Small Business Finalists: Aire-Master

Small Business Finalists

Finalists take the spotlight

Each year, in conjunction with national Small Business Week, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce honors a local company with the W. Curtis Strube Small Business of the Year Award.

This year, there are five finalists for the honor: Aire-Master of America Inc., Carnahan-White Inc., Environmental Works Inc., Maschino's Home Expressions and PJC Insurance.

Springfield Business Journal will profile each of these finalists in the issues leading up to the Small Business Week luncheon and awards ceremony, which will be held May 25 at the University Plaza Hotel.

For more information about the event, or to make reservations, contact Sonja Chasteen at the chamber, 865-5567.

Aire-Master expands its franchising

by Diane Rarick

SBJ Contributing Writer

Not only does Aire-Master of America battle nasty odor problems in the restrooms of 15,000 businesses across North America every month, but its mascot may face his toughest challenge yet this year. Stinkie the Skunk will debut this spring as a live mascot, and he may have to battle Homer, of the Ozark Mountain Ducks, for the title of Christian County's most popular mascot.

Diaper-clad Stinkie will promote Aire-Master at schools, trade shows and sports events to reinforce the company's mission of providing invaluable services that enhance their customers' image of quality. Translation: if your company wants to be known for its quality, it must look clean and smell great.

Aire-Master produces odor control products, hand soaps and cleaning supplies. It provides restroom deodorizing and fixture cleaning services, and has 52 franchises in 33 states and provinces that provide deodorizing products and restroom cleaning services. It costs about $25,000 to buy an Aire-Master franchise, which includes products and two weeks of training, both at company headquarters and in the franchisees' territory.

In January, Aire-Master was recognized as No. 360 on a list of the top 500 franchise opportunities in the world by Entrepreneur magazine. The 42-year-old Nixa firm was also ranked No. 27 among the top low-cost investment opportunities worldwide in the March 2000 Income Opportunities magazine Platinum 150 list. In just one year, Aire-Master jumped 47 places on that list.

The company has been featured in lists of the best home-based businesses (Entrepreneur magazine May 1999) and has been mentioned in Small Business Opportunities magazine and Home Business magazine. In 1999, Aire-Master was also a finalist for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce W. Curtis Strube Small Business of the Year Award.

The headquarters in Nixa has 66 employees involved in manufacturing, research and development, quality control, franchise support, marketing and route servicing. Its sales have grown steadily over the years, with an 11 percent jump in sales last year to $4.4 million.

This second-generation family business focuses on the basics: good products, excellent customer service and innovative approaches to doing business.

Company president Douglas McCauley, son of chairman and founder Jerry McCauley, said he believes teamwork and organization have been key to the company's success.

|quot|I think we really care about people. We think long term, not just flash in the pan,'|quot| he said. |quot|We focus on building long-term relationships with vendors, franchisees and employees. We're a service company, and we don't make money if we just keep our accounts a couple of months. It's all about long-term relationships. You develop a relationship, and the growth comes if you treat people right.|quot|

Customer service took on an even bigger focus in the last year, as Aire-Master added a two-person quality control department to oversee the employees servicing the 15 routes based in Nixa. Customer concerns are attended to immediately to head off problems.

|quot|The quality control department checks our employees' work and talks to the customer. We're increasing in size because we're giving better service,|quot| McCauley said.

Part of Aire-Master's manufacturing and packaging process is done by employees of Christian County Enterprises, who are mentally and physically challenged, according to Franchise Director Jim Roudenis.

|quot|They get a lot of self-esteem, and we've been able to keep up with increased demands with the same staff,|quot| he said. CCE workers do the repetitive work of placing deodorant bars in plastic bags, ready to be immersed in scented oils and a liquid deodorant. |quot|The CCE employees take a lot of pride in their work. They're real conscientious,|quot| Roudenis said.

This school year, Aire-Master has adopted four Nixa School District classrooms, offering hands-on learning and tours of the facility. Students also tested products in the classroom. Third grade students attending the School To Work day at Aire-Master learned about job applications, manufacturing and shipping.

The company has donated products to many organizations, both local and worldwide. They include The Kitchen, Ronald McDonald House, Southwest Missouri Humane Society, Dickerson Park Zoo, Convoy of Hope and Boys |amp| Girls Town of Missouri.

The company won a business appreciation award from the Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce in 1999.

A new, improved www.airemaster. com Web site will soon offer more services for customers and franchisees, according to Roudenis.

|quot|If you want to buy a franchise and want to know what territories are available, we'll have a map where you can click on a state or territory and see the territory, counties, population and price,|quot| he said.

In addition, each franchise will have its own page on the site. Products may be ordered for the home, or the entire operations manual can be downloaded from this secure Web site. Aire-Master's Web master is Doug Burton, who also works on marketing materials and videos.

A national database of accounts helps franchisees know the number of national accounts that are serviced through the franchise system.

|quot|This helps to add those same customers in new franchise areas. The system services over 15,000 accounts monthly,|quot| Roudenis said.

Walter Heinle, executive vice president, designed the proprietary software system, Route-Master. Aire-Master began franchising its unique odor control system and restroom cleaning services in 1976. There are now 52 franchises in 33 states and Canada, and 150 distributors of the company's EsScents line. Last year, Aire-Master added eight new franchises and plans to add 10 more this year, Roudenis said.

|quot|We've never been a real fast-growth company. Every year we grow around 10 percent,|quot| McCauley said. |quot|I've focused on the quality of our product and services and our support to franchisees. We want to be the tortoise that trucks along and gets better every year.|quot|