Have a problem you can’t quite explain? Rod is the guy you need to talk to.
Meet Rodney Doerr (Rod), Sales Specialist at Superior Industrial Supply. With 35 years of experience and a mechanical background, he’s your go-to sales rep for all your industrial supply needs. His territory ranges from I-70 to I-64 and includes the Granite City area. If you have a problem you can’t solve, he has the knowledge and experience to help you find the solution.
Q: Tell us about your experience prior to working at Superior Industrial Supply.
A: I started right out of high school, so I’ve been working at Superior for 35 years and have worked my way through several departments. I’ve worked in the warehouse, in the office, inside sales and I’ve been on the road in sales for about 25 years.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working at Superior?
A: Superior is an excellent company to work for, a great family-owned operation. They care about their employees and they care about their customers. If I have questions or if I have doubts, I can collaborate with my managers to come up with solutions. When you need help, whether it’s the owners or my direct boss, they provide it. And there’s always room for growth.
I enjoy the people of Superior and the customer base I have built. I’ve had customers stay with me as their sales rep for at least 25 years. Many customers, mechanics and purchasing agents have brought me with them as their sales rep when relocating to new companies, while still maintaining my relationship with the former company. What I appreciate the most is that my customers think of me first when it comes to their purchasing needs. Without them, there’s no me.
Q: Is there a specific skill set that you bring to Superior?
A: I believe it’s my ability to listen and to understand a customer’s complex needs, whether that is hose and fittings or solving other problems. I have a mechanical background that allows me to understand exactly what their problem is even if it’s difficult for them to explain. Plus, I have experience in about every kind of sales from compact discs in the 1980s to large machinery sales like crawlers or bulldozers. And I don’t mind getting my hands dirty to help my customers.
Q: What interests you the most about this industry?
A: I enjoy the satisfaction that comes from helping my customers. Sometimes it’s helping them get a piece of equipment running or getting them out of a jam. Recently, I was able to help a major trucking company in the St. Louis area fix their crane. With some hoses, nuts and bolts we were able to get it up and running. That was very fulfilling because to these companies, time is money and every minute that machinery is down it’s costing them. It’s nice to be able to help.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
A: I build hot rods, race cars and custom cars at home. I like to turn wrenches and I guess you could say I’m a self-taught mechanic. Right now, I’m working on a ‘67 GTO. I actually just raced a ‘57 Chevy down at the Tri-Five Nationals in Bowling Green, Kentucky.