Since 1999, Crystal Clean has been growing its presence as one of the leading environmental services providers in the USA and Ontario, CAN. What started as several service branches in about a dozen cities has grown into a nationwide network of more than 90 service branches, an oil re-refinery, and multiple waste recovery centers.
Travel down south to Shreveport, LA and you’ll find one of Crystal Clean’s many service branches. It’s filled with hard working people that have been there for years, faithfully serving customers. One of those people is Eddie Slagle, who has been a Sales and Service Representative (SSR) at the branch for the past 16 years.
Eddie found his way to Crystal Clean through a simple recommendation from one of his friends that was working as an oil sales and service representative. This led to a conversation with the branch manager, Shane White, and a few days later Eddie was on a box truck in the Crystal Clean uniform.
“Shane and I hit it off immediately,” Eddie said. “I had experience being a route driver from another job, so I was really able to hit the ground running. I took a bit of time to learn the industry and our services, then I was out on the road knocking on doors and finding new customers.”
These initial years at Crystal Clean were fast paced for Eddie. While there was some learning on the job, he looked at it as an opportunity to never say anyone’s no for them. He was always asking questions to understand the different ways Crystal Clean could offer services to solve any challenges customers faced. He also felt like he had a great support system with a branch manager that is always willing to jump in to help.
“I couldn’t ask for a better boss than Shane,” shared Eddie. “You can tell that he’s in your corner and wants to help you do your job well. If he sees you having a bad day, he’ll get on the truck with you to help you out. That mindset of always being willing to help is something everyone at our branch has, and it’s made us a tight-knit bunch.
As time went on, Eddie kept on doing what he does best. He was out on the road selling and providing great service to customers each day. Each night, he took time to plan ahead while looking at his route for the next day so that he knows where he was going in the morning when he hopped on his truck. Eddie also mentioned that he was always honest and straightforward with customers to make sure they understood how the different services work while offering any help when needed.
This approach clearly paid off for Eddie, because over the years he has consistently received new customers through word-of-mouth and recommendations from his customer base. By being friendly, fair, and focusing on service, he kept on winning happy customers. And as his customer base grew, Eddie saw a great deal of success year after year. He’s consistently been one of the top SSRs in the company and has been a part of Crystal Club a total of 14 times!
“Eddie has consistently done a great job year after year,” Shane White, Shreveport Branch Manager said. “He’s a determined sales rep who always says yes when someone asks for helps. He’s gone out to other branches to provide support for several weeks when needed, like when there was a bad flood in Baton Rouge and the branch there needed a bit of extra support. He’s even traveled around to help launch several new branches throughout the states.”
That mentality of being a helper has been something that keeps Eddie going each day. He’s always ready to provide support when needed, and one of his goals is to go home safe each day. Doing the job well and safely is another way that he continues to win over customers. That’s also led to stronger relationships with his customers where they genuinely are excited to see Eddie come in to provide service.
“In our industry, we compete on so many levels to win our customers,” Eddie shared. “In all my time at Crystal Clean, I’ve learned that the best way we beat the competition is through our people and our service. Offering great service and being there for your customer when they need you makes all the difference.”
