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Since 2007, Tracked Lifts LLC – based in York, Pennsylvania, and a TCIA corporate member company since 2008 – has a reputation for providing arborist-designed and -built compact lifts that are safe, efficient and durable, according to Brent Yohn, CEO.

The TL 27.14 during a demo at Princeton University.

While Tracked Lifts is recognized for its commitment to quality, company management isn’t stopping there. They listened to their customers and recognized areas for improvement in their after-sale service and support. Yohn has taken the feedback seriously, and is driving a dynamic overhaul focused on enhancing customer support and service.

This overhaul includes the hiring of two strategic professionals who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to spearhead this transformation. Their cutting-edge approach will prioritize responsiveness, best practices and, most important, customer success.

Wes Snapp, newly appointed executive director of client services, spent his first 30 days speaking with customers and hearing candid feedback. “We were hearing things like, ‘It takes forever to get parts,’ and, ‘Phone calls always go to voicemail,’” says Snapp. “That just wasn’t acceptable. Customers are investing a large sum of money to acquire one of our lifts. We have to deliver customer service at a level that promotes their continued success days, months and years after the sale.”

The result is a recent, focused approach to a company-wide reorganization that includes investing heavily in customer support. Joining Snapp in this reorganization are Dan Bishop, director of operations, and Eric Bailey, customer support manager. Bishop is laser-
focused on refining Tracked Lifts’ parts-and-service operations, with a special focus on responsible expansion across the United States.

“Eric has been instrumental in providing best-of-class equipment service for the past eight years. In fact, Eric is something of a minor celebrity within our customer base,” notes Snapp. “He’s phenomenal at taking phone calls and troubleshooting problems successfully, so customers don’t have to go to the trouble of bringing their equipment in (to a service center).”
Founded by an arborist
Tracked Lifts has a history based in the arbor industry, as noted in the company slogan, “Crafted by arborists, engineered for versatility.”

“Our equipment has always been on point and well thought of in the tree care industry,” says Snapp. “Ours is the first lift out there designed and built for the arborist industry. The equipment is stronger, sturdier and designed specifically to meet the demanding needs of arborists.”

“Tracked Lifts is a true American success story,” says Yohn. “Our founder (Miroslaw ‘Mike’ Hrycak) immigrated from Poland on July 4, 1985, and graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from New York Institute of Technology in 1991. He came here for the opportunities he knew he’d find in America, and eventually he started a tree business on Long Island.

From left, Tracked Lifts’ Wes Snapp, Eric Bailey and Dan Bishop in front of the TL 22.10. All photos courtesy of Tracked Lifts.

“Mike bought his first compact lift in 2005 and realized how unreliable and complex it was to operate and maintain,” Yohn continues. “That led to a partnership with two manufacturers – Platform Basket in Italy and Omme Lift in Denmark – that he felt had the potential for development in the arborist market. It turned out they both had been looking to enter the U.S. market, so Mike worked closely with them to develop Tracked Lifts, with equipment that is strong, easy to operate and reliable in the demanding arborist world.”

Innovations to meet client needs

Snapp and Bishop are proud of the new programs and practices at Tracked Lifts, all designed to make the customer experience more seamless and enjoyable. Among these are the new, more convenient, brick-and-mortar authorized service-center locations being opened across the country. “We’re establishing a much larger footprint of service centers,” Bishop notes. “The number is 27 so far in 2024 and growing, from the one brick-and-mortar location we had previously, in addition to our six field techs!

“Our teams are excited about our new processes – things like internal communication, ticketing, shipping and quality assurance,” Bishop continues. “Morale and camaraderie are unparalleled right now. Our company culture has changed dramatically in such a positive way.”

“We understand that an organization has to take care of its customers first – that is paramount,” Snapp adds. “No company can survive otherwise.”

Utilizing the 72-foot working height of the TL 22.10.

Creative financing

Another customer-focused initiative is affordability, says Snapp. Tracked Lifts’ innovative finance program offers a variety of creative means of financing for the differing needs of arborists. One successful program, titled “Winter Off,” accommodates the down time experienced by some tree care companies, allowing for up to three months off from making payments during the slow season.

Another popular program allows the buyer to pay only $99 a month for the first six months, providing their company time to ramp up to the business level needed to sustain the cost of the new lift. “A number of our competitors have copied this program, so we know we must be doing something right,” says Snapp.
Safety & training
“Climbing is now touted as the most dangerous job in the country, even more than fishing on the Bering Sea,” says Snapp. “Tracked Lifts provides a level of safety you don’t get when climbing, and can significantly reduce the risk of injury, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

“Recognizing the need to ensure our customers’ success and, even more important, their safety, we’ve partnered with Noble Oak Safety & Training to launch a brand-new training program for new owners,” he says. “Depending on the session requested, arborists will get firsthand operational training while earning eight to 16 CEUs. This new program goes hand in hand in making certain our customer service is the best it can possibly be.”

With an energetic team ready to surpass expectations in customer service and client success, as well as a versatile lineup of workhorse lifts, Tracked Lifts is poised to enhance buyer confidence in a huge way. “We have reinvested massively in this area, and we’re crazy excited about what 2025 has in store – and beyond,” Snapp concludes. “It’s an awesome time for Tracked Lifts!”

Patricia Chaudoin has been a freelance writer/editor for more than four decades, in areas as disparate as tree care, golf, weddings, luxury travel and international non-profit NGOs. She has been writing for TCI Magazine since 2016.

TCI Magazine’s Corporate Member Spotlight is a sponsored feature available only to TCIA corporate members. Contact erodewald@tcia.org for more information.