Customer Service Representative at Sunbelt Rentals
A Marine finds happiness in a job that lets him lead his team.
by Warren Duffie

There’s an old adage “Every Marine is a rifleman.”

According to James Bongolan, every Marine is a leader as well – someone who can take charge and guide his or her comrades out of danger.

He proved his theory under fire in Iraq and is still using those Marine leadership skills as a customer service representative for Sunbelt Rentals. Bongolan’s experience enables him to excel in corporate America’s battles for client satisfaction and profitability.

“We have a small group of employees at my store,” said the former sergeant. “So everyone must take responsibility for store operations when the manager isn’t present. This really gives everyone a chance to stand out and be noticed.”

On the Job

Bongolan, 24, works at a small Sunbelt store, called a “profit center,” located within a Lowe’s hardware store in Dallas. With a team of three other employees and one manager, he rents out equipment to commercial and residential clients.

During the week, Bongolan’s customers are mostly construction contractors in the industrial sectors. They need everything from floor buffers to tile strippers; Bobcats to jackhammers. On the weekends, the store floods with do-it-yourself customers, anxious to fix up their homes and gobble up lawn equipment.

Bongolan works Mondays through Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. His days are spent filling customer orders, arranging equipment, and processing returned equipment to determine if it needs repair. Most of his responsibility is attending to their onsite customers.

“I really like my job because every day is different and keeps you on your toes,” Bongolan said. “The crew here reminds me of a fire team in the Marine Corps. Communication is crucial. The morning crew keeps the afternoon crew apprised of everything that needs to be done when we walk through the door. That way, nothing slips through the cracks. I work with a really good group.”

Seeking Veterans

Stretching from coast to coast — with a solid foundation in the Southeast — Sunbelt boasts 7,524 employees, more than 450 locations, and annual revenues of $1.5 billion. It caters to commercial, residential, municipal, and service industries; specialized market sectors such as telecommunications, special events, and emergency preparedness; and weekend do-it-yourselfers.

There’s a wide spectrum of opportunities available for transitioning veterans, from skilled laborers to management positions. Other jobs include mechanics, drivers with commercial driver’s licenses, rental managers, and sales representatives.

In Uniform

A native of Charleston, S.C., Bongolan spent his last two years of high school in Plano, Texas. After graduation in 2001, he enlisted in the Marine Corps.

“I wanted to see the world outside of South Carolina or Texas,” he says. “I chose the Marine Corps because its boot camp offered the toughest challenge, which was something I really wanted.”

After basic training at the Marine Corp Recruit Depot in San Diego, Bongolan attended infantry school at Camp Pendleton. Within a year, he was part of the initial surge for Operation Iraqi Freedom, pushing into Al-Hillah with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

“We took one of Saddam’s palaces, which had been evacuated,” Bongolan says. “There was a lot of theft going on at the time. People were stealing floor tiles and diamonds from the chandeliers.”

Bongolan’s first tour in Iraq lasted from January to September of 2003; the second stretched from September 2004 to March 2005. This time, his unit participated in the famous push into Fallujah, spending each day engaged in fierce firefights and house-to-house urban combat with insurgents.

“In that situation, you don’t think about being scared because that would hold you back from your mission,” Bongolan says. “It’s not until afterwards that the fear and shock really hit you.

“My most memorable experience in Iraq was seeing the women and children,” he continues. “The smiles on their faces and their thanks made you feel like you were changing things for the better.”

The Transition

In November 2005, Bongolan left the Marine Corps to attend college. Though he knew he would miss the camaraderie of the military, he realized his training schedule and deployments would affect his ability to complete coursework.

So he took several TAP classes – which he described as “very helpful and essential to helping you prepare for civilian life” – and went to work for Nations Rentals, where he worked prior to enlisting.

In 2006, Nations Rentals was purchased by Sunbelt. Bongolan kept his job, but changed his uniform.

“The benefits are a lot better with Sunbelt,” he says. “For example, we now have more bonuses for equipment rentals and sales. Also, Sunbelt is always holding training seminars and workshops for employees.

“We also have what’s called Sunbelt University,” he continues. “This is for people who want to broaden their knowledge of the equipment we rent and sell or learn how to enter into management. There is endless room for growth within this company.”

Bongolan’s Advice

Have a plan. “Figure out what you want to do before leaving the military. What job you want? Where do you want to go to school? Where do you want to live?”

Don’t wait until the last minute. “That’s the surest way to get lost in the stress of the transition.”

Do your recon. “Don’t go into a job interview blind. Learn about the company and industry. Approach this information-gathering like you would a military mission.”