As a former oncology nurse, Kerri Raynor’s first instinct is to help people, and while that no longer means literally restoring them to optimal health, it’s a mindset that still applies, even in a completely different field. Now the primary owner of Raynor Services – a one-stop shop for home comfort and power – she understands that customers are often counting on her team/techs/office staff in times of trouble, whether they need repairs to their heating system in the middle of winter or a new air conditioning unit installed in the midst of a heat wave. Being able to deliver in those situations is a source of pride for the entire company, and it starts at the top.
Perhaps that’s why Kerri chose the phrase, “Service the way it used to be” as the tagline for her business. In today’s world, where it’s rare to get a human being on the phone and even less common to find one who cares about presenting a solution, Raynor Services remains committed to the old-school idea of putting its customers’ needs first.
“There’s no perfect business because there are no perfect people, but I think the most important things are making sure that you’re paying attention to the details, that you care, and if something happens that you make it right,” she says. “For us, service the way it used to be means having real, personable people who answer the phone and who are going to take you from start to finish. It comes with explanations that make sense, decisions that matter being made in the right way, and stepping up to fix it when we make a mistake.”
Her husband, Tom, founded Raynor Services in 1993 as an electrical services company featuring an old truck and one other employee. It has since evolved into a comprehensive team with strong leadership and experienced technicians able to handle everything from emergency services to extensive repairs and routine maintenance related to all things electrical, HVAC, generators and solar power.
Kerri, who stepped away from her career in medicine after giving birth to her first child, slowly started to assist with the family business until assuming the main day-to-day operations in 2009. Now she and Tom use their complementary skills to lead the way as co-owners: He carries the master electrical and HVAC licenses, is at the forefront of the solar department and helps with major company decisions, while she wears a number of hats, including general manager, sales and marketing.
“One of the best things about our company is that, with so many people concerned about sustainability, going green and smarthome automation, we are the only company in this industry in New Jersey that is not just female owned and operated but also handles the trades all in one house, and that really lends itself to the perfect combination for going green,” she says.
Kerri adds that education is paramount, which is why her team/techs/office staff strive to give homeowners all the information they need about creating the most efficient and cost-effective plans for their home. That guidance extends to helping them understand the differences in estimates from two companies, which may vary in price because of a multitude of factors.
“Ford has multiple cars – some are luxury, some are economy – and it’s the same exact thing in HVAC,” Kerri says. “You cannot compare the dollar amount of one quote to another without comparing the brand and the brand level. Is it luxury or economy, or somewhere in the middle? Then you have to look at the efficiency of the unit and whether it’s the right size. There are so many pieces, but customers often have no idea and just look at the bottom-line number and don’t understand why one is half the price of the other. It’s best to know about what you have, to know what’s important to you and to know what you need, and to work with a company that is patient enough to guide you along the way.”
Just as important to Kerri as taking care of her customers is ensuring that her employees can make a respectable living with excellent benefits packages and retirement plans. She feels it’s the least she can do for a loyal staff that she refers to as “knights in orange armor.”
“Tom has been running the business for 30-plus years, I’ve been there for going on 24, and we truly have the best team of technicians and leadership that we’ve ever had,” she says. “They get so wrapped up in customers they’ve established a great relationship with and it’s so nice to see. They go out in our orange trucks and they really want to save the day.”
Raynor Services caters to a wide portion of the state, from Trenton and Princeton all the way to Cape May. As lifelong residents of South Jersey who now live in Tabernacle, Kerri and Tom hope to continue serving their neighbors for years to come.
“We don’t just work in the community, we live in the community. You’re going to run into me and my kids at the grocery store,” she says. “So we’re not just going to sell people something and run away. We care about how things go in the community and we want to make sure that our customers feel good about their decisions.”
Raynor Services
Mount Holly
(609) 373-2238
RaynorServices.com
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Family Magazine, Volume 15, Issue 8.
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