GM Equipment Rentals has become a leading force in the rental, sales, and maintenance of construction equipment in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Columbus, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and other locations. Based out of Elk County, Pennsylvania, the GM team services Pennsylvania, the Southern Tier of New York, West Virginia, Ohio, and Michigan with a fleet of top-notch aerial and material handling equipment.
This isn’t too surprising when you see the levels of service supplied by this equipment supply company, and how the team has elevated service above everything, as suggested by its social media hashtag, #Hereforyou.
The company believes in building a lasting partnership with each client by setting out to surpass expectations and earn trust through the excellent work of each member of its team. Providing high-quality rentals is where its service begins, with GM Equipment Rentals leasing out top-notch, meticulously maintained construction equipment, each piece undergoing thorough inspection and OSHA approval.
Setting the standard
Founded in 2006, this family-owned business has since established an impeccable track record as a go-to source for rentals, sales, parts, and service. Offering expertise in the rental of aerial and material handling equipment, the company has a fleet of more than 700 units, plus service assets and accessories such as boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers, mast forklifts, small dirt equipment, and more.
GM Equipment Rentals also provides repair services on-site or at its own facilities, with service personnel qualified and authorized to conduct boom inspections on a quarterly or annual basis, along with the provision of custom hydraulic hoses, electrical and hydraulic maintenance, diagnostics, and much more. “We always pride ourselves on being able to do what others can’t or won’t,” says General Manager Drew Dobson. “We work to an internal model where we always make it happen.”
Making it happen includes not being afraid to be flexible with delivery or maintenance schedules—whatever best helps the customer. “We find this tends to go a long way with our customers,” Dobson adds. “They always appreciate us being able to make it happen last minute if an emergency pops up or there’s just something that may have slipped their mind. We’re very good at getting a call at three o’clock in the afternoon and being able to move things around and have a delivery there by eight o’clock the next morning. It’s something we do that a lot of the national brands don’t, and it’s something other people may struggle with, but we’ve built it into our every day, and it’s been really helpful.”
Being able to provide a wide range of industries with products is another way of helping and supporting customers, who include painters, electricians, HVAC technicians, framers, carpenters, and more. The company even has customers in telecommunications, security, and fire sprinklers who have become key clients, he adds. GM can serve them all in one way or another.
Opening up options
Lifts, in particular, have become a nearly essential component of many job sites, Dobson explains. “Workers have come to realize that scaffolding and ladders are not only unsafe but also costly in the time it takes to set them up and move them around. Lifts are just a much better way to go.”
Part of this ability to pivot and make customer service a top priority is due to GM Equipment Rentals’ family-owned history. “GM actually stands for George and Mike, two cousins,” says Dobson. “And even though we’ve grown to become more of a regional player, we still bring that mom-and-pop feel to the industry. Our employees not only know me and the other managers and office team on a first-name basis, but they also get to know the owners the same way.”
He notes that the company sees its duty as providing a good workplace for people, never expecting anything from employees that managers and owners wouldn’t do themselves—or haven’t done before. In the beginning, Dobson says, the owners or managers could often be found washing and delivering equipment, and often still do.
“There’s not one job here that any of us is above doing. We really try to let the guys who work for us know that they’re not just a number. We get to know them personally. We get to know their families, their stories, and we truly care.”
#Hereforyou
Concern for employees and customers has extended to a social media hashtag created by Dobson—#Hereforyou—to more accurately reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to maintaining that level of care every day.
“We assure our customers all the time that if they need a referral for another type of contractor, or they have a problem that they’re not used to facing, bounce it off us because we know and network with other people throughout the industry, and even though we may not have the answer to a problem, we probably know somebody who has. #Hereforyou just truly means that we’re here for whatever you may need,” Dobson tells us.
“We had an ongoing story where, back in the day when we first started, we would tell customers, ‘If you need a helicopter, call us,’” he says. “We’re not in the business of helicopters, we don’t know of anybody with a helicopter, but we can guarantee we’ll find you one.”
That’s the type of dedication and commitment that has kept the company going strong; at the end of the day, customer service will always be the one essential ingredient. “There are hundreds if not thousands of other rental companies, and what’s tough about our industry is we all offer the same equipment, so the only thing that can truly set us apart is our service. A lot of companies will tell you that their service is the best, but we mean it and truly pride ourselves on it.”
Branching out
In an ongoing effort to stand out, stay relevant, and continue in its tradition of diversity and progress, in November of 2020, GM Equipment Rentals launched a new division called Hydraulix to repair bucket trucks. Focusing on the hydraulic and electrical repair of various boom, bucket, and derrick trucks, Hydraulix services also include DOT inspections, annual boom inspections, hydraulic repair, electrical diagnostics, lathe and mill work, dielectric testing, and custom hoses of all sizes. The division has since expanded to serve a variety of customers with various needs at locations in St. Marys, Pennsylvania and Columbus, Ohio.
“This business has really taken off for us in the past 18 months,” says Dobson of the niche addition.
As with so many companies today, even though GM Equipment Rentals truly values its employees, staff turnover is a concern. To maintain its strong team, the company has undertaken some “out of the box” initiatives to build flexibility into its culture, such as providing paid holidays for birthdays and an option for employees to work one week of any month as four 10-hour days, taking a Friday off.
“That’s not out of the norm when you consider the job market in its entirety, but it’s a little something different in our industry,” says Dobson. “As far as we know, we’re the only ones that offer that.”
The company’s attention to remaining innovative has also been noticed within the industry, resulting in being named a “market mover” for 2024 in the ARA’s (American Rental Association) magazine, listed alongside some big national brands and larger independent players.
“Our mindset is a big thing that sets us apart,” Dobson says. “We don’t tell customers ‘no’ unless we absolutely have to. We try to move things around, make things happen when they need them to. We truly care about our customers. We get to know them, get to know their families, and build relationships with them. The biggest thing here is you’re not just a number; whether you’re an employee or a customer, we truly get to know you.”
Of course, this personal approach is greatly appreciated by customers and employees alike, resulting in many success stories at GM. “We have guys here who started in high school washing equipment for us who have gone on to be sales reps or mechanics and truck drivers, and a lot of guys who have been with us for over 10 years,” says Dobson. “It’s really great to see these younger guys come up through the ranks. It’s something we try to do everywhere, and when it works, it feels great.”
GM Equipment Rentals intends to ensure that this commitment to customer and employee care remains top of mind in the years ahead. “We are still in growth mode, and it’s not only to better our current market positions in our current locations but also to potentially grow into another one or two or three,” says Dobson. “That could be through an acquisition or internal growth, where we plant a flag and start from the ground up. We’re just getting started, and we want to continue to grow and do more.”
While growth remains the goal, the company grasps the challenges that lie ahead, and the challenges faced by the industry at large. “It’s tough out there,” says Drew Dobson. “There have been a lot of changes since COVID. We’ve learned to adapt and try to do better, and it’s worked so far. We want to continue that.”
