Local business owner T.J. Langford of TJ's Plumbing says the economy has hurt his business, which has grown substantially during the two years its been in operation. (Photo by Jason Sample)

For the past couple of years, a local business based in Jamestown has been defying the odds. Despite a recent economic downturn and sluggish market, TJ's Plumbing and Heating has been able to not only stay open, but actually see substantial growth since first opening in 2007. The business is owned and operated by 33-year-old T.J. Langer who says there are several reasons why he's been successful, and it starts with the customer.
"No matter what the situation is, the customer is always right," Langer explains. "It's amazing how loyal the customers become if you treat them with respect." 

Customer service is something Langer impresses on each of his employees. From the moment they enter a person's home or business to the second before they leave, he says the most important thing his employees can do is develop a positive relationship with the customer. And it's apparently working. "I didn't expect all the relationships I've formed with so many different people. It's beyond something more than just customers. We've really got people who care about our company and they're happy to have us in the home."

In addition to building positive customer relations, Langer says it's just as important to build a positive partnership with your workers. "I wanted to create a company that would not only take care of my customers, but also take care of my employees because what I've learned is longevity of an employee really makes a difference," he says. "They know the customers and the houses. So when I started this, I wanted to look at these guys as partners rather than employees."

Because he treats his employees more like partners, Langford has been able to grow his customer base. "We really hold the guys accountable in the quality of the work and in their actions. We really put our best foot forward.  It all goes back to customer service is our number one goal.  If you have happy employees you have happy customers."

Langford's operation currently has 18 employees.  That's an impressive number considering it was only he and his wife when they first opened. "She'd answer the phones and I'd go out on the calls," he says, but that didn't last long. "I realized really fast that with the little advertising we did the phone started ringing so I started to bring people in right away. In a month I had three or four employees working under me."

In addition to his wife, Langer also has two master plumbers on his staff and seven journeymen. He also has several heating and cooling technicians that have been in the business for several years, plus some great up-and-coming apprentices. Despite the ever-increasing workforce, Langer still does his part to make sure things run smoothly. "We're on-call 24 hours a day seven days a week, so I answer the phone a lot," he says.
Langer also does what he can to market his business effectively. That includes advertising in several media outlets and also creating a brand name and logo that people can easily identify and recognize.

Because of his multi-faceted approach, TJ's Plumbing & Heating has grown into one of the largest operations of its kind in western New York. The business serves all of Chautauqua County, along with neighboring areas as well. "We're all over the southern tier and Warren County P.A.," he explains. "Our waterproofing goes to Buffalo and Erie. Plumbing and heating stays more local." And even though they are based in Jamestown, Langford says his employees live throughout the area, which means they can get to a customer's home quickly, no matter where they may live.

With just two years under his belt, Langford has apparently found a formula that works. He says he has no plans of leaving the area and hopes his business will be around for years to come. "I plan on doing this for the next 30 years and I see this growing into one of the largest plumbing companies on the east coast," he says. "I see us growing every year and the longevity of my crew becoming a real asset. It's going to be a fun journey."