BRISTOLVILLE — A knowledgeable sales staff and customer satisfaction is what the owners of Lazy B Trailer Sales believe is the business secret to success.
Business history
In 1972, Sharon Braunberns and her husband, Dave, began selling trailers and in 1994 moved to its current location on state Route 45.
In 1976, Lazy B Trailer Sales became a Featherlite trailer dealer and is still recognized as the second oldest dealer in the United States today.
Current operation
Today, the business is owned and ran by Sharon Braunberns, now widowed, and her brother Danny Westbrook.
Braunberns credits the sales staff for the success Lazy B Trailers has witnessed.
“Our strongest asset is the people who work for us,” Braunberns said.
She said the sales staff has a knowledge of the product they are selling, whether it is horse trailers, car trailers or trailers for hauling their motorcycles.
There are nine full-time employees and three part-time employees.
Successful recipe
Braunberns said the combination of experience, quality products and repeat customers helped the company grow over the years.
She said Lazy B Trailers strives to make sure customers are satisfied when they make a purchase.
“We care about them. If they take home a trailer, they can call us anytime with any question and we will answer them,” Braunberns said.
Lazy B Trailers is announcing a new line of products in their showroom. Ron Bailey, sales manager, and Danny Westbrook, co-owner, show off the Club Car, a utility vehicle built for more than just fun.
Custom trailers
Another area that has helped Lazy B Trailers grow is the ability to custom build trailers for customers.
This can mean anything from adapting stalls to fit a particular horse, whether it’s an extra large animal or a miniature horse.
In addition, the company has also helped the University of Pittsburgh build a mobile science lab and a trailer for Zippo lighters with a special folding door.
Lazy B Trailer works with trailer manufacturers Pace America, Cargo Trailer by Atlas and Featherlite trailers to customize a unit to a customer’s needs.
The company also sells Titan and American Manufacturing Operations trailers.
Pioneering technology
The business has also kept up on the forefront of business and is using the Internet to help advertise products. Now many customers start there for a search of the inventory already available and what the company is able to produce for them.
Shop business
However, the one change since the economy has slowed is the amount of business going through the shop.
“Many people are taking what they have and rebuilding and making changes that way,” she said.
Any standard service on a trailer can be done at the facility. In addition, extended custom work is available and the shop is able to build several products and attachments.
In addition, insurance repair work can be completed as well as total restoration. The shop is also able to complete side chute repair and any destruction an equine can heap on a trailer.
Club Car
Lazy B Trailers launched a new product line in 2008, the Club Car.
Braunberns said she began investigating the line of products last year, looking for an item that would give the customer a good value for their dollar and withstand hard work.
“We looked at a lot of models and did a lot of research,” she added. “This Club Car is not considered a toy. This is way more than a golf cart.”
The price for a four-wheel-drive Club Car begins at $7,600.
The Club Car is active in commercial fleets and has any uses. The vehicle has many attachments available, including dump bodies, forks, and loader buckets.
Braunberns said it will always be the No. 1 goal of Lazy B Trailers is to keep customers happy.
