At CBT we give the people what they want! We have heard that you love to get to know the people at CBT, who we are, where we came from, how we got where we are today, and what makes us such a unique crew in the manufacturing sector. As we continue to expand, we will always strive to keep the family-owned, neighborhood feel that you have grown to know
and love. We are excited to introduce our “Behind the Scenes at CBT” series where we will give you a glimpse into the daily life of CBT employees and what it looks like between our four walls.
“An inside-out sales approach has always been a core value at CBT”
When Jim Stahl purchased Cincinnati Belting and Transmission in 1975, he may have been new to the mechanical industry, but he had quite a bit of sales knowledge in his back pocket. Developing a collaborative, inside-out sales approach was a core value from CBT’s conception. To this day we continue to evaluate and improve our processes to give our customer the top-notch service they deserve and that includes our ever-evolving sales trainee program.
If you have the chance to tour any of our three buildings, you will see the that the core of our office is what we lovingly refer to as the “bull pen.” You will find a large, open area where our inside specialists sit, grouped by specialty or job function, with low cubicle walls to encourage an environment of conversation and collaboration. This is where our employees grow, learn, and experience the most. Our specialists are absorbing information from colleagues who have been in the industry for 30+ years, overhearing customer crisis situations and scenarios, and observing one another solve issues in real time. Fostering these relationships from the beginning allows us to seamlessly transition generations into and out of the workplace with ease. The past two years have been years of immense growth for CBT with countless younger employees joining our team and expanding our inside and outside sales groups. Our sales trainee program enables these newcomers to experience every aspect of CBT from packaging products and taking inventory in the warehouse, to working with customers face-to-face at our storefront counter and shadowing our veterans in the bull pen. In March of 2018, Andy May became one of our newest employees to enter the illustrious sales trainee program specializing in Hi-Tech Electrical and Automation products. Keep reading to get to know Andy and take a deeper look at his first year at CBT.
I grew up on the westside of Cincinnati and graduated from The Ohio State University in 2016. I moved home from Columbus and into an Inventory Analyst/Inside Salesman position at the Ford Transmission Plant in Sharonville, OH. This is where I gained my first exposure to CBT as a company and where I became interested in working for them. In my first interview the thing that stood out most was the longevity of the careers of CBT employees. It is not rare to find a CBT employee who has been here for over thirty years! After my first year I can already tell how fast the time goes and why people choose to stay.
Throughout the interviewing and onboarding process I had the feeling that CBT was going to be a great fit. Our management team was willing to give me the necessary tools to help me establish and begin a successful career. If you want to end up as a specialist at CBT, you’ll most likely get your start in the warehouse, which is where I found myself on my first day. In this position I was able to learn about the receiving, order picking, packing and shipping processes. Often overlooked, these processes are integral to understanding CBT as a company and our customers. You must be knowledgeable of CBT work flow in order to give accurate time frames, ship dates, etc. to your teammates and customers. After spending sufficient time in the warehouse, sales trainees make the seamless transition to the front counter. This is where newcomers gain hands-on experience handling the used parts and discussing the issues with the customers face-to-face. It was challenging to handle the wide variety of items that would be brought in, but it helped understand the wide breadth of products and services CBT offers to help our customers in need.
There is a roadmap of goals and a mentorship program in place to make sure I am checking all my boxes and getting the most from each day. Periodic checkups with my mentor are good to see what aspects I am grasping and what I need more help with. My mentor is then able to tailor my training as we go instead of a “one size fits all” approach. All of the specialists in the office are always available to take my questions and happy to help when I ask as well. With all the years of experience among them it is a nice pool of resources to turn to!
I have been able to learn at my own pace and understand my role while being challenged with customer phone calls and email inquiries day in and day out. I now have a few of my own customer assignments and I have noticed my days are moving along at a faster pace. It is rewarding to see results as I learn and become more accustomed to new things as specialist in the Hi-Tech electrical group.
CBT does a great job making sure there is an atmosphere of success for all its employees. They have sent me to several training classes and industry product shows to continue my growth at a high level. Investing the time and resources to make sure I get to experience these things ensures me that they care about my progress and want me to be successful. I am scheduled for more training classes this upcoming year and will be going out to visit customers to learn more about each specific business and their needs on a personal level. Since my first day, the CBT family has showed that they care about me as a person and they remain very supportive as I continue to grow into my role.
CBT has a motto that I will admit I have heard before, but never really understood fully until working here – “work hard play hard”. CBT has a great work / life balance, which is important as I begin this next step of my life as a new homeowner and future husband to my lovely fiancé, Emily. We certainly keep busy fixing up the house and going on outdoor adventures with our dog. When I get some time to myself, I like to watch movies, play soccer, or golf with friends. I see CBT as my first real opportunity for a career. While I have had jobs in the past, I never felt I was able to advance and engage in a career path. I am excited by the future and different opportunities working here presents and look forward to the years to come!
