Blog - Page 27 of 27 - Carroll Seating Company

Published: 26 November 2012

Written by Carroll Seating

2 Comments

Categories: Seating Solutions

This year Patrick (Pat) J. Carroll, Jr. marks his 35th year with Carroll Seating Company. After graduating with a Business Major from the University of Kansas Pat was the first of Carroll Seating’s second generation to enter the business to follow what his Father had started.

Q: How have the ways of business evolved since your beginning years?

A: I first started working in the office tracking labor and assisting salesman on field work. The years I spent in the field are invaluable and allowed me to quickly understand how to work with GC’s to coordinate deliveries and installations efficiently as well as to see and understand first hand field conditions.

Q: How have the ways of business evolved since your beginning years?

A: When I first started there were no cell phones or computers. Work was done on adding machines and in phone booths. I use to have to read my entire bid off to the GC on bid day- that was until the invention of fax machines.

Q: How has the market changed within your 35 years?

A: Today, schools are still purchasing the same things there is just a lot more rules and regulations needed to succeed- i.e. bidder qualifications, banking and bonding requirements.

Q: What has been your proudest moment these past 35 years?

A: There have been many. Some specifically are CSC’s commitment to service, product knowledge and continue loyalty. Our reputation in the industry among factories and end users is very strong. The true partnership we preach daily has taken hold and being heard. I’m proud that the message is strong and enduring.

Q: What growth do you foresee for your company in the next 5 years?

A: I see healthcare, higher education, professional labs, police, fire and the service, repair and support of the products we sell as the keys to the success of our future. The continued expansion of our markets to the level of our work load will allow us to become more diverse. We need to bring our expertise into new markets. We need to continually sell ourselves and products we represent and not just job sell at low cost. The next generation of buyers and sellers need to be focused in on quality and not be driven by low cost and short term solutions.

Q: What are you wishes for the third generation of Carroll Seating Company?

A: My wish is for the next generation to not lose sight of the importance of interpersonal relationships and not hide behind screens and smart phone but rather understand that people not machines make decisions. Relationships build on interactive contact of the ones that last. All too often emails are misunderstood, picking up the phone or getting in your car is the key to a successful relationship. Having said that; technology has made us capable of doing more, not necessarily more efficiently, but the sheer volume of what we can handle has grown because of technology. That is a reality that will continue but establishing a blend of technology and old fashion relationships is the key.

Published: 1 November 2012

Written by Carroll Seating

1 Comment

Categories: Seating Solutions

With the start of the New School year well underway Athletic facilities and bleachers are packed full with fall sports fans, now more than ever, it is imperative that your facility has safe bleachers. Bleacher safety is something that should be taken seriously and no inspection should ever be put off or ignored. Even if your state does not mandate inspections, responsible facilities should request an inspection from a reputable and experienced company in order to keep their spectators safe.

What is Examined?
Bleachers are inspected for various reasons. One of the primary reasons is for safety. Bleachers with problems or defects can be dangerous to students, teachers, and others. Checks for structural problems can reveal any issues that may require attention. Checks on the systems that move the bleachers (if they are the type that can expand and retract) can show any problems that may lead to bleacher damage. There are many stories of bleacher failure, and close inspections and maintenance are the keys to keeping these misfortunes from occurring.

They are also inspected to check for code compliance. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued guidelines that need to be followed when it comes to bleachers. Any bleachers that pose a hazard need to either be retrofitted or replaced to comply with these guidelines. These guidelines include such things as guardrails, maximum widths of open areas, nonskid surfaces, and recording of incidents, inspections, and other actions in regards to bleachers.

Who Does the Inspection?
Licensed professionals should inspect bleachers and report any hazards or issues that need to be corrected. Carroll Seating Company offers this service, and with decades of experience we know how to give each inspection the close examination it needs. Because we also install bleachers, we keep up with all the new additions, changes, and differences so nothing is ever too new for us to check. We are also extremely familiar with older bleachers and can make the right recommendations on how to retrofit bleachers so they are safer, and will know if the bleachers are too hazardous and should be replaced.

If the latter is true, Carroll Seating Company will be more than happy to help you install new bleachers. We have high quality products that your school will be proud to have during pep rallies, basketball games, and all of your school activities.

Published: 26 October 2012

Written by Carroll Seating

No comments

Categories: Seating Solutions

On the hunt for a great company? An important factor to keep in mind- Will this company do more for me than just sell and install? Whether it be telescopic bleachers, courtside seating, new lockers for your hall, Library furniture, casework or healthcare solutions. There is so much more to the product alone. Yes, you do want the finished results to be polished, secure, and worth every penny, but you don’t want a company that will do the job and then disappear, never to be heard from again. What if you discover a problem with your new product? What if, over time, a part breaks and you need something replaced? Or what if from the very beginning you find that you might need some help financing your project? Will the company you’ve been considering be able to help you with all of those scenarios? Or is there expertise selling and installing– and that’s it?

