Life at Bartow Ford

A Storage Facility that Shines

Friday, February 17th, 2012
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If you want to succeed in something, your vision is everything. It is the root to one’s success, and it takes a great deal of passion to make it grow.

Bob Pfeiffer and wife, Trisha, had the necessary ingredients to make their vision bloom. As the owner of Pfeiffer Construction Inc., Bob wanted to create a storage facility in the heart of Bartow that would stand out and look different than any other storage building. “I built the facility so that the units would stay cooler in the hot Florida heat, and the look was designed so that when you drove by you wouldn’t even realize you were looking at a storage facility.”

Simply Storage has been in business since 2005 and has helped over 800 people with their storage needs. The facility is equipped with a gated entry and a security system. You do not need to fret over committing to any contracts when you store your things at Simply Storage, because all leases are month-to-month; meaning you can vacate at any point without a penalty.
Pfeiffer’s passion for not only his storage facility, but for Bartow was apparent when he spoke. “I wanted to construct not only a building, but something that helped Bartow shine.”
They have, in fact, successfully helped Bartow shine, not only with their storage facility, but with their involvement in the community as well. Bob is the assistant coach for track at Bartow High School, and through Simply Storage the Pfeiffers’ are able to sponsor soccer leagues throughout Bartow. Simply Storage has also donated storage units to various non-profit organizations many times through the years so they would have a place to store their things.

Bob is not the only one with an eye for innovation and construction, as Trisha also has a flair for design. She is the proud owner of LillyCat Design Studio, where she prepares multi-media digital work and consults companies on branding imagery and setup.

Bartow Ford has a great history with Bob and Trisha, even before Simply Storage was born. The Pfeiffer’s have bought eight vehicles over the past ten years, and say they have had a “fantastic relationship with Bartow Ford.”

“Louis Rodriguez is our salesperson, and he is just great. The process always goes smoothly, and there are never any surprises. The service department is excellent, and the café is a plus!”
• Simply Storage can be found on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/SimplyStorageBartow

*If you mention this article the Pfeiffers’ will waive the $10 set up fee for first time customers.

 

 


A Toolbox Full of Dreams

Friday, December 9th, 2011
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To get to where you want to be in life, you must first exert many hours of hard work and remain dedicated to your goals. That is exactly what husband and wife, James and Cathy Smiley, have done for the past 32 years.

The pair started Smiley’s Audio Visual Inc. with a tool box and a dream. “When we first started, we did repairs only. We would pick up broken audio equipment from schools and return them repaired.”

After five years of perfecting repairs, the Smileys ventured into sales. With this came a broader target market. They were now not only serving schools, but churches and other businesses as well.

Cathy soon quit her job to work for the growing business full time. This risky decision proved to be the correct one, as James put it, “She has always worked in bookkeeping and accounting, so it was perfect.”

Present day, Smiley’s Audio Visual Inc. specializes in providing complete audio visual solutions for education, business and industry, house of worship, and government in both Florida and Georgia.

The Smiley’s are very involved with the Polk County School Board. As Cathy shared with us, “They’ve got a special place in our heart. Every year for the video awards we contribute towards the equipment and we purchase trophies for the kids who get awards during the video ceremony. We enjoy supporting our local school board.”

James has worked very hard over the years to build a business that offers solutions to every customer. He spoke about this with great passion. “When we walk into a business, we want to be their solution. We want to be able to offer them everything- from the simplest products, to the most extravagant. We want to offer it all to our customers.”

The Smileys take great pride in what they do, and that shows through their ongoing success. James elaborated on this, “We are very selective in the products we represent, so that we can offer the best value for the dollar for our customers. We take a lot of time to analyze and experiment with products to ensure that we are offering our customers the most effective products available. We do not want to ever oversell people.”

Both James and Cathy agree that building relationships is top priority. “We’re always looking for new customers, but we’re looking more to keep our old customers. We work hard to build relationships that will last. It’s not about today; it’s about long-term relationships.”

