At Durvet, we pride ourselves on being different. Our core values are centered on providing superior customer service and focusing on people. We strive to make personal connections at all levels of our business from vendors to distributor members and consumers. These connections further our efforts to provide superior customer service.

About 10 years ago, a customer requested we carry an equine grooming tool called Horse Shave. We had a brand name and a location, but little else to go on. We scoured the internet, called local contacts and continued to come up empty. Rather than telling the customer, we couldn’t source it, we kicked it up a notch and thought outside the box. Knowing the manufacturer was located in a small town, we reached out to one of the places that would likely know everyone in that town: the local funeral home! Our sleuthing paid off and we located Rich and Ginny Groff, the husband and wife duo behind Mid-Mo Horse Shave.

Fast forward 10 years and we’ve developed a great relationship with the Groffs. They’re avid gardeners which struck a chord with our warehouse manager, Bobby Bowers, who has been gardening for as long as he can remember. The personal connection was made, and as Bobby says: “I really enjoy talking with them and sharing gardening tips, so I make it a point to unload their truck when I can.” 

Inside were packets of heirloom cantaloupe, squash and watermelon seeds, along with a handwritten note explaining the seeds. These varieties were a welcome gift to Bobby who plants two gardens totaling over 600 square feet in addition to about 20 potted vegetable plants. F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of The Great Gatsby, famously said, “Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.” When applied to business, missing the opportunity to connect on a personal level can be costly.

That opportunity to connect is one that Durvet will not miss – we’re focused on people and we value the relationships we’ve developed due to that commitment.The common bonds didn’t end with gardening – Bobby’s grandmother was raised in the small town of Stover, MO which Rich and Ginny call home as well! While these relationships are beneficial to our business, they also transcend on a personal level. Bobby recently received a personally addressed envelope from the Groff’s.