Name: Eric E. Haas
Position: CEO/Owner
Company: Quality Lines, LLC
Website: qualitylinesct.com
Facebook Page: Quality Lines, LLC
Tell us about your company. How did you come to be in the pavement maintenance industry?
Our corporate office is located in Canterbury, CT. We currently provide service to all of New England (CT,MA,RI,NH,ME,VT) and Eastern New York. We provide 24 hour emergency, on-call service. Quality Lines, LLC, a sole proprietorship, was started in 2002. I had been employed for a building maintenance company that closed down. I had done linestriping for this company, and I really liked what I was doing. Upon its closing, I had the opportunity to purchase the line striping portion of the business. We are your one stop contractor that can do any/all of your parking lot maintenance needs. We have extensive knowledge in line striping, sealcoating and hot crackfilling. Quality Lines can do a restripe of present lines or complete new layouts for your parking lot.
What is the key to your company’s success? What sets you apart from your competitors? What do you do best?
The fact that I am a localcontractor and not a national contractor makes a lot of customers feel comfortable. I can respond to the needs of customers promptly, and I have a lot of repeat customers. I am best at adding the final touch that makes a parking lot look new, bright and appealing to customers.
What makes and model of equipment do you use?
I have two Graco 3900 and one Graco 3400 line striping machines. I keep one for each color including the basic colors white, yellow and blue. I also have a Sealmaster Sandpup 300 gallon tank for Sealcoating and several push-melters for hot crack filling. The brands of my key products are Sealmaster and Franklin Paint.
Tell us about a recent project you completed. Who was it for? What was the size? Were there any challenges? If so how did you overcome them?
I recently did a complete 3 phase project at a 20,000 foot strip mall. Several small businesses occupied the mall, and apartment buildings were located on both sides of it. I crackfilled, sealcoated and line striped it. The challenge of the job was communicating and getting the cooperation of both business owners and apartment tenants to move vehicles while their section was being completed. I left a little note on the vehicles that needed to be moved for the next day, and everyone was very cooperative.
I also completed a large total restripe job of a community college in Connecticut. This job went smoothly with no challenges because college is out of session. I completed it over a three day period on the weekend. There were no interruptions for the employees during work hours.
What tips or suggestions do you have to help other contractors improve their business? I would have to say the best suggestion is to always listen to the customers needs, come up with some good suggestions and fulfill the requested job.
Do you have any growth plans you are willing to share with for you company?
I plan to continue to expand my customer database because I feel this is the way to continue to get new and better jobs.
How long have you had a facebook page?
I have recently done a facebook page for my business after seeing the amount of use facebook gets from everywhere. I use facebook to communicate jobs I am doing or will be doing as well as to post pictures of completed jobs. My website has existed for the 10 year duration of my business.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The best enjoyment from my job is when it is completed and I see and hear the joy and satisfaction from the customers.The other part that I will share as far as enjoyment is the line striping part of my business. Its very coincidental that I went into the business of line striping because as a child in my young years, I would play with my matchbox cars outside and draw parking spots for them using chalk. I would say the talent that I have has followed me from my childhood days.