Multiple Services from One Location
That is why you need to take a little time and examine the various companies you might be considering. Carroll Seating Company understood right away that it never is such a simple matter of providing a product and then moving on to the next customer. Building rapport with clients and seeing to all of their needs is a part of what we do. From the moment we speak with you to a few years down the road when you have a question or an issue, we are there to help put your mind at ease and make sure all your product needs, questions, and ideas are addressed.

Flexible and considerate, the goal is to get you the product you need for your location or business. We also have a wide variety of product offerings made with the highest of quality so they last for years to come. Should anything ever happen after your installation occurs, simply contact us. We keep our warehouses stocked with hundreds of replacement parts from a huge date range so if you ever discover something amiss, it can be fixed. We ship quickly so you can get what you need as soon as possible.

Communication is the Key
You can contact us at any time through the use of email, or you can call or visit one of our locations. We’re always happy to hear from clients and will do everything possible solve any concerns you may have. That’s why we don’t just supply you with the product – we supply you with solutions.

Published: 23 October 2012

Written by Carroll Seating

No comments

Categories: Seating Solutions

Schools of the 20th Century
The traditional approach to learning was based on the industrial model of teaching. What does this mean? This meant that space was arranged linearly, teaching was done from the front of the room, and students were taught things in order to occupy jobs in an industrial based economy. Learning was predominately passive. As we continue to educate and prepare our students in the 21st century, most schools have not changed to reflect and accommodate how today’s students interact and learn.

Where Schools need to be in the 21st century
We are living in a very different world and schools are populated by a very different student. Today’s students are conversing through email and texts, using the internet as their news forum, and communicating with students residing other states and countries via Skype. School’s need to create learning spaces to support the new generation of students. Spaces that elicit social learning in lieu of passive learning. Because, active learning is how our students of today better themselves as capable members of a team and community.

How can this be done
Take your stationary classroom and make it mobile. Adding casters and power to desks and chairs takes the traditional linear classroom into a flexible learning space accommodating all different learning styles and course topics. Lightweight mobile classroom furniture allow quick transitions from row to circle to curved layouts. Elicit socialized learning within the cafeteria. Rid your students of institutionalized rows of tables. Round tables, high tops and booths bring active learning to the cafeteria. Provide school logos on table tops and trash receptacles promoting school pride and a continued sense of school community. New chemistry lab tables, lockers, bleachers, and more can do more than just replace old fixtures. They too can help to rejuvenate a school. Kids will get a kick out of seeing bold new lockers the colors of their school, or when telescoping bleachers are retracted they spell out the name of their mascot. There are a lot of possibilities available, and both kids and teachers will be proud and delighted at a fresh look.

Ready to Help, All The Time
There are times when not every school may have the immediate funds for a lot of renovation, and we understand that. That’s why we work with a quality financing company that may be able to help the process along. Our skilled technicians and staff are ready to help make a school’s renovation a reality so that kids and teachers alike can develop in an environment fit for the 21st century. Contact us and see how we can transition your space!

Published: 17 October 2012

Written by Carroll Seating

No comments

Categories: Seating Solutions

It is Time for a Renovation
Whether it is an older space that is in need of updating or a new space that is looking for planning and design, choosing the right company for the job is tantamount to getting the best work possible. When in search for seating solutions such as indoor telescopic bleachers, court-side seating, cafeteria seating, classroom seating or auditorium seating the ultimate goal of each end user is to obtain a fully functional and expertly installed product. The best way to achieve complete satisfaction is to recruit the services of a company that has years of experience and continued education within the industry.

The Best for You
Carroll Seating Company began in 1952 by Patrick Carroll, Sr. with a simple goal – to sell quality church pews that any church would be proud to own. From there the business expanded and has grown to serve multiple states while still maintaining the standards of excellence it began with in 1952.

Now in 2012, while we still outfit the school and institutional market throughout Illinois, Kansas and St Louis with various seating solutions, offering architectural woodwork, millwork, casework, lab and healthcare products has grown our well known seating company into a multifaceted solution center.

Smart Partnerships
We pride ourselves on working with the best manufacturing companies in order to provide the highest quality of product. Our staff includes a wide range of people who excel in what they do, from estimators to sales persons, project managers to support personnel. Our job does not stop at the installation of the project. Here at Carroll Seating Company we have a Service and Repair division to help maintain and extend the life of your product.

We know that personal relationships with our clients are the foundation for what we stand for. It’s just one of the many reasons why we don’t just supply you with seating – we supply you with total solutions. Feel free to contact us in person, over the phone, or through email and we’ll promptly address your questions or comments.