Growth
Problem-solver
Andy Clarke meets the challenges of growth at Panther Expedited Services Inc.
By Abby Cymerman
Smart Business Akron/Canton | October 2007
Companies often find themselves in a slump because they didn’t
change their corporate mindset to support their growth.
A perfect example is Seville-based Panther Expedited Services
Inc. Rather than view Panther as a transportation and logistics
services business, CEO Andy Clarke prefers to think of it as a problem-solving company.
“As you solve more problems for your customers, they’re going
to give you more problems to solve,” he says. “We’ve grown our
revenue base, which has allowed us to expand our employee base.
If we have more problems to solve, we’re going to need more people to solve them.”
By expanding its sphere of influence, its customers have become
more reliant on Panther. This creates a true partnership with customers and gives Clarke’s employees more opportunities for development.
Panther’s employee base has grown 63 percent since 2002. Its sales
have also grown from $84.8 million in 2002 to $170.4 million in
2006.
“We didn’t double the size of our employee force; we used technology to make them more productive,” Clarke says. “You’re looking at technology and researching it but you’re also listening to
your people every day. If you have good people, they’re going to
ask you for the tools to help them do their job better.”
The successful growth of a company also depends upon clear
communication from its leaders, and in addition to walking the
floors and sending monthly updates, Clarke shares his vision in
two major ways.
Once a quarter, he takes 10 to 12 employees — he calls it the
President’s Club — out for a business lunch to talk about corporate goals and objectives. He also meets weekly with his senior
managers and supervisors to discuss various aspects of the company.
“They can go back to their department and say, ‘I just heard this.
This is how it’s affecting our sales efforts, and this is what we need
to do,’” he says. “They’re more informed, and as a result, they take
more ownership.”
Clarke believes companies get better or worse but never stay the
same. This message of continuous improvement is ingrained into
Panther’s culture, and Clarke says it helps employees think about
what they can do each day to better serve their customers.
HOW TO REACH: Panther Expedited Services Inc., (800) 685-0657 or www.pantherii.com
