Story ID: 
Your plane benefits from our personal touch.
By: Martha Jercinovich
Caption: Through 75 years, three rebrandings, and thousands of aircraft modifications, repairs, and overhauls, two things have remained constant: the name Stevens and the commitment by the generations of Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems team members to deliver on the promise to treat every customer like a friend.
Word Count: 908
Every owner has a personal bond with their aircraft. So it’s no surprise that “personal service” was the number one reason so many owners choose Stevens as their MRO provider.
“During the recent meeting of the Stevens Aerospace Customer Advisory Board, we asked our customers why they bring their aircraft to us,” explains Phil Stearns, Director of Sales and Marketing for Stevens. “While our array of services and technical skills was high on their lists, the overwhelming reason was knowing that our team members truly care about them and their aircraft.”
As one attendee says, “When I’m here, I don’t feel like a job ticket, but a person with individual needs, and they listen to me. I have the phone numbers of our Stevens contact and the lead technician. I don’t know of any other MRO that provides that level of personal service.”
“Too many businesses today are caught up in the self-centered who we are and what we offer mindset,” Stearns adds. “But we look at it from a who our customers are and what they need perspective, and then concentrate our efforts on delivering the best solution. That simple thing is a big differentiator today.”
And don’t think the company’s dedication to personal service is a flavor of the day. Its “customer first culture” actually dates back to the 1940s, when it began as the in-house maintenance provider for a small fleet of airplanes operated by the J.P. Stevens and Company.
“No matter how our business has changed, the one constant has been the culture that we all genuinely care about our customers,” adds Emily Hamilton, Stevens’ Marketing Manager. “In aviation, everything must be done by FAA regulations, but those regulations are just a starting point for us.”
“We go beyond compliance and create relationships that go back decades,” she continues. “That’s the key to building our 75-year legacy.”
“It’s just who we are.”
Sure, any service provider can say they deliver a great customer experience, but in too many instances today, those words have a hollow ring. But, at Stevens, that commitment might as well be etched on the aircraft’s data plate.
“Each customer has a dedicated representative, and it’s their job to know how their customers use their airplanes,” Hamilton says. “Our customers are welcome to walk into the hangar and talk directly to the technicians working on their airplanes. Trust is all about transparency.”
And while basic technical skills can be easily learned, it takes a great deal of time and attention to pass along the “tribal knowledge” critical to continuing the company’s legacy.
“Probably the greatest thing I can think of to describe Stevens is that we have a lot of seasoned experience here that you don’t find elsewhere,” says Stevens Aircraft Mechanic Philip Coleman. “For some of these airframes, you could call technical support, if available from the OEM, but it’s so much better to ask someone here who has done that job before.”
Too true. So much legacy experience can’t be found in any instructions or documentation. The only way to keep that information alive is by passing it from technician to technician.
“New technicians work side-by-side with Stevens’ veterans, and their experiences get passed along through these daily interactions. These mentorships strengthen not only our technical knowledge, but also our customer service culture,” Hamilton says. “When that knowledge sharing surrounds a technician, it sticks with them. The high value we place on our people is one reason we have team members stay here for their entire careers.”
You’ve got a friend in me…
Stearns stresses that these mentorships are also foundational for building the kinds of long-duration, mutually beneficial customer relationships Stevens is known for.
“In order to do that, we need to understand their world the best we can,” he says. “It’s not a five-minute conversation or something you can fill out on a form—it’s a commitment to long-term listening, interacting, and being there when they need us.”
To illustrate his point, Stearns shared a story of when he and one of the Stevens representatives had dinner with a visiting customer and their spouse, whom the representative had known for several years.
“The conversation ranged from college days to grandkids to dogs and finally to their airplane,” Stearns says. “At the end of the evening, the owner’s spouse asked how he remembered all those personal things about their family. He said, ‘Well, it’s easy when you care about someone.’”
“That kind of personal investment builds a level of trust that is earned and shared by customers. It makes a huge difference,” Stearns continues. “It doesn’t matter what the service is; what matters is that the customer knows that we will work to solve the issue with their best interests in mind.”
The Solution
» Big capability, small company feel.
» At Stevens, you don’t get lost in the system. As a family-owned business for 75 years, we’ve scaled our services without losing what matters most — personal relationships, open communication, and a genuine understanding of our customers.
stevensaerospace.com
1-800-513-9164