Laner Electric Supply
Serving the San Francisco Bay Area's High-End Residential Electrical and Lighting Supply Needs with Superior Service, Selection and Expertise
By Karen Henry
Laner Electric Supply has positioned itself as a one-stop shop for electrical and lighting needs - providing electrical and general contractors not only with the traditional electrical commodities such as pipe wire, wiring devices, circuit breakers and switches, but also a broad selection of designer lighting and low-voltage, wireless home lighting controls for high-end residential construction projects.
"If someone is building a custom house, they typically work with a lighting designer and use a lighting showroom to source all the lighting. That means two and quite possibly three suppliers. We're able to do it all," says Nate Russell, General Manager of Laner Electric Supply.
When Jim Laner founded the company in 1984, he had just completed a five-year stint as a licensed electrical contractor. The move from contractor to distributor was a result of Laner's growing frustration with the lack of a local, high-performance lighting and electrical supplier that catered to the needs of contractors like him. Grounded with first-hand "customer-side" experience, Jim Laner established his company on the core values of integrity, trust and mutual respect. Laner Electric Supply has been successfully serving small and mid-sized electrical and general contractors in the East Bay area ever since.
"We have 32 dedicated individuals who are going to do everything possible to make sure that our customers' experience with us is one that they want to repeat. We're in it for the long-term relationship, not the one-time sale." Photo by Bruce Schneider
The company grew slowly at first, developing a loyal following of small contractors. Its most significant growth came in the aftermath of the East Bay Hills fire of 1991 - the devastating blaze that killed 25 people and destroyed nearly 3,000 structures, most of which were upscale single-family dwellings. As the community worked to rebuild in the 1990s and early part of 2000, Laner became the go-to supplier for electrical contractors in the area, growing from one employee to 20.
In 2002, Laner acquired West Gate Electric, a small distributor in San Francisco, allowing the company to expand its base beyond the East Bay. While the vast majority of Laner Electric's clients are still in the East Bay, they serve customers in San Francisco and the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Today Laner Electric Supply boasts 32 dedicated employees, all of whom share a strong sense of urgency and commitment to customer service and success. That sense of urgency, says Russell, is one of the things that sets the company apart from its competition.
"We pride ourselves on getting the right products to the contractor or homeowner on time and at a fair price," he says. But not only on time - any time. For example, one of Laner's customers works in high-rise buildings and requires nighttime deliveries. "We do that," says Russell. They worked with building management to schedule the elevator for delivery and supplied the product the customer wanted when the customer wanted it.
And with two warehouses - one in Richmond and one in San Francisco - Laner's customers have easy access to roughly $2 million in inventory. "If we have it, we can deliver it in 24 hours, if not the same day," Russell says.
Not only does being a one-stop shop offer the customer greater convenience, it also helps to cut costs. "Every time you form a new business relationship, it costs money in time and effort versus having a single source," says Russell. "A lot of people don't like sole sourcing because they are convinced that they won't get the best price. We try to overcome this objection by demonstrating to customers that we offer superior service and yet we can still be competitive with pricing and offer a bigger selection than the next guy."
In addition to cost savings and convenience, Laner's business model also helps them to build stronger relationships with their customers. "'We are dedicated to our customer's success.' That's our mission statement," says Russell. "We want to partner with our customers, and we do everything we can as a supplier to accomplish our mission."
Photo by Bruce Schneider
As is true with any partnership, effective communication is critical to the success of the relationship, and it's something the team at Laner Electric Supply takes very seriously. Part of Laner's communication strategy involves educating customers about its products and services. According to Russell, the company has more than 300 years of combined experience on its team. "We have in-house lighting specialists who will help with lighting selection. I think our product expertise - our ability to get answers to questions - sets us apart from some of the bigger suppliers. Because we cater to the small and medium sized contractor, we encourage communication and contact, whether they need one thing or a hundred. There's nothing too big or too small in our book."
While Laner Electric Supply doesn't do a lot of work with architects, Russell stresses the importance of including them in the conversation. "We typically find that there is a disconnect between the plans and what ultimately gets built," he says, particularly in single-family custom homes. "The earlier the final decisions about lighting, layout and controls are made, the more smoothly it will go in the long run because the project is not jammed up with construction deadlines and trying to source long-lead-time products."
Photo by Bruce Schneider
As the company has grown, it has been able to take on larger jobs, including a number of six-figure jobs and the company's first seven-figure project that they hope to start before the end of the year. While Laner primarily serves the high-end residential market, they serve some light commercial customers as well as residential and commercial mixed-use customers. Russell also sees a great deal of potential in serving general contractors who prefer to purchase their own supplies and equipment, citing some of the same benefits of working with a one-stop shop. "It gives the general contractor and homeowners greater control over the products and cost," he says. "We have the manpower and the expertise to help them in the selection and purchase of virtually all high-end residential fixtures."
Another part of what makes Laner Electric Supply so successful in helping their customers achieve success is the company's strong sense of personal responsibility. "We take ownership of everything we do and everything we supply because ultimately it's a reflection on us," says Russell. "We have 32 dedicated individuals who are going to do everything possible to make sure that our customers' experience with us is one that they want to repeat. We're in it for the long-term relationship, not the one-time sale."
For more information about Laner Electric Supply, contact them at (415) 559-0501 and (510) 412-9256, or email nate_russell@laner.com, or go to their website at laner.com
December 2006 Builder Architect Edition Issue
| Permalink
