New Novak driver becomes instant customer favorite

Sept. 4, 2019

This paid piece is sponsored by Novak Sanitary Service.

If you’ve ever forgotten it’s your garbage pick-up day, then you appreciate someone like Bernard Botha.

At least a couple of times each day, the Novak Sanitary Service driver notices a container is missing on a customer’s driveway.

“I’ll just go knock on the door,” he said.

“And if I don’t get an answer, sometimes the neighbors recognize me and will call the person quick.”

At one stop, a young boy comes running every time he sees the truck.

“And I show him how we work,” Botha said.

At another home, every Friday an 84-year-old customer sits there waiting for him.

“He has a hard time moving around, and the other day he had a branch break on one of his trees, so my co-worker and I picked it up for him,” Botha said. “He was very happy about that.”

This is not an uncommon sentiment for Botha’s customers, who have embraced him after just three months on the job.

“He’s been here three months, and in that time it feels like he must have set a record for customer compliments given to someone who is so new,” Novak general manager Mike Herbst said.

“You can’t not love the guy. He’s just a good person, with really good character. And he cares.”

Botha came to the United States from South Africa in 2006. He first moved to Oregon but quickly found his way to South Dakota, where his cousin landed a job.

After 11 years working in the sign department at an area manufacturer, Botha heard about Novak from a friend.

“He worked there and told me about Novak, so I came and had a conversation with Mike, and here I am,” Botha said.

To say he has made an immediate impression is an understatement. Botha gets to work at 5:30 a.m. Some days, his route takes him to Hartford or Crooks. Other days, he’s working between 33rd and 50th streets from Minnesota to Kiwanis avenues. You’ll also find him in far south Sioux Falls.

“I absolutely like the freedom,” he said. “I’m an outdoor person, and I love the sunshine. I don’t like to be put in four walls every day. I’m an outgoing person, and that’s what I enjoy about Novak as well.”

He credits a brief stint in customer service at a different employer for helping him hone his skills. But most of it likely just comes naturally.

“Customer service, that’s the main priority,” Botha said. “It’s understanding what their needs are, what they’re looking for from Novak, and how can we make their garbage service what they really want from us.”

He learns to gauge people’s personalities to help communicate, he said.

“If a customer seems to be having a bad day, I’ll ask how the day is and what we can do to make the day happier,” he said. “And some customers have communicated personal problems to me. I just love everything about the customers and what I can do to help.”

Clearly, Novak has found another star employee.

“We have the best driver team we’ve ever had right now, and finding a guy like Bernard just complements the team,” Herbst said.

“We’re just glad to have him. The majority of our team has been built through referrals – friends of friends – and that’s always positive. Our business is based on empowered and self-directed employees, and that’s a shining example right there. He’s just fantastic.”

As for Botha, he beams when talking about his newfound job, his newly earned commercial driver’s license and his hopes for the future.

“I would definitely say Novak has presented me with a lot of opportunities, moving forward in life,” he said. “I’m working to become a lead or supervisor, and I know Novak can offer that. And mostly, I just really enjoy interacting with the people in the community.”

Do you know someone who would make the next outstanding Novak employee? Tell them to click here or call 338-7126.

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New Novak driver becomes instant customer favorite

“You can’t not love the guy. He’s just a good person, with really good character. And he cares.” Take a moment to get to know one of Novak’s newest drivers — and we bet you’ll love him too.

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