It’s not enough for Vince Puente Sr. that his company, Southwest Office Systems of Fort Worth, Texas, enjoys success. Nor is it considered a victory if both the dealership and its client come out on top in a deal.
However, should SOS, its client and Puente’s team members all check the satisfaction box, that enables long-term success and adds a smile to the face of the company’s president of sales and marketing. A win-win-win scenario might be harder to achieve, but its impact is longer lasting.
“That means we give exceptional customer service and value to our clients, even though that may draw on the profitability of the company,” said Puente, a 2019 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “We treat all team members with respect and are willing to reward them financially for exceptional performance. With these two priorities, our bottom line shows exceptional results, giving SOS the win in the long run.”
SOS is very much a family, with Puente and his brother, Buddy, the patriarchs of the organization. For example, Puente proudly notes that many longtime employees are reaching retirement age and will enter the next stage of their lives buffered by an aggressive 401K plan.
Work Ethic
Then again, hard work has always been ingrained in Puente and his blood family. In sixth grade, he ran a paper route, and always held a job through high school. But as a senior in high school, Puente lost his job at the local hardware store. His “pop,” Victor Puente Sr., needed a delivery person for his typewriter repair shop, and the youngster reluctantly accepted the position.
In college, Puente gave architecture a shot, but it didn’t take. He even tried selling system furniture, but soon found that sales—and a career with SOS—was his true destiny. Working with his father provided insight not only to the business world, it also offered the opportunity to seek out his better self.
“He taught me that whatever I lacked in talent or financial wherewithal, I could overcome with an exceptional work ethic and a focus of value-add for our clients and teammates,” he said.
That mantra was put to the test in the fall of 2018, when SOS’ largest client (a Fortune 500 company) informed him they would be issuing a new RFP. Puente and his team quickly mobilized, and in a series of meetings, they were able to illustrate the value-add that SOS brought to the table. The bid was rescinded and the contract extended.
SOS has fostered a reputation for operating debt-free, which the Puentes have extended into their personal lives. The company is tracking record-breaking net income for 2019, and Puente hopes to add record-breaking revenue to the narrative as well.
Pushing Ahead
“We are aggressively pursuing new accounts and creating unique answers to our clients’ document technology challenges,” he said. “The ongoing challenge is solving the problem of sales recruitment and productivity. We continue to look and try various avenues.”
Puente has two great passions outside of work: family and his relationship with Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. Vince and Mona Puente have been married for 44 years and have two grown children, Vince Jr. and Lindsay. The Puentes are highly involved with local, state and national politics, along with Christ-centered organizations. Their home was constructed with hosting in mind, and upwards of 1,000 people attend events there on an annual basis.
The Puentes are also avid dancers, while Vince enjoys tinkering with spreadsheets and developing new formulas. “Sounds boring, but at least I’m honest,” he confided.
