Automated Door Ways is the exclusive carrier of the Overhead Door brand in the Columbus, Georgia area. His company offers residential and commercial automated door solutions, but being able to get the Overhead Door line has been both one of his greatest achievements and one of his biggest pain points. He shares about the ups, downs, and his unique set of problems.

Q: Tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up, go to school and how did you become interested in automated door solutions?
Gaffney: Attended Michigan State University, was raised in Detroit, and have lived in Columbus 15 years. I started in Automatic Doors Swinging and Sliding six months out of college and worked my way up to VP of Sales, but then I opened my own business nine years ago. The company I was working for was bought out by a German manufacturer, and I didn’t want to work for a foreign door manufacturer; they just had a different way of thinking.

Q: Why did you decide to stay in Columbus to open your own?
Gaffney: The employees that existed were already in town; a lot of former people came with me, which was great. Talented people lived here no need to start elsewhere. Plus, there are no unions, and I grew up in Michigan and we had a lot of trouble with unions. Columbus itself is a welcoming and open community. And I have the opportunity to own two businesses, which is great.

Q: Why were you so glad to get the rights to sell the original Overhead Door in your area?
Gaffney: I’ve been trying to get it since I started nine years ago; it was just never available and they don’t just give it to anyone. When Harvey Lumber was purchased, it was decided they did not want to be in the overhead door business any longer, so that made the line available. Other people wanted it, but we buy over $1 million a year from a subsidiary of Overhead Door Company, so we were proven with a similar product line, and we understood what the manufacturer wanted.

Q: What are some obstacles you’ve had to overcome since opening your businesses?
Gaffney: Letting the public know that Overhead Door Company of Columbus is back and under new ownership has been challenging. There were many old internet sites of the previous company and we had a hard time getting them removed. The phone number that was used for years at the previous Overhead Door Company was sold to a competitor, which also caused confusion with the customers. This number was all over the internet as well.

Q: So what should be done about these sorts of problems?
Gaffney: There is no web police. There are no easy answers. This issue is something that needs to be figured out so business owners and the public don’t get misled. After some time and with the help and cooperation of others these issues are slowly fading away.

Q: What differentiates you from your competitors?

Gaffney: We provide same day service, we provide the premier brand for overhead and commercial doors, and we are honest with the public, and if we continue to do the right thing, it will all fall into place. We are currently running a billboard campaign, SEO firm, tabletop ads, direct mailing and some television.—the right way to market the business. Especially as people understand who we are and what we are capable of.

What people are looking for is service, and where we live in a small town, you call other trades and they won’t show up for days. People want it now, instant gratification. We are trying to provide that as close as we can, we will be there faster than anybody else. We will fix it the first time. Also, how you maintain the doors is important. We are big on education especially with regards to safety standards. Daily safety checks are of supreme importance especially with pedestrian entrances.

Q: What are your plans for Overhead Door Company of Columbus?
Gaffney: My Overhead Door Company is a small, 12-county local business. Once we prove ourselves I believe growth will be inevitable.

Q: What else is in store in 2014?
We were named Small Business Giant for the Month of June by the chamber, and our ribbon cutting ceremony is on June 19th.

To find out more about “The Genuine. The Original. Overhead Door Company,” visit
www.odccolumbus.com or www.automateddoorways.com.