Page 20 - The Compass - Volume 14 Issue 5

“We train relationship daily. We meet once a month for a manager’s meeting.
building. We train We talk about where we are today and where we need to
delivering a quality be next month,” Rick said. “We’ve also accomplished a
service experience. All of lot as a management team. For a long time, we had a list
that is more important of projects that needed completing. We’d assign those
than sales training. We tasks to each of us and have a deadline. We have a lot of
don’t just sell people. We those big, big projects done.”
make it painfully clear to “To grow to where we are now, yes, you need the sales,”
our people, you never sell Rick continued. “But you have to deliver operationally.
something to somebody if That’s the greater challenge.”
they don’t need it. If you The Ongaros’ and Rick feel like the company is in its
do that, you’re gone.” Rick best place it’s ever been operationally. To grow from
said sternly. “At the same maybe $6 Million to an on-target $19 Million in three
time, we owe it to our
ROBERTO FILICE & OMAR VASQUEZ years is remarkable. It’s even more stunning when you
homeowners to educate consider they’ve typically only spent 2% of revenue on
them and offer them marketing. Although, Rick pointed out they’ve budgeted
options and recommendations. We let them decide on to spend 5% in 2019.
what to do.” “We see more potential in HVAC and still think we
Ongaro & Sons’ technical and communication training have a lot of potential in plumbing,” Rick said. “We
has been wildly effective. “For example, we have a field should get past that $20 Million mark quickly. We’re
manager who was a warehouse guy from a local hardware going to move into electrical in the not so distant future.
store. He came here looking for growth potential. We We have the incredible client base.”
sent him to school. We trained him and groomed him. “Before we do, we’re probably going to need a new
From a helper, he’s grown into management.” building,” Paul was quick to add. “We’ve maxed out
“My top IAQ guy is probably selling $150,000 a month. our facility. We have people sitting in each other’s laps
He came from Target. I can’t tell you how many people practically.”
we have like that,” Rick said. “We’re big on succession “I want to point out that these numbers we’re tossing
here. We like to promote from within. It happens in around are great. But we’re not just some volume business.
our office, too. Our call-center manager was a CSR. She Ongaro & Sons has soul,” Rick wanted to make sure to
moved to be an admin manager, and then we promoted share with readers. “It’s why we invest so much into the
another CSR.” development of our people. We have loyal customers of
“The Ongaros’ have always had a workplace people 87 years who trust us, but we have a responsibility to
enjoyed. It’s why we have guys who’ve been here 15, them, too.”
20, 25 years. Employee retention is a huge advantage It’s an exciting time to be a part of Ongaro & Sons.
for us. You can’t double the number of employees you This third generation of Ongaros’—Ernie, Paul, Mitch,
have if you’re constantly losing people,” Rick added. and Dean—have been so much more than simple
“Now, people see they can move up and be promoted by stewards to their family business—they’ve positioned it
working really hard. It’s creating even greater loyalty.” to thrive for generations to come. They’ve done so by
The Future for Ongaro & Sons investing in people and processes, and they’ve done so by
understanding and
Ongaro & Sons didn’t always have the right people. Paul stressing the value
told about a time not long after joining SGI where he of culture, not just
and his family had to decide what was more important: sales.
Keeping productive but disruptive technicians or There’s no way of
protecting the company’s culture. knowing if the next
“These were talented people who weren’t the easiest three generations of
to work with. These were people who were a huge Ongaros’ will want
part of our budget. But we knew that culture was more to operate their
important than sales,” he said. “When you keep people namesake like their
like that, you end up losing your good people. The people grandfathers before
who you want to build around.” them, but they most
And Ongaro & Sons has plenty of good people, and certainly will have
even more today. Look no further than their expanded the option. This
management team. Most of whom do not have the family business has
Ongaro name. “I interact with our management team been built to last. 
DAVID BISHOP, MAX SWEGLE

20 THE COMPASS | Issue 5 | 2019