Author: Matt Wilcox

Posted on

Local People using Local Businesses that support Local Organizations… or …. What Goes Around Comes Around.

Huntington-indiana

As with many small towns and cities, our commerce is a mix of large out-of-town branch businesses and locally owned “small” businesses. And like any town, Huntington, IN has its share of non-profit organizations providing humanitarian, educational and support needs for a well-rounded community.

And those non-profit organizations which bring color, vitality and breadth to our community lean on the local businesses for their financial and volunteer support. Why? Because they know from experience that it’s those local businesses that are willing to support them! Thus, it is an uncomfortable juxtaposition that our economy seems to be swinging away from shopping locally to saving a few bucks by shopping at the big box store or online.

Yes, the economy is not as good as it could be. No, we do not have the expendable cash that we’d like. But when did any of us feel like we had extra money to waste back in the glory days of the ’80’s and 90’s and 00’s? It never happened! No one ever feels that way.

Having worked with, volunteered for and contributed to many organizations in our community, it is disappointing that I rarely see a table or sponsorship by big department store chain or the national grocery store or the cable company or the gas company or the big box hardware – any business with out-of-town ownership.  The fact is a specific, conscious effort is required for local people to shop local rather than simply going to the save-a-buck place or shopping online.  Without that specific intent, the local places disappear and with them, ultimately, the support for charitable organizations.  

Will you spend a few bucks more if you shop at the local hardware store, the local restaurant, the local bike shop, the local spa, boutique? Almost certainly. But let’s not forget that what we spend is supporting a wider community that we all call home.

Posted on

We’re just here to help…

Welcome to the wonderful world of caster and wheel distribution! It’s a wild and crazy ride, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. As the premier distributor of casters and wheels, we’ve seen it all – from the good to the bad to the downright bizarre.

For those of you who are new to the caster and wheel game, let us break it down for you. Casters and wheels are the unsung heroes of the industrial world. They may not be as glamorous as other machinery, but they’re just as essential. Without casters and wheels, everything from hospital beds to shopping carts would be a whole lot harder to move around.

At Apollo Caster, we like to think of ourselves as the matchmakers of the industrial world. We find the perfect caster or wheel for each and every application, from the heavy-duty to the downright weird.

Speaking of weird, let’s talk about some of the strangest requests we’ve ever received. We’ve had customers ask for casters and wheels for everything from a handicapped skunk trolley to a moving bookshelf. Hey, we don’t judge. We’re just here to provide the casters.

But it’s not all fun and games in the caster and wheel world. We take our job seriously, and we’re passionate about providing the best possible solution for each and every application. It all comes down to helping people solve a problem. We know that when it comes to casters and wheels, one size does not fit all. That’s why we offer a wide variety of options, from light-duty casters to heavy-duty industrial wheels.

At the end of the day, we’re proud to be the go-to source for casters and wheels. We may not be saving the world, but we’re making it a whole lot easier to move things around. And if we can help someone’s day with a set of casters for their paralyzed skunk, well, that’s just the icing on the cake.

Posted on

Simple, Undying Truths

A recent article by Mihir A. Desai in the New York Times will likely resonate with most people of a certain age. I loved it. Likely, it was the comfortable and familiar tunes of old ideals that seem to be fading like a Polaroid photo. This article used the recent imaginative and creative enveloping-pushing of the past five to ten years to illustrate how “the more things change, the more they remain the same.”

Some comforting verses:

“Facebook and Google reconceived themselves as technological powerhouses, rebranding as Meta and Alphabet, respectively. [and] sought broad capabilities that they could flex at will in the metaverse or with their “moonshot projects” when, in fact, they are prosaic (if extremely effective) advertising businesses.”

“What comes next? Hopefully, a revitalization of that great American tradition of pragmatism will follow. Speculative assets without any economic function should be worth nothing. Existing institutions, flawed as they are, should be improved upon rather than being displaced. Risk and return are inevitably linked.”

