Elfrida McClain
Elfrida McClain has worked with Spec Rubber for more than 4 decades. She started as a front-line employee and now manages production. See how she and the Spec Rubber team provide world-class service to delight our customers.
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I’ve worked at Specification Rubber Products for more than 45 years. I started as a front-line production employee, and now I’m our Production Manager. Spec Rubber has given me a great career path.
Our customers know “Made in the USA” matters because a lot of projects require it. But I think it’s more important to say “Made at Spec Rubber” because I’m proud of the company I’ve worked for over the last 4 and half decades, and I’d like to tell you why.
Company Culture
I started at Spec Rubber working part-time in the cutting department, but the company could see I wanted to learn. So they offered me a chance to continue to advance, and I learned about every job I could. Eventually, Spec Rubber promoted me to Supervisor. I earned that opportunity because I had learned every step in the production process.
At Spec Rubber, we think supervisors should be out on the floor instead of holed up in their offices because it makes it easier for production employees to communicate with you. If they notice a problem, they can ask for help without worrying you’ll be upset about stopping production. We have each other’s backs, and everyone does what it takes to keep things running smoothly to eliminate waste and prevent project delays.
Employee Retention
We have a lot of long-time employees. It’s a great place to work, and a lot of folks have stayed here for more than 40 years, but only one person worked here longer than me. He retired at 46 years, and every time I see him, I say, “I’m going to catch you!” I just have one year to go. But I think I’ll keep going for a while longer. I have too much energy to just sit on the porch.
You don’t keep employees for decades if you don’t take care of them and give the folks who want to learn opportunities to advance. Some folks like to work the same job day after day and year after year, and it’s fine for them to be the very best at what they do. Others want to learn everything and advance like me. Spec Rubber does a great job of providing a career path for each employee.
If you are looking for a rewarding career with long-term opportunities, find your future at Spec Rubber!
Customer Service
I think our customer service is the reason most of our customers do business with us. When a customer calls, they get someone right here in Alabaster, Alabama who understands their job and can provide the information they need.
I think the most important part of providing great customer service is keeping your promises. Maintenance takes great care of our equipment, and we work hard to maintain our supply of raw materials because when we say we are going to deliver something, we deliver it. I’m responsible for planning every aspect of production so that we can promise the fastest possible delivery date without overpromising. If I’m going to put my name on something, we are going to do it. And when the unexpected happens, I tell customer service immediately. That way, we don’t make promises we can’t keep, and we communicate with our customers whenever anything changes. Most folks in our industry aren’t used to that kind of service, and it makes me proud that we take care of folks like that. These customers are the reason I’ve had this job for 45 years, so I want to make sure we do things right every time to take care of them.
Request A Sample Gasket
Would you like a sample of a gasket made by Elfrida’s team? Request a free gasket sample here or call us at (800) 633-3415. A real person will answer the phone to answer your questions. And if customer service makes promises, we will deliver. Elfrida will be sure of that.
