Blue Ox_

BLUE OX wide.” The company sells its products via a two-step distribution system. “We sell to distributors who sell to our dealers, who then sell to the consumers,” she continues.“And we are very active at all levels; we promote and educate the consumers,which drives business to the dealers, and we partner with our dealers who are on the front lines.They’re the ones who are promoting the product, selling the product, servicing and installing it.And then,we work with our distribu- tor partners to help build that brand among our dealers who help with our selling needs, our train- ing needs,marketing, and inventory.We are very dedicated to the two-step distribution process.” In a very competitive market, Kietzmann outlines what differentiates Blue Ox from the other players: “At the end of the day, in our industry, we all have good products,” she admits. “If we didn’t, the customers would take care of that pretty quickly. So, we work really hard to take care of the customer.We provide 24/7 customer care; when a customer calls, they speak to an actual person, not a computerized customer service program.We are closed Easter Sunday, Christ- mas Eve, and Christmas day. Other than that, we are here ready to help. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking with the consumers, dealers, or distrib- utors – trust is the essential element in any WHAT: Manufacturer of recreational and commercial towing products WHERE: Pender, Nebraska WEBSITE: www.blueox.com AT A GLANCE BLUE OX relationship.We work very hard to estab- lish that trust by making sure that our partners receive high-quality products, and that we provide the unsurpassed support for our products.We are here long after the time of sale to help them down the road.” Going forward, Kietzmann says that Blue Ox is very focused on growing the new fifth wheel product. “There’s not a fifth wheel out there that plays right in the middle from a price point; you have competitors on the high end; you have competitors on the low end; you do not have anybody in the middle.What