First I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the folks that put us where we are. When I had this crazy idea to sell accessories for golf cars, my family and friends where sure I had lost my mind. In my home town of Cincinnati, Ohio I had a successful real estate career. However my mother became ill and I moved to Sarasota Florida. When she passed I had to find a way to support myself I took a job selling Bimini tops for boats and enclosures for golf cars. I was calling on a dealer in Orlando, Florida and asked him where he got his accessories, he laughed and said if he had to have something he went to Western Auto. Shortly after that the company I worked for didn’t feel they needed me anymore. That’s when the light bulb came on. All my friends and family tried to explain to me that I didn’t have any money and couldn’t possibly do that. That’s where the thanks come in. The dealers I had gotten to know were very helpful and paid for their purchases on delivery and are still very loyal to this day. Those that are still around are still our customers. The few vendors I had were and still are wonderful to work with. The big guys like Blue Dot, Red Dot, Strech Plastics, Nivel and many more were and still are a very important cog in our wheel.
We have been very fortunate in finding and retaining great employees. We all have the same Goal….to treat people as you want to be treated. Be fair, be competitive and always try to add things or ways to make our dealers life easier. This is what the philosophy of our company has always been.
We try to support our dealers in every way. We are very fortunate in having our guy Steve who not only writes most of the directions for our goodies but does video instructions as well. If you are working on a special quote let us know. Stan and I will work with you in any way we can.
Along with an expanding employee base, we are also growing our product line and nothing shows this more than our ever expanding catalog. The 2017 catalog is printing now and it is well over 680 pages. It is full of the great accessories that we have always supplied along with the addition of OEM parts and replacement aftermarket parts as well. We now have an assortment of service parts, i.e. brake pads, clutch pullers, rotors, motors and tools. This is a new venue for us and I have my son Stan to thank for that as he has really expanded our parts.
We are always looking toward the future by watching for innovative new products. That is why the PGA Merchandise show (which is held annually in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center) is always so enjoyable. At this year’s show, we were fortunate to find a great new product and became a very happy distributor for them. It’s caleed the Climate Caddy which is a dual fan and heater. This personal comfort accessory is a universal fit and is designed for 48 volt systems, so that means that no voltage reducer is necessary. The heater uses a Bi Level Vent System and a Silent Whisper Fan to move a tremendous amount of air at 100F! Too Hot? No problem, the Climate Caddy can be used as a cooling fan, too. It’s such a fantastic product that Stenten’s showcased it at the Golf Industry Show as well. At Stenten’s we strive to find innovative products like this, and always encourage dealers to submit any ideas they may have that would enhance a golf car.
I always say there is nothing more valuable than product knowledge. That is why with every new product I makes sure that Stenten’s employees are familiar with the product. Most recently we purchased a stock Club Car Precedent just to check and install their new limo kit. By taking the time to install the products themselves the staff learns what complications may arise so they can be addressed before they become a customer’s concern.
Stan is pretty much running the show now and I couldn’t be happier or prouder. I still attend staff meetings, and I still write the checks, but I guess after thirty years I shouldn’t feel guilty that I don’t go in every day. With Stan taking the lead it is nice to know that there are still companies out there that are family owned and operated. This guarantees dealers get a high level of customer service with each order. If you aren’t currently purchasing your golf car accessories from Stenten’s be sure to give us a call – you will be happy you did.
