In 1996 I started Advanced Satellite Services Inc. in Junction City, OR. I was tired of working for corporate America because they had forgotten how to take care of the customers. I told myself, “Take care of the customers and the sales will come.” I started with just me and my truck working out of my house. I built my business by building relationships with the customers and local coach manufacturers, and was soon working as a contractor for Country Coach, Monaco, & Marathon Coach, eventually even adding a second employee to my business Then 9/11 hit and we almost lost everything. Although this was a very difficult time for my company and my family, slowly I was able to build the company back bigger than ever, finally landing the exclusive Country Coach satellite installation contract. We were the only company doing factory installs for them, to the tune of about 50 systems a month. I had a secretary and two installers. I thought I was on top of the world. I got all caught up in the numbers and lost some of my focus. During this time, fuel prices began to go up and then the economy started going down. Two of the major coach manufactures went bankrupt and put a lot of people out of business and out of work. Knowing I would never get paid for the product and services they owed me I had a choice: to stay angry or put it in the past and get on with the present. This situation has given me the time and opportunity to put things in perspective and helped me to return to my original intent of focusing on my individual customers and making sure they are well taken care of. Selling a product is easy, but installing it and taking care of the customers after the job is finished is the most important! So if you are looking for quality workmanship, the most experienced technicians in the RV industry, and want to have the confidence that you will be taken care of both during and after the install, you won’t find a better company for the job. Feel free to contact me anytime with any question. There is never a dumb question.
Thank you,
Cal Thorne, Owner
