During the 25 years they've owned Wisconsin Kenworth in Madison, Wis., Bob Sorrentino and Curt Collins figure consistent customer service has had a lot to do with their success.

"Our goal has always been to emphasize the service side of the business," said Sorrentino. "That has been made easier by the great relationship we have with the Kenworth organization. You succeed by offering good service and quality products."
That attention to customer service has paid off many times over. Wisconsin Kenworth's initial customer, Steve Kleinseiber, owner of Aarco Equipment in Wisconsin Dells, remains a customer today. "The first Kenworth I bought from Bob and Curt was a K100 cabover double-sleeper," Kleinseiber said. "Since I started my own company in 1990, I've bought 10 Kenworths from them. I like the Kenworth quality in the trucks. When our drivers try out a Kenworth, they don't want to drive anything else. And I'm real happy with the customer service I get from the Kenworth dealership. They treat us extremely well."
Other early customers continue to buy Kenworth trucks from the dealership, Collins said. "We're now selling trucks to the grandkids of our early customers."
Prior to opening the Kenworth dealership, Collins and Sorrentino ran another dealership. At the time, the country was going through an oil embargo and struggling through a recession. That experience taught Collins and Sorrentino how to make do and to watch cash flow.
Their familiarity with local truck customers and the market was useful in launching the Kenworth dealership from scratch in 1978. "At that time, truck sales were soaring and trucks were hard to come by," Sorrentino said.
The 18-service bay Madison dealership began with seven employees, including five who are still on the payroll.
The company expanded in 1985 by acquiring another dealership in Milwaukee and opening an 18-bay branch in Green Bay. In the past few years, they've launched branch locations in Menemonie and Wausau. Employment has grown to about 170.
According to Collins and Sorrentino, the key to winning customer service is attracting good employees, paying them top wages, investing in their training and providing them with the best equipment. For the past 20 years, their company has funded scholarships to area technology schools for diesel engine training and recruited the best graduates.
Sorrentino and Collins say they've appreciated the partnership with Kenworth, especially in the last few years when competition intensified.
"Kenworth has provided excellent services such as Kenworth PremiereCare, which helps set us apart from other places. We're looking forward to the next 25 years with them."
Wisconsin Kenworth is a shining example of the strong Kenworth network of dealers that has grown to nearly 300 locations around the United States and Canada.
Kenworth Truck Co., a division of Paccar Inc., is a leading manufacturer of heavy and medium-duty trucks. Kenworth's Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com.