For over 27 years the Smileys have trusted Bartow Ford to handle all of their automotive needs. James recalls the beginning of this business-to-business relationship, “Back when we were just a repair shop, we would take our company vehicles to Bartow Ford for service. Everyone there has always given us great service. The Quick Lane always gives us a competitive price. Monte Barham is our sales guy, and he has truly been great over the years. He is honest and has a lot of integrity. We know that he is going to take care of us when we are purchasing vehicles. He knows what we like, and he always keeps us informed on new models as they come out. Bartow Ford shares the same business ethics as we do, and that is why we feel so comfortable there.”

Separating the Seas of Pool Design

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
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Pool built by Ready's Pool ServiceAfter a long, hot day in the Florida weather there is nothing better than relaxing in the mystical waters of your very own swimming pool. There is also no greater sound than your children laughing and splashing around in a swimming pool on a beautiful summer afternoon.

A pool goes a lot further than a body of water. It is a place of solitude, recreation, and even exercise. No matter what you envision your pool to look like, Ready’s Pool Service can customize it to your preference.

When the company was founded in 1974, it offered basic pool cleaning and service. After experiencing substantial growth, it ventured into building and designing custom pools.

Chris Ready is a second generation employee who has been with his father’s company for over 17 years now.  Focusing on the customer and their needs is this business’s top priority, as Chris told us, “It’s all about customer service.“

With over 37 years and 2,000 pools under their belt, the Ready’s have developed quite the portfolio over the years. As Chris explained, “We work hard to leave a great impression on every customer. Word of mouth is everything in this business.”

The Ready’s are involved in many community organizations, such as the Florida Swimming Pool Association, Polk County Builder’s Association and Better Business Bureau.

Chris Ready_Ready's Pool ServiceBartow Ford has been with the Ready’s since the infancy of their business. Chris and his father have bought over 50 vehicles from Bartow Ford. “My father and I have always dealt with Herb Duff. I go to Bartow Ford because there are never any hassles, and Herb always gives me the bottom line on my vehicles.”

There is currently a small “fleet” of Bartow Ford vehicles on the roads labeled with Ready’s Pool Service tags. As Chris joked, “We actually have six Bartow Ford trucks running right now.”

Tapia Construction: A Relationship Built on a Solid Foundation

Monday, October 17th, 2011
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A house is much more than just concrete and paint. It’s where children are born, birthdays are celebrated, families gather, lives evolveTapia Construction client and loved ones pass away. What starts out as construction supplies transforms into a home. Tapia Construction has been creating beautiful homes and developing the beginning of priceless stories in Polk and Hillsborough County for 34 years. After building over 600 custom houses, it is obvious that this is a company that truly understands the importance of capturing each unique story when constructing a home.

The Project Manager, Leonard “Matt” Wilt, has been with the company for 15 years, and says their number one goal is customer service. “No matter what,” he said, “the customer has to come first. It’s one thing to meet the customer’s expectations; it’s another to exceed it.”

Through exceeding expectations, Tapia has become the recipient of the Polk County Builder’s Association Award eight consecutive times and has been featured in theA home that Tapia Construction built Parade of Homes. “Winning the quality award repeatedly has been our biggest achievement.”

The president of Tapia Construction, Eduardo Tapia, is the Chairman of the Hispanic Club of Lakeland, and will be promoting the 14th Annual Hispanic Festival of Polk County, on October 22nd. Mr. Tapia said he is very passionate about community involvement. “We try to give back to the community as much as possible.” A house built by Tapia Construction

“Everyone involved has a passion about what they are doing.” Matt asserted, “I believe you’re only as good as your surroundings. We like to have people at Tapia that have the same goals and believe in the same core values as we do. We really live by our core values of honesty, integrity, and customer service, both in our professional and social lives.”

Mr. Wilt’s wife owns an interior design business. He explained, “We’re able to offer our clients a one-stop shop. We have something that other general contractors cannot provide.”

