February 16th 2010
What was your background/ education/jobs prior to starting G. Little Electric?
I had graduated from the Manitoba Institution of Technology in 1968 where I became a Journeyman Electrician. I was self employed until I arrived in Penticton in 1971 where I started to work for Cooper and Gibbard Electric Ltd.
Why did you start G. Little Electric?
Mr. Cooper of Cooper and Gibbard (my mentor) ended up retiring so we were out of work. I had to do something to support my family, so we decided to start up G. Little Electric.
What was the main goal of going into business for yourself?
The main goal at the time was to provide work for myself; I needed a job once Cooper and Gibbard closed. We (myself and my family) loved the Okanagan and wanted to stay here so we figured it was a good place to start a business.
What do you attribute your success to for the 1st 5 years of business- 1985-1990?
Our hard work; we always did what we said we were going to do. That combined with innovation, diversification, and careful management, made us what we are today.
As your business has grown, has the reason for your success changed over the years?
It’s all been based upon our work ethic and how hard each and every one of us works. We capitalized in the first three years in business from working night and day. We still do work hard but, it’s working hard and having good workers that’s made this company what it is.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
Our ability to employ tradesmen and skilled staff, to ensure that their families are looked after. When we first started the business in 1985 we employed 4 people the first day. We have trained a lot of people throughout the years giving them the ability to progress in their skilled field, as well as providing hundreds of jobs. We also have a medical plan for our staff that we are extremely proud of. We’ve worked on building such as Valley First Credit Union and the Penticton Public Library and Museum, not everyone knows that but, it’s neat to drive by and know we did those kind of things.
If you had to start over again, what, if anything, would you do differently?
Nothing. Saying that I might want to change something invites a sense of disappointment and I’m not disappointed at all. Yes everyone makes mistakes, but we’ve learned and grown from those mistakes; everything we’ve done within G. Little has been important. We’re building our own destiny, and whether we walk along a straight path the entire way or a little more one way than another doesn’t make a difference because each step is an important one.
How do you describe your business to a prospective customer?
The G. Little Group builds a strong relationship with customers; we always provide excellent service with quality work. We have a hard working team of professionals, skilled and trained in various fields to ensure that all your needs are met. We’ll take on any job and it will always be on time and on budget.
Why do residential customers initially contract G. Little Electric?
We have always been conscious of our customer’s needs and we have excellent staff that make that happen. One thing that I find extremely important is that we don’t use answering machines during the day. We have staff members that will always answer your call and help you contact the person that you need to speak with and, if that person is unavailable at that moment they will always call you back. We also provide excellent emergency service at odd times of the day or night; we will re-arrange our day to help the customer out in any way that we can. We do everything we possibly can to make sure that all of our customers' needs are met, and they are always grateful for that.
Why do commercial customers initially contract G. Little Electric?
Something that is extremely important is that we are Gold Seal Certified which is a designation of the CCA (Canadian Construction Association) in Canada and what purchasers of construction will look for when contracting a company to do work. We once again build strong relationships with everyone that we work with whether it be a customer, designer, or another contractor. We stand behind the quality of our work and we are great people to work with.
How has the business changed over the years?
We’ve grown significantly. We employ staff and provide many services around the Okanagan quickly and efficiently. We also have many opportunities to upgrade and help train our staff so that they can grown within the company giving them the necessary skills that they need to succeed as well.
As an established, long-term business in the South Okanagan, how have you paid back to the community?
We are currently members of the Penticton Industrial Development Association and I have also participated in many committees over the years to help better the South Okanagan.
What organizations are you involved in?
I’m currently a member of the Penticton Industrial Development Association. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Southern Interior Construction Association, the British Columbia Construction Association, and the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce. I was appointed to the Electrical Safety Advisory Board by the Minister of Municipal Affairs as well.
When did GLE Heating and Air Conditioning start?
GLE Heating and Air Conditioning started as the offshoot of our GLE Energy Systems Firm, and it commenced in 1987.
What was the purpose of adding GLE Heating?
Regarding the purpose - it was to diversify to meet the requirements of our customers. GLE Energy Systems began as a Controls Division, which changed into doing Heating and Air Conditioning work, given the skill sets of the staff.
When did G. Little Alarms start?
G. Little Alarms commenced in 1990. G. Little Electric Ltd. always did alarm work, but given the unique differences, the separate division was formed.
What was the purpose of adding G. Little Alarms?
This allowed us to do alarm work for some customers who had previously chosen other electrical contractors.
How has adding the 2 new divisions improved your business from a customer's perspective?
Adding the 2 new divisions has enhanced our ability to provide a broader range of service to our customers. Customers who had selected us as their electrical contractor, as they enjoyed our services, were quick to take advantage of the new services we could offer. The multi-division concept gives our customer a "one stop shopping option" which is well received.