Nichols Battery Company 382 Chestnut
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Owned by the same family for 61 years, Nichols Battery Company believes in “old fashioned customer service”. Not only is customer service a part of the company mission statement, but put on practice on a daily basis. Owner and operator, Phil Nichols, still dispatches employees to install batteries, free of any service charge, just about any where and just about anytime. One customer said it best, “Thank you for being such a generous man! I would have been more than pleased to have paid a ‘service’ charge.”
Another customer had this to say, “Thanks a lot for bring batteries to my house, removing and replacing them, recharging, etc… Thanks for your fast service and dependable trained people. You are appreciated and you all didn’t even charge me a copper penny!” The company’s goals have always been to carry on the tradition of honesty, customer care, employee retention, best products and community service. Phil Nichols has been very active on non-profit boards including the Boys Ranch, Chamber of Commerce Business Council, Food Bank, West Central Texas Work Force Board, and Goodwill of West Texas.
Raydon Inc.
300 Farm Road 3099
Click here for videoRaydon Inc is a diversified oil field and general contractor construction company. The company can build pipeline, metal buildings, do site preparation and asphalt work. Owner Darrell Shortes, has grown a small oilfield construction company, to a 70 employee firm with offices in Breckenridge and Abilene. The company has a major objective of providing a safe work place for every individual working for the company as well as subcontractors and site locations. Raydon has an extensive safety manual; in addition, employees are required to conduct themselves in a professional, ethical, and courteous manner while representing the company.
This commitment to employee satisfaction translates into quality craftsmanship, employee pride and low turnover. It also translates into happy customers. Here is what one customer said “I had such complete trust in you that I didn’t even ask how much this would cost. I knew you would be fair and do a great job. You did not disappoint me and came through on both parts.”
Special Recognition Award
Clearlight Inc.
1273 Butternut
Tammy and Carl Huskin ran their business Clearlight the way they lived their lives, quietly, unassuming, and most of all with a genuine friendliness. Carl Huskin never met a stranger and if he did he would quickly make them a friend because he sincerely liked people. He was always kind to folks, probably even when they didn’t deserve it. Tammy Huskin was the real quiet one, but the truth be told she was the one who had the steady hand on steering the business towards more and more success. Tammy was always by Carl’s side, even on the day of the accident, going home after another days work helping their customers.
Started in 1974, Clearlight is in the window manufacturing, replacement, window screen and door business. The company’s longevity and success has been built on a long string of happy customers that have told others about quality products, efficient work on the day and time promised, and good old fashioned friendly customer service. The Huskin’s pretty much insisted on an ‘on location’ estimate. Not only to get the measurements right, but so Carl could assess all their needs and most importantly educate the customer about the product. The company motto is “one satisfied customer at a time”. There have been more than a few customers that, once a couple of windows were so smoothly and successfully replaced, had all the remaining windows replaced too.
Most recently the company moved back to the “Friendly Mile” on 1273 Butternut. Carl was successful, after many had failed, in purchasing a building that can best be described as an eyesore. Thru a lot of hard work and determination the location is now a showcase for Clearlight products and a vast improvement for the 1200 block of Butternut. As anyone who has remodeled or built a building knows, complying with city codes is not an easy task. Carl was persistent and through all the sometimes frustrating changes never had a bad word to say about anyone. The Huskin’s quickly became involved and supporters of the Butternut Association helping improve and cleaning up the neighborhood.
If Carl and Tammy Huskin were here today they would be the first to tell us that any success Clearlight enjoys is because of their loyal and talented employees. The Huskin’s would be proud to know that their employees took a tragic situation, that could have been the end of many other businesses, and now run Clearlight in their honor with the leadership of Allen Huskin, Carl and Tammy’s son.
The Huskin’s led their company by example: Providing a quality product at a good price, educating the customer, friendly customer service, under promising and over delivering in full and on time, and treating everyone with the utmost dignity and respect. Mix all these values with a lot of hard work and you have a proven recipe for success. These are the values that many of us hold dear; the values that Carl and Tammy Huskin successfully used to operate and grow Clearlight for 34 years. Because of their values the BBB TORCH AWARD judging committee would like to recognize the lives of Carl and Tammy Huskin with a special award for a sustained performance in building trust between Clearlight and their customers.