“Corporations are valuable socially because they solve problems and generate wealth. But they should not be trusted as arbiters of progress and should be balanced by a state that mediates political questions. “

“Embracing novelty and ambition in the face of huge problems is to be lauded, but the unhinged variety of these admirable traits that we have seen so much of in recent years is counterproductive. The fundamentals of business have not changed merely because of new technologies or low interest rates. The way to prosper is still by solving problems in new ways that sustainably deliver value to employees, capital providers and customers.” (Emphasis added)

Posted on

Caster Coincidence

With over 6400 items currently on the published website,  and tens of thousands more that Apollo Caster can offer, build and ship the same day, it is sometimes serendipitous how sales can surface.  (Nice alliteration, right?).    With such breadth of stock, naturally some less common configurations may not find a customer for weeks or months at a time.

Here’s what is odd:  A low-volume item goes, say, months without a sale.  Then, once a sale for that item is received, we will quickly receive another or multiple sales within an unexplainably short time period.

Is that the mystery of SEO or search history making its impact?  Or just plain  coincidence?

Unusual caster configurations often sell in spurts

It happens enough that this author’s right-brain thinking insists  that it is somehow related to search engine algorithms.

 

Regardless, the surge in traffic on these less popular items is interesting to see and every sale is appreciated.

Regardless of what caster you need, whether popular or not, Apollo Caster either has it ready to ship or can procure it for you and ship quickly.  Contact us for your specific needs.  Calling in will reach a human (M-F 8-5) and we will work with you as long as it takes.

Posted on

Retractable Casters

Frequently, the customer service reps at Apollo Caster are asked about the ability to retract a caster. To allow the cash or rise up out of the way and allow the application to sit firmly on the floor.

We have products in stock and on our website with the mechanisms to be able to retract. And there’s also some do it yourself projects that you might be able to add for your application such as the one shown in the link below.

If you’re interested in these products or interested in the do it yourself project and have some questions, give us a call. We’re here to help.

Posted on

The fun stuff! Arby’s fryers

Here at Apollo Caster, we work hard to respond to unique applications and hard to find solutions. A recent example was an unusual spec caster for a Henny Penny fryer used at Arby’s restaurants. Despite our initial doubts at having such an odd size/ configuration, we were able to find it and source it for under $10. An inexpensive repair to a high-dollar piece of quality equipment.

The customer was thrilled which is what makes it all worthwhile. A $40 sale? Not the largest of our day – but every bit as important to us and the customer.

We solve problems and save customers money. That’s how we roll.

Posted on

Helping customers – what else is there?

Apollo Caster received an email today saying this:

I got my casters today. Wow they really made a difference. My wife’s look at me chair never worked so good. Thanks for the prompt service and quality product.
Marvin S.

These emails and comments are not uncommon here at Apollo yet each one is appreciated. We offer something that many places cannot: personal service, a human answering the phone, and as much time as necessary to address your need.

A few days ago, I followed up with a supplier who had promised some information and was late. Not only was the information still not available but he gave the strong impression that he was just too busy for me and could not get me off the phone fast enough.

That will never happen at Apollo. If we’re not helping, what’s the point?

Posted on

Procrastination and customer service

Here at Apollo Caster and Apollo Land Co., we have several small construction / maintenance projects underway. Related to that, we have been working with a variety of companies and contractors for services such as roof repair, masonry tuckpointing and flooring. More times than not, the potential vendors have to be contacted multiple times to simply get their quote. These seems odd in two ways.

First, why is it that people feel they are doing their customer a favor to promise a delivery date and then miss it? Why not do everyone a favor by making a realistic promise of when the quote/ work can be completed and then meeting or exceeding it? To blow past it only undermines the customer’s faith about working with that vendor in the future. And it creates stress and non-value-added phone calls for the vendor. Further, if they put off doing the quote for two weeks, how many details have they forgotten about the original discussion?

Second, who is impressed by a supplier that cannot even build up the interest to try to earn some new business? At Apollo, we aim to respond to every quote request within a few hours. After all, if we give the impression that we’re too busy or uninterested to prepare the quote and earn the business, why would we expect the customer to be optimistic about our future service levels and why should they be excited about working with us?

Apollo Caster wants your business. We will say it and we will play it. Even when we’re busy; even when we’re short-handed, every veteran customer or new prospect has our attention and responsiveness.

It’s just not that hard.