Where the Rubber Meets the Road: What Partnering With True Service Looks Like
Tony Shomento’s customers know he's available when they need him, but Cody Buehner knows he can count on the entire Western team.
Cody owns a trucking company and feedlot in Dunn Center, ND. As a business owner, he needs to finance expensive ag equipment, trucks, and trailers to get his work done.
After hearing recommendations for Western Equipment Finance, Cody called Tony to finance equipment for his feedlot. He was impressed by the quality and timing of Western’s customer service.
“The customer service is second to none," Cody said. "I call them, and in less than a day, we can have a deal done."
In July of 2019, Cody was ready to purchase a new truck. He found a dealership in Oregon selling the Peterbilt he needed. The pictures looked good, and the price was right. He called Tony, set up financing, wired an eCheck, and sent a driver to pick it up.
The driver arrived at the lot late on a Friday. He looked over the outside of the truck, and everything seemed to be in good condition. The dealership closed soon, so he took the keys and started his long trek home. Then he started seeing problems.
"He started noticing problems inside the truck," Cody said. "He called me and said there were issues with the interior. It didn't look right."
Cody told the driver they could fix issues at home. As long as it drove well, it'd be fine. About 10 miles down the road, the driver was noticing mechanical issues.
"I was nervous because it was late on a Friday night," Cody said. "The dealership was closed, and by Monday the check would go through."
Going Above and Beyond
Cody called Tony. To his surprise, Tony picked up. It was 7 p.m. on a Friday. Tony said to turn around and leave the truck at the dealership with the keys and a note.
The next morning, Tony asked his team to come in on a Saturday to cancel the eCheck. After it was canceled, Tony let Cody know everything was taken care of. In fact, Tony found a truck that might work better for Cody—and it was on the driver's way home.
That Sunday, the driver stopped by Billings, MT, to inspect the used truck and trailer. It was in good condition and exactly what Cody needed. Tony and the Western Equipment Finance team switched the paperwork to the new truck and it was ready to drive home that day.
“I can’t believe Tony was there to help me out the whole weekend," Cody said. "At most places, everyone leaves at 5 o'clock, and you can't get ahold of them. I've never had a banker do that before."