Matt Wilt with his Bartow Ford truckMatt Wilt has purchased seven vehicles from Bartow Ford, and he is currently driving an F-250- King Ranch. “One of the key things about this truck is the 20 inch wheels and the curb appeal.” He elaborated on his key experiences with Bartow Ford, “I’ve really had a great relationship with Bartow Ford. I’ve been buying vehicles from them for 19 years now. Our industry is so demanding that I just don’t have the time to sit down and try to do negotiations with sales people, or take my vehicle to the dealership for service. Bartow Ford has really catered to my needs, from Mike Bedenbaugh giving me the bottom line on a vehicle, down to the service aspect. They accommodate my needs and will send someone to come get my vehicle and bring it back to me, just because I don’t have the time. You really appreciate going to a business that shares the same ethics as you.”

Bartow Ford Rocks Fun Thursday

Monday, September 12th, 2011
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Terrie Lobb Catering, Bartow Ford

On September 8th, the Bartow Chamber of Commerce had more than 100 members join us for their monthly Fun Thursday event.

Country music recording artist, April Phillips rocked the showroom of Bartow Ford with a great performance, while Chamber members enjoyed food and drinks, provided by Terrie Lobb Catering Services. 

April Phillips, Bartow, Bartow Ford, Bartow Chamber of Commerce

To kick off the evening, president-elect, Rob Kincart, introduced the Chamber and its new members. Bartow Ford raffled off many prizes for the members, including a $100 gift card to Office Depot and a signed painting by Mark Conforzi, Chief Ford vehicle designer.

The winners included:

• Doris Albritton
• Michael Clanton
• Sharon Casey
• Frances Williams
• Angela Radford
• Nikki Yates
• Angela Radford
• Chase Stevens
• Logan GreenApril Phillips Logo

The President/General Manager of Bartow Ford, Benny Robles Sr, was very happy with this event. “Fun Thursday with the Bartow Chamber of Commerce was an exciting evening for us. It was great to have so many people from the Bartow community gather together at Bartow Ford. We plan to continue hosting this event every year on the Thursday after Labor Day.”

Benny Robles, Shalie Robles, April Phillips, Bartow, Bartow Ford, Bartow Chamber of Commerce

Ford Motor Company Awards Excellence

Friday, July 29th, 2011
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Jared Drake_AwardIn June 2011, Jared Drake, a salesperson at Bartow Ford, was awarded the 2010 Employee Excellence Award by Ford Motor Company.

“It is an honor to receive this award, and I thank my loyal customers for helping me achieve it,” states Jared.

Being recognized as one of Ford’s Top 20 Salesman in Florida, Jared has achieved this award a total of three times. Ford bases the award on sales, customer satisfaction, and training.

“Being a salesperson isn’t just about helping my customers today, but about building trusting and long lasting relationships that extend well into the future.”

Jared has been a Ford Salesman for 12 years, and part of the Bartow Ford family for the last seven.

Bartow Ford Founder Celebrates 87th Birthday

Monday, June 20th, 2011
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ErnestSmith_birthday_1

On June 10, 2011, the Bartow Ford Family celebrated the 87th birthday of its founder, Ernest Smith.

Mr. Smith enjoyed cake and fellowship as the employees of Bartow Ford gathered in his honor; he even joined in as employees sang him “Happy Birthday”.  The celebration was a great opportunity for everyone to see, and talk with, Mr. Smith.

ErnestSmith_birthday_2Benny Robles, President of Bartow Ford, enjoyed celebrating Mr. Smith’s birthday, he said, “It was great to celebrate another birthday for Mr. Smith and that he was able to celebrate his eighty-seventh birthday with all of his family, Bartow Ford.”

Mr. Smith has made great impressions on the Bartow Ford Family for over 60 years. Even though he no longer works full-time, he still stops in almost every day and the employees enjoy getting to see him.

ErnestSmith_birthday_4“I’ve known Mr. Smith for a long time and he is a very kind, humble man so it was very special to be able to celebrate his birthday with him,” said Mark Whitehurst, Internet Salesperson.

Fore more photos click here.