Bob Pierce Jr. is the third president and third generation to own and operate Pierce Fence Company in Dover. His own fence experience started at the age of 16, and in the more than 30 years he has worked for the family business, he has installed a multitude of fencing.
Bob Jr. took over the company in 2015 when his father decided to semi-retire and concentrate on residential sales.
Bob Sr. and his brother, Bruce, had taken over from their father, William E. Pierce Jr., in 1990. Bruce later sold his share but continued to work as an installer.
Bob Jr. is passionate about carrying on the legacy his grandfather started, with the hope of one day seeing his sons become the fourth generation. Already Bobby (Bob III), who started working in the business at 15, is a foreman at 19 and runs his own crew. His younger brother, Blake, started working in the shop at 14 and has moved to the field, working as a co-foreman.
One pleasure the boys enjoy is returning to a job site where their great-grandfather put up a fence in the 1970s that is still standing tall. Both boys are highly interested in keeping the company strong.
Bob Jr.’s wife, Karen, said, “The average span of a family-owned business is 24 years. Only 13 percent are passed down successfully to a third generation. Statistics show most don’t last that long. It is a testament to our family that Pierce Fence Company has been around for more than 55 years.”
Pierce Fence Company started with a small house on a commercial lot at 5751 North DuPont Highway in 1969 and has expanded in that same location into a large building that houses three offices, a shop area and a supply yard.
Pierce recently purchased five acres adjacent to their current location for expansion.
Pierce Fence had about 10 employees when it was handed over to Bob Jr. and Karen. “We currently have 25, and with that, we needed more structure and balance,” Karen said.
“Implementing operating procedures allowed for the day-to-day tasks to go smoother. It achieved efficiency, quality output and uniformity of performance while reducing miscommunication and failure. We are grateful to quality employees. We created employee handbooks, offered paid time off, paid holidays and a 401k with a company match. You have to be willing to give in order to receive. We have a great team.” Director of operations is Wayne Hawkins, Karen’s brother, who has worked for the company for 20 years. Zach Price is the facilities supervisor.
Another focus has been better communication with customers. “We knew it was important to not have our customers feel like we just gave them a number and moved on to the next customer,” Karen said. “We want to earn their business. Servicing the customer is the first priority, and exceptional service is above all. We set up a system to make sure we stay in contact with a customer after an estimate is given. We check-in; we ask questions, and we follow up. Again, this took about a year or so to get right because it is not something we had in the past.”
Equipment, too, needed to be top quality. “We wanted to be more efficient on job sites. Over the years our crews relied on augers and shovels, but we have since invested in many large machines to not only help our crews but to be able to achieve quality results faster, which allowed us to become more efficient across the board. We are one of the only fence companies in Delaware that have the equipment that is specifically made for our industry.”
Bob Jr. said, “We have built our reputation by selling quality fence products at a fair price and having good customer service. We stand behind our workmanship whether it is a residential or commercial job, small or large.
We have the experience to get the job done right.” A five-year workmanship warranty is offered on new residential installs.
Customers can request an appointment by telephone, email or online at piercefence.com. Bob Sr. meets with customers personally to take notes, offer options, make suggestions and take measurements. Estimates are free; pricing is competitive. Supplies are available for do-it-yourselfers.
For fencing installation anywhere in Delaware, call (302) 674-1996 or (302) 703-9141 or email piercefence@piercefence.com.
