Employee Spotlight – Mike Schroers

Mike Schroers, Shop Foreman – Truck and Trailer, 15 years, Regina

Mike has been working as the Shop Foreman for the Truck & Trailer division at Redhead Equipment since his start here 16 years ago. The focus of his role is around organizational logistics, including tending to customers when they come in, answering phone calls, scheduling work in the shop, managing technician’s schedules on jobs and working with parts as well.  Coordinating all of this to make sure trucks get finished and the customer gets back on the road revolves around a learned area of expertise Mike has become accustomed to over the years.

One of the biggest challenges in Mike’s role is scheduling work to get through the shop, accommodating staff vacation and training and knowing who is available to work on specific jobs, making sure to meet requirements for the job and meet customer expectations.  “You can plan an entire day and then have something completely throw it off as we have to reschedule and work around customers’ needs and urgency to get them back on the road, however we always do whatever we can to serve our customer’s.” said Mike about work not being all sunshine and rainbows.

When asked what the biggest reward of the job is Mike said when customers speak highly of you and say thanks. “We have customers that come here from one coast to the other literally because of word of mouth at truck stops. Customers come from all over to have their trucks serviced at Redhead in Regina because of our reputation for service and getting the job done.”

How do you feel about our tag line ‘Whatever it takes’?

“We do whatever it takes every day, everything from techs being done at 4:30 staying until 6 and getting a truck done, to above and beyond where a customer requires parts in urgency and you can’t get the parts ordered quick enough so we are able to ‘borrow’ parts off of our inventory trucks to get the job done and get our customers back on the road.”

“I recall a few Christmases ago, we had a customer come in with a Mack Titan truck with a blown radiator and needed it replaced. Well it’s almost impossible to get a radiator in a day, let alone for a Titan, which is a rare model truck that they don’t make anymore, and we had a Titan in stock in inventory here. So on December 23, on a Saturday we pulled the truck in, drained the coolant, and pulled the radiator out of the inventory truck and put it into the customer’s truck and they were on the road in a matter of hours. They were absolutely blown away. We had a very satisfied customer and all we had to handle later was an inventory truck sit out of service waiting for replacement parts.”

What keeps you working here?

“People. Right from the people you work with to the people you work for. When I started, Gary Redhead would walk around the shop to talk to the techs, and the same goes for the corporate senior managers and the service team. We consider ourselves a family of brothers in the shop.”

“You can’t soar like an eagle if you’re working with turkeys.” Mike added to how he feels about his team at work.

Quick Questions:

What do you think has contributed to the longevity of the company?

The people that Gary has working for him. The reputation he has built because of the people he has hired to help build the business and the longevity of the company is because of the people.

What does Redhead Equipment mean to you?

Redhead is known for quality product, quality service, quality parts, and when you get work done in our shop you get our guarantee on it.

What advice do you have for anyone starting a career with Redhead Equipment?

Work hard, be honest and ask questions; if you don’t know, ask.

What is something that might surprise people about you?

Well most people know I am a diehard snowmobiler; I like the outdoors and hiking a lot which I picked up training for my first mountaineering trip. More recently I’ve lost almost 80 lbs in a few years since making some healthier lifestyle decisions and have never felt better.

Song: God Gave Me You – Blake Shelton

When you have an hour of free time what do you find yourself doing?

Relaxing; if it’s nice I’ll be outside in my back yard.

Do you have a favorite place?

My backyard, its peace to me. Its home, its family, it’s beautiful, it’s quiet. It’s the best place to have a cup of coffee on an early morning or and evening drink by the fire.