By Kristin Walker
Take a German immigrant who did not step foot on American soil until the age of 18, a speeding ticket that changed his destiny forever and combine that with an unyielding passion for service - those are the ingredients necessary to achieve the American Dream.
Through years in the making and a lifetime of experiences, John Long has put an exclamation point on the end of a remarkably successful career. Long has now developed a 12-Point Program to help service industry professionals achieve that same dream.
In Germany during the early '60s, Long's mother met and married a member of the U.S. military who later adopted Long and brought the new family to the United States. Not long after arriving in New York, the Long family packed their bags once again and headed south to Jackson, Miss. Long remembers the exact date and time he stepped foot in the capital city.
"It was Monday, April 26, 1965," said Long. "The clock on First National Bank read 5:10 p.m., and it was a scorching 88 degrees outside. I remember that because it was my first time to see a digital clock."
On April 27, 1965, Long got his first start as a sixth-floor stock boy at Kennington Department Store on East Capitol Street. Long received his degree in textile sales while in Germany, so a start with Kennington, and later Miller's Department Store, just made sense. He spent a few months in the retail industry and later got some quality experience at a car dealership before finding his true calling - a career in the service industry.
"A career in the service industry came somewhat as an accident," said Long.
"I received a speeding ticket in Pearl, and the Justice of the Peace said I could pay $50 for the ticket or pay $12.50 and contact his friend, Tony, at K & C Electric about a job. Needless to say, I chose the latter."
Long went to work as an electrical apprentice for K & C Electric in 1965 and that experience, coupled with his determination and passion for serving others, led him to incorporate Long Electric in 1986. With one panel truck, Long Electric Company, Inc. began serving customers within a 10-mile radius of Jackson.
Due to the continued success of Long Electric, he decided to embark on yet another business adventure. Long has now developed a product targeted to service industry, small business owners who seek the additional business knowledge needed to significantly increase their profits. This product is the 12-Point Program by Runco, which stands for "Run Your Company."
"This program shows the one- to 10-person shop how to be profitable in step-by-step workman's language," said Long. "We want to show small businesses how to generate 15-20% profits. But in order to be successful, companies have to be dedicated to the cause."
Long's 12-Point Program is a structured plan applicable to the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical and appliance industries. In addition, the plan shows how certain aspects of a business are more apt to be profitable, while others are not.
"If I can get business owners to use at least two to three of the 12 points, I can guarantee that their business will improve," Long added.
Long's "are you writing yourself a check?" approach does not put a lot of emphasis on computer skills, but rather on logs and forms. With this approach, owners are able to put current workers on the system quickly and easily train new employees.
"I've talked to several other companies with similar products, but their programs were very vague and not necessarily applicable to the service industry," said Legan Kemp, owner of Kemp Electrical Services in Meridian, Miss. "The 12-Point Program is to the point, and I have been able to use Long's ideas to better my business and increase profits."
For more information on Runco's 12-Point Program, contact John Long at www.runco-inc.com, or email johnlong@longelectricco.com.
