AAA Service Plumbing Inc.

AAA Service Plumbing Inc. (AAA) was formed in 1983 by Mike Enright through the closing of another business. The company started out focusing mainly on providing new construction plumbing until the early 1990s when it transitioned to service, where it remains today.

Enright first got into the industry when he met a plumber in a bar. “We talked until close, and I started working for him the next day,” he laughs.  

Workers first

What sets AAA apart from the crowd is a happy staff, with strong expertise in respective fields. Enright points to his employees as the direct source of the company’s competitive edge.

“Our people are all really happy,” he details. “We treat everyone like we would like to be treated. We hire really good people. I try to set the tone. I have to work. I don’t want to work in a bad place; I want to work where people are happy.”

AAA creates a positive, home away from home environment within its offices. Keeping employees on shifts, rather than on call, allows the team to cover one another’s days off easier, as well as balance work lives with home lives. The company celebrates birthdays, and provides lunch for employees, too. “It’s a winning strategy for this day and age,” says Enright.

Like many successful technology companies today, AAA focuses first on its employees’ wellbeing, a very different tactic than most in the industry. With a reputation for such behavior, AAA has found it is not only guaranteed to keep the people it hires, but it rarely has a shortage of potential labor. “We have people knocking on our doors, asking about jobs,” says Enright.

Safety in numbers

AAA is at the top of its industry with one of the highest safety records in the country. The company focuses on continuous training, and is willing to turn down jobs that are high risk for its workers.

Although it isn’t noticed by most customers, AAA keeps two employees together at all times in unsafe areas. When working with tall ladders or on rooftops, workers in pairs are more likely to watch out for each other.

“It’s another reason people like working for us,” Enright explains. “We have no workers’ compensation claims, no liability claims – it makes us stand out from our competitors.”

Operating with approximately 32 employees in the field and 15 in the office, AAA works from just one home location in Arvada, Colorado, sending employees out across the state.

“Our market is largely residential, with an occasional Burger King or Chic Fil-A,” Enright adds.

AAA is hands-on in all of its residential work. “We do everything inside the house,” Enright continues. Enright’s employees are fully trained to recognize asbestos, and are able to make the necessary repairs to everything from sheetrock to painting.

The company’s subcontracted work is mostly outside the house. After working for over 10 years with the same two subcontractors, Enright trusts the partners fully to meet the level of quality that AAA seeks to deliver.

“I don’t have to manage them at all,” Enright explains. “In this last year we’ve changed things quite a bit. We focus on self-respect. We try to teach everyone to be respectful to themselves.”

Change in values

After a severe motorcycle accident put him out of work for four months, Enright returned to the company with a new vision. “I decided to start from scratch; I wanted us to have a better viewpoint,” he continues. “It’s pretty amazing how everyone can adopt this attitude.”

With a team on board with Enright’s vision, it is easy for AAA to meet, and exceed, customers’ needs and expectations. “Ultimately we are making sure we do right by our customers,” Enright explains. By giving full refunds if customers are dissatisfied, AAA builds a level of trust with its clients.

While Enright works mainly in the office, he takes great pride in knowing his customers. “We’ve been working for a lot of people for many years, so I get a lot of personal calls,” he explains. “But I know the people. I remember them.”

Fielding upward of 500 calls on an average Monday, Enright takes pride in the extensive number of positive reviews AAA has accumulated both online and in print.

Even with such a high approval rating, Enright still struggles with frustration over clients who complain over the costs of service. “Sometimes people can’t see that they are buying safety,” Enright explains. “How do you answer to someone who can only see money?”

Looking ahead

The economic downturn was, surprisingly, a boon for AAA. With smaller shops disappearing, the company continued to advertise, bringing in more business than ever.

“We’re having a great year,” Enright says proudly. With steadily increasing sales and working on a clear budget, Enright expects the company will only continue to grow.

The company continues to make a name for itself in the industry by providing quality services with its fleet of well-trained, happy employees. By providing a supportive work environment, as well as attentive service to clients, AAA continues to draw people in.

“It is stupid to lose people because you aren’t good to them,” says Enright. With potential employees knocking on the door, and customers keeping the phone ringing off the hook, AAA Service Plumbing Inc. won’t be losing business anytime soon.