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By hiring Housman, Whitehead was able to devote more of his time to managing the company. Little did he know that sales in the accounts Housman serviced would increase so dramatically. Housman's route generates about $500,000 per year.

Attention to merchandising

“He really looks out for the way the machines are merchandised,” Whitehead said. Housman constantly rotates products in spirals that do not perform well. He believes strongly in experimenting with new products. “Even if you think it won't sell, you should try it,” Housman said. According to Housman, variety is key to maximizing snack and candy sales. He himself was surprised by how well bottled water has sold.

Whitehead and Banwart watched the way in which Housman loaded his totes and were impressed that he was able to do it so quickly without damaging the product. He also loaded more variety on his truck than other drivers to make sure the machines offered choices to the account employees. Housman shared his strategy with the other drivers.

They appreciated his suggestion that all rooms inside the warehouse should be locked at the end of the day. This was a security precaution they hadn't considered.

They also appreciated it when they noticed that Housman took it upon himself to make sure a malfunction at an account was taken care of as soon as possible. If he couldn't fix a problem himself, he took it upon himself to make sure someone else would get to the location as soon as possible rather than simply leaving a message for one of the owners.

Commitment to his job

Whitehead and Banwart are impressed that he starts his day at 4 a.m. and frequently does not finish until late afternoon. “If you're going to make a decent living in this business, you have to be able to work some long hours,” Housman explained. This kind of dedication is essential to being a great route driver, but the company philosophy encompasses an even greater commitment to family.

“Above everything else, your family is the most important aspect of your life” Whitehead said. If one of the route drivers has a family emergency, the employee knows that the company will respond to that need.

While Housman puts in a long day, he doesn't try to make up for it by cutting any corners while driving his truck, which is why he has never had a traffic violation. He has witnessed his fair share of accidents over the years, and he doesn't see any reason not to drive carefully at all times.

He recalled how he first learned to leave sufficient space between himself and the vehicle in front of him while driving his route truck. He had to make a sudden stop, then had to spend time reorganizing the inventory that had fallen inside the truck.