechanics on staff, most of that maintenance can be done in-house. For larger projects, such as motor rebuilds, the work is outsourced to qualified professionals. A foreman is present on-site who ensures proper maintenance of the equipment and helps to handle pre-trip and post-trip inspections. Everything is written down, from logs about the trips to the maintenance intervals. With everything staying routine, any issues that arise are noticed and dealt with as quickly as they can be. This also helps to keep everything efficient and running smoothly. When operating on a tight timeline, Pflipsen likes to take as many precautions as possible. The road can be a dangerous place, and putting drivers and equipment first helps alleviate some of that danger. When it comes to business in general, not just trucking, Pflipsen does it right. Corners are never cut. Customers are serviced at the highest level they can be. If problems are found with equipment or processes, they are remedied as quickly as possible. Customer problems are handled quickly as well to reduce stress on all parties. Bill rightly believes that anyone can start a business, but keeping one going becomes a matter of providing top-notch service and consistency. Keep costs down, keep overhead manageable, and maintain a consistent and quality product and you have a recipe for long- term success. For more information about Pflipsen Trucking or to find out how they can help you or your business, contact Bill Pflipsen at 320-256-7320 or email him at [email protected]. +