Serving as president of ARC Services, Mike Miller has learned a thing or two about continually improving upon the services ARC offers and staying ahead of the curve when it comes to workforce trends and employee fulfillment. BIC Magazine recently sat down with Miller to learn more about his background, his leadership approach and ARC's plans for the coming years.
Q: What led to your position at ARC Services?
A: I began my career as a welder, constantly learning as much as possible. I slowly began to take on more leadership roles on various projects, learning as much about project management and leadership as I could. When I was overlooked for a position because of my lack of a degree, I decided to step out and launch ARC Services in 2010 with my business partner, Roddy Phillips. Now, we are celebrating both our 10th year in business and the opening of our Gulf Coast location in Pasadena, Texas.
Q: What is the most important part of your position?
A: Every day, I have the opportunity to be on the front lines with both our customers and our staff. The combination of hearing our customers' issues and then watching as our staff bring forward their expertise and insight to offer solid solutions is the most important and most inspiring aspect of my position. We have the most talented men and women in the business. It is such an honor for me to get to see them execute their ideas and turn a first-time customer into a lifelong friend of ARC Services.
Q: What are your goals for your position?
A: I have several. First, I want ARC Services to become the top specialty service provider in the nation. For me, this means checking every box for our clients, and continuing to check those boxes and provide even greater service than they received in their last experience with us.
Second, I want to foster growth for my staff. I want to see them grow within their positions and help them reach their ultimate career goals. It is important to me that our staff grows along with our company. We have put a lot of money into our employee training budget, including in-house craft training and outside certifications. We understand there is a shortage of skilled trade, even more so due to the pandemic, and we want to make sure we are ahead of the curve for both our current employees and the future talent we want to attract.
Lastly, I have some revenue goals and targets for our new Gulf Coast location. Opening our Texas shop in the middle of a pandemic has taught me so many lessons about pivoting our business model and maintaining a positive outlook. I have no doubt that the lessons I am learning through this are giving me the grit I need to achieve the aggressive goals I have laid out for this new location.
Q: Are you looking to grow in new markets or expand in current ones?
A: Absolutely to both. With the recent opening of our Texas shop in Pasadena, expanding into the Gulf Coast is at the top of our five-year strategic plan. The next step is for us to learn the needs of the Gulf Coast market and then showcase what ARC Services can do to be a one-stop solution provider.
Q: How do you maintain a good work/home life balance?
A: This position and this industry can be hard on your home life. It requires a lot of hours outside the home and a lot of phone calls within the home. Having a partner who is understanding but also firm about family dinners and time with friends has helped me achieve somewhat of a balance.
For more information, visit www.arc24-7.com or call 803-493-6255.
