“This campaign is the formal introduction of the Encompass name to residential customers in two of our largest markets [Houston, TX, and Greensboro, NC],” said John N. Garofalo, president of Encompass Residential Services. “It demonstrates the cohesiveness of our organization and the advantage of doing business with a large, nationwide service provider.”

Smooth Transition

Garofalo added that the Houston market has five different Encompass companies, offering plumbing services, hvacr services, and residential new construction. Since one of the Encompass’ original goals was to maintain consistency and keep a link to the former companies, the idea of a program involving all Houston-area companies seemed an ideal solution.

“We were concerned we would lose credibility with customers,” he said. “We wanted to transition between the original name and the Encompass name. We brought the five companies together [under the Edge program]. Everybody’s uniform has the Edge patch, matching hats, photo ID badges, and we have re-identified all of the vehicles to include the original name of the company and the Encompass Edge logo.”

Garofalo said that in addition to the major advertising campaign, the company is looking into hosting a talk show in the Houston area.

He noted that the recent spike in energy prices will also have a direct impact on Edge campaigns. “We are going to guarantee utility savings with the Edge if we install high-efficiency furnaces,” he said.

“We also have builder upgrade showrooms, which will allow builders to bring their customers in so they can educate them on SEER ratings, high-efficiency systems, etc. Eventually we would like to have all product offerings from our five facilities (including plumbing, security, electrical) to be in one place.”

The Edge is also being rolled out in Greensboro, where Encompass has one company, Central Carolina, with satellite branches in Winston-Salem and Burlington. Garofalo would like to see the Edge concept take hold in many different communities, to the point where all Encompass Residential Service companies will employ the Edge system and have it identified on their trucks and in their advertising.

“We are going to look at the Edge for a quarter and its criteria; and if it proves to be successful, we may launch the program in other markets, e.g., Dallas, TX, and Fort Myers, FL,” Garofalo added.

“I would love for the Edge to become so ingrained in customers’ minds that it becomes the Encompass Edge.”

Publication date: 04/09/2001