Test Run Turns into Home Run for IIA Lift Services

In their endless efforts to keep the lights on for customers, electric line crews perform dangerous work every day. Thorough lift inspections are critical to keeping workers safe, and they’re one of our specialties at IIA.

Until 2021, Westerville Electric Division in Ohio had been working with one of IIA's competitors to perform ANSI inspections and dielectric testing on its fleet of bucket trucks and digger derricks. However, John Friley, Safety & Tools, had become frustrated with a lack of communication and technician turnover he was experiencing with that provider.

Thanks to previous outreach by our Northeast Sales Manager Brian Burger, John was ready to give IIA a chance.

"Brian had cold-called me earlier, and I happened to be looking at new options for testing this year, so I decided I would give IIA a try," says John.

For starters, though, IIA was tasked with inspecting just one bucket truck.

"We did a test run with one of our trucks to see if IIA knew what they were talking about," recalls John, who put inspector Nick Bontzolakes to the test. "I even left Nick a couple 'Easter eggs' — things I knew were wrong that I didn't tell him about — just to see if he caught them. And he caught every one."

"That first inspection made it clear that IIA had the expertise we needed, so we had them come out and do the rest of our fleet," says John. "The IIA technician was very knowledgeable and respectful, and extremely flexible with me when I was switching trucks out on him left and right."

Thanks to Nick's know-how — and reasonable pricing from IIA — that test run proved to be a home run. Today, IIA is their provider of choice for the entire fleet at Westerville Electric Division.