Home Services Success Stories

Customer Service Beats Shiny Tools When Building A Home Services Company

• Peakzi • Season 1 • Episode 13

Share episode

Peakzi Podcast: A volunteer job for a little league turned into a multi-trade home services company with a simple promise: serve people first, solve problems right, and let growth follow the needs of the community. Travis Parobek shares how his family’s business, Parobek Plumbing and Air Conditioning in Bastrop, TX, moved from a single truck to a 65-person team by treating customer experience as the real product and keeping technical excellence paired with empathy at every step.

We dig into what it means to grow up in the trade, leave, and return with a new sense of purpose. Travis explains why indoor plumbing and reliable cooling are more than conveniences—they’re the baseline of modern life—and how that perspective fuels pride and responsibility on every call. From hiring for heart to ongoing training, he lays out how they build a culture where handwritten notes, clear communication, and respectful service aren’t extras, they’re expectations.

We also talk smart growth and smarter marketing. Marketing manager Candace joins to share how Peakzi’s AI platform helps them rank across AI search, understand competitors, and run targeted campaigns using realtor data like equipment age and permit history. It’s a practical blend of old-fashioned service with modern tools: technology to focus efforts, people to deliver the promise. Looking forward, the team plans to add electrical, continue serving rural Central Texas, and keep the business family-owned for generations—no private equity track, no shortcuts, just steady, sustainable expansion rooted in community.

If this story resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who cares about craftsmanship, culture, and customer experience. Your support helps more local businesses learn, grow, and serve with heart.

Powered by: www.peakzi.me

Find out more: https://parobekplumbing.com/

Peakzi Podcast: Home Services Success Stories

Julian Placino:

Welcome to the Home Services Success Stories podcast powered by Peakzi the number one AI platform for growing your home services business. And on the show today, I have Travis Parobek, who is the operations manager at Parobek Plumbing and Air Conditioning. Travis, welcome to the show. How are you?

Speaker 2:

I'm good, Julian. Thanks for having me.

Julian Placino:

Yeah, it's great to have you on and excited to jump into your story. So, so Travis, how did Parobek Plumbing and Air Conditioning get its start back in 1999? And what inspired your father to launch the business in Bastrop?

Speaker 2:

Uh yeah, I mean, it was kind of by accident. Uh Charlie's always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but uh he was actually doing a just a little, you know, nonprofit um for project for the for the little league here in town, just as an individual. And so uh he's always had a plumbing background, been doing it since the mid-80s. But um, yeah, we did a did a little building for the little league, and then you know, we didn't have a company name or anything at the time. He was just doing it on the side, and they came up with a name to put on the side of the building, Parobek Plumbing, and so they kind of just made the name for us. Um, but after that, you know, it was just more like community need. You saw there was a need in our community. It's a few smaller companies, but nobody was really doing it at the professional level, you know, that he knew was possible. Um so yeah, it just kind of kind of came about naturally and started, you know, one truck, him and a few other guys, and just kind of grew from there.

Julian Placino:

Interesting. So, what was the nonprofit? What was the tie-in there?

Speaker 2:

Um, well, it was just a um not a nonprofit, but like a um just a volunteer project, right? So, you know, at the time I was a kid and uh me and my brother and we were in Little League and stuff, and so they asked him to help with you know a building to do um some volunteer work, and so he he volunteered his plumbing services for that, and then yeah, that was kind of how the accidental name of the company came about. So we started his plumbing and then just started getting air conditioning in like 2020, so about five years ago.

Julian Placino:

Gotcha. So so that was Charlie's background, though. He was a plumber before kind of all this started to happen, but based on the community need, he saw an opportunity to serve, and then it started to kind of grow organically. That's kind of how it happened, right? Yeah, that's awesome. That's awesome. So you literally grew up in the industry. It looks like you started your career at 13 years old. So, what did those early experiences teach you about the trade, customer service, and leadership?

Speaker 2:

Uh, the trade, yeah, it's it's hard work. And uh yeah, I started out as like a ditch digger and a grunt and a tool getter. And uh yeah, so I I grew up doing that and you know, in my childhood and early adolescence. Um, I was like, man, I don't want to do this. This this this work is hard, right? Like I I don't want to be a plumber, I gotta go do something else. So um yeah, I kind of just worked in high school, you know, summers and stuff like that, and wasn't too bad, but then I I got away from it for a while and then I got back into the trade by default when other things didn't work out. And so uh, you know, I always kind of saw it as a backup plan, but now you know, seeing it as an opportunity, um, I I feel blessed to like, you know, be in the industry. Um, because I just at the time when I was a kid, I just didn't realize the potential and you know what I could get out of it as far as the gratification, what I do every day.

Julian Placino:

Interesting. And what is that opportunity and describe that gratification because it's interesting. You you came from the business, you left, you kind of wanted to do your own thing, you came back, but now you see it in a different lens. So, what is that?

Speaker 2:

I think it's just the like the ability to serve people on a daily basis and like the importance of what we do, you know, in our trade, um, you know, providing people comfort in their homes and just uh, you know, like plumbing, for example. Indoor plumbing