When Thomas Eosso, President of Brothers Eosso Paving first launched his paving business, he met with the property manager of the condominium where he lived and she offered some advice on how to satisfy property managers and condominium boards.
“Your word is all you have. When you say something, you need to do it.”
“Answer your calls.”
“If you do something wrong, you need to fix it.”
Eosso followed her advice and it’s one of the reasons why the Farmingdale, N.J. paving contractor recently celebrated 30 years of serving condominiums, retirement communities, and commercial properties. As for the property manager, she’s still a customer.
Rather than focus strictly on paving, Eosso took a different approach to the market. He sells customers a Paving Management Plan that helps property managers extend the life of their pavement. The company crack fills, patches, and makes necessary repairs annually and seal coats every few years to extend the life of the pavement and provide peace of mind for their customers. From the beginning, the company stressed the importance of customer service.
Train all employees in customer service
In an era where customer service is often lacking, Brothers Eosso Paving stands out. “We take a lot of pride in our customer service,” says Eosso. All employees, from the office staff to the estimators and the field workers, are trained to go above and beyond for customers. “You have to be respectful to the homeowners and pay attention to the details such as how we park and the noises we make,” says Eosso. “Without them, we have no work.”
Before the job starts, the company is well aware of resident needs because each client completes a detailed form to identify those with mobility or health issues that may need assistance. A checklist ensures that garbage deliveries and other potential disruptions to the paving project are managed. The company prepares the community (not just the board of directors) for what to expect during the paving or sealing process with custom signs and advanced warning. “Keeping everyone in the loop has helped us build our reputation,” says Eosso.
Even employee training gets creative. Eosso Creative Director Kasey Ronan uses video to deliver key messages in a fresh and entertaining way. Here’s an example of a recent safety video.
Look for “out of the box” solutions
In 2007, Eosso was on the verge of losing a job because the condo board felt that the area where cars would be parked during paving was too long of a distance for residents. It was then he came up with the idea of using a golf cart to take residents to and from their homes to their vehicles. “The Eosso Courtesy Cart has resulted in more work than you can imagine,” says Eosso. The company now has three carts staffed with drivers. Customers pay a premium for the service, but residents appreciate being able to summon a ride that allows them to get where they need to go, without having to navigate a construction zone.
Overcome price objections with great customer service
Price objections are common, but according to Eosso, homeowner associations (HOAs) are also interested in quality and value. “Clients know if there’s an issue, they’ll be able to get us on the phone,” says Eosso. “It’s also about trust. Our clients know we have their best interest in mind.”
Education is a big part of the selling process. Brothers Eosso will conduct “lunch and learns” to help property managers learn how they can extend the life of their pavement. If the customer is on a pavement management plan, Eosso returns year after year to maintain the pavement and guarantees the pavement for two years. This is unlike most paving contractors who complete the initial paving job and walk away.
Rising prices for diesel fuel and materials have made 2022 a very challenging year. In New Jersey, diesel fuel went from $3 per gallon to $6.20 per gallon. According to Eosso, quotes prepared three or four months ago are now typically $20,000-30,000 higher, making customers angry. Eosso overcomes objections by supplying customers with 3rd party fuel cost data from AAA and asphalt pricing from the New Jersey Department of Transportation. “We have to educate customers that these are flow-through costs that are out of our control,” says Eosso. In some cases, Eosso has been helping clients by allowing them to spread the project over three years vs. one year.
Use quality materials
According to Eosso while all paving companies buy the same asphalt mix, sealers are an area where he will see some paving companies try to maximize profit by diluting the material with more water than the supplier recommends. “You won’t be able to tell by looking at the job, but the seal coat won’t last,” says Eosso.
To ensure quality sealing, Eosso recently focused on removing the inconsistencies that come with manual mixing of the sand and water by different crews and in different temps. He approached SealMaster, a long-time CONEXPO-CON/AGG exhibitor, about a solution, and as a result, they now apply a factory-blended sealer from the supplier.
Show appreciation
As a thank you to customers, Eosso transfers an aerial photo of the property with the newly paved and striped parking lot onto canvas and presents it to customers. According to Eosso, property managers like to put them on display in their offices. The logo on the image makes it a unique marketing tool that keeps Eosso Brothers Paving top of mind.
In December 2021, family-run Brothers Eosso became a subsidiary of Brothers National, a network of seven paving-related companies located across the U.S. Eosso remains focused on serving New Jersey. “It’s been amazing how much we have learned and how much strength we have in bringing all these groups altogether,” says Eosso.
Eosso will continue to focus on new ways to improve business. “If you don’t think outside the box, you’re going to get stale and overtaken,” he says.
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