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It all started with a problem – a problem that had plagued furniture dealers and
facility managers across the country for years and, until now, always lacked a
fast and easy solution. Clients called their dealer’s sales associates,
administrators, project managers – anyone they could get on the phone –
desperately looking for a way to find replacement office furniture keys to
accommodate turnover, departmental moves and just plain forgetfulness by
employees.
Even at the dealer level, it was a headache that was avoided more often than it
was fixed. Manufacturers and locksmiths could not provide replacement keys in an
efficient manner, as it usually took days or weeks and still lacked a means of
tracking who ordered what and from where. It was a problem that only changed
hands, and one that never had a solution.
In 2002, Greg Martisauski, then an application developer at an office
furniture dealer, was approached by his management team and charged with
developing an internal process that could consolidate and streamline the process
of ordering replacement keys for all office furniture manufacturers. Martisauski
developed a unique Web based application that solved not only his dealers’
problems but also expanded the service to companies across the country, enabling
them to customize orders and order replacement office furniture keys with
overnight delivery anywhere in the U.S.
“Our intent was to take away their headache,” said Martisauski. “This is
one source for replacement keys for all office furniture manufacturers, with a
guarantee that their order will be right. And we can customize our Web
applications to meet any customer’s subsequent needs at no cost.”
Soon the orders started pouring in from across the country, and Martisauski was
running the company alone from a small windowless office, hidden away behind
rows of office furniture in the corner of a massive storage facility. He had
discovered the solution, developed the computer program to streamline and
customize the order process and now found himself processing orders, managing
customer service and even cutting the keys at his desk.
“I was doing everything – you name it,” Martisauski said. “As more and more
people learned about the service the orders started coming in rapidly – and we
knew then that we had identified a solution that had been causing headaches at
offices nationwide.”
As the orders came in – requests ranging from individual clients needing a
single office furniture key to large, multi-national banks ordering hundreds of
keys at a time – the team began to grow and continue their guarantee that orders
could be turned around in 24 hours. A customer service representative was added
and now immediately handles all questions and comments via LivePerson, a
toll-free number and e-mail inquiries.
Word has continued to spread and the team has grown with it, adding additional
personnel and equipment to accommodate orders. Now, Martisauski has shifted to
the role of company president and oversees a team that brings more than 10 years
of experience in providing office furniture key services, including customer
service, sales, marketing, manufacturing and management.
“The constant expansion and need for this unique service has been far-reaching
and finally it became appropriate to become autonomous and break out on its
own,” he said.
A new company and Web site – www.EasyKeys.com – has been launched, and the new
site offers expanded services that extend far beyond the original scope that
began six years ago. Few requests come in that are unfamiliar to the team, but
their eagerness for the next challenge remains unwavering.
“These have become opportunities to learn more about our customers’ needs and
develop solutions to meet them,” Martisauski said. “We pride ourselves on fast
turn-around and attention to customer service, which is the hallmark of an even
greater commitment to continue providing solutions to our customers.”
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