Philosophies Change From Father to Son

SAN ANTONIO, TX — Dennis Mollgaard Sr. can associate strongly with the Alamo. After all, the company he took over in 1989 has proudly worn that moniker (Air Alamo) for 30 years. But Dennis Mollgaard Jr. is reinventing the company’s name and focus. It’s not because he doesn’t have a fondness for the Alamo, but as the younger Mollgaard said, “There are too many businesses with ‘Alamo’ in the name. It’s too confusing.”

So the new name is Tiger Services, whose catchy slogan is, “We earn our stripes every day.” It may not be guerilla marketing, but it certainly is a move to pump new life into the business and tap into a vast residential service and replacement market, which constitutes 100% of Tiger’s business.

“It’s called relationship marketing,” said Mollgaard Jr. “We wanted a look [a tiger image] that would jump right out at the customer.”

Positioning

Tiger Services is poised to leap into a very lucrative San Antonio market. Mollgaard Sr. acknowledges that the company, which he recently turned over to his son, is probably one of the largest in the San Antonio residential service market. And the competition is getting keener all of the time.

“Houses are getting older and the market is getting bigger,” he said. “We are seeing more competition for residential service from consolidators and people like Sears.”

In an area that is constantly attracting new businesses, such as Southwestern Bell and a slew of telemarketing companies, the Mollgaards believe it is important to have an edge over the competition. Thus, the birth of Tiger Services — and a less-than-traditional look.

“All of our trucks are being painted orange and black,” Mollgaard Jr. said. “The tiger graphic reflects at night when headlights shine on it. Isn’t it true that the three things that sell are sex, babies, and animals?”

Investing In Workers

With a staff of 30, revenues of $3.1 million, and a high ranking in the San Antonio market, it would be easy to assume that Tiger Services could rest on its laurels. But the Mollgaards know better. Good labor is the force behind a successful business, and the company wants to invest in more well-trained people, despite the potholes in the road.

“Finding and keeping help is a big challenge, but our training meets the challenge,” he said. “We are seeing more sophisticated competition from people like Sears, Lennox, Home Depot, and Lowes. But these people are not taking enough time to educate their existing dealers.”

The company is also producing a newsletter called “Tiger Times,” which is mailed out three times a year. It serves two purposes: to educate customers, and to act as a road map to bigger things.

“Once our new website [www. TigerServices.com] is complete, it will be part of our overall plan to use relationship marketing to build lifelong relationships with our customers,” said Mollgaard Jr.

The aggressive plans of the “new” company don’t stop with the newsletter and the website. The company is going to add more in-home services, and also plans to start up new divisions.

Publication date: 03/26/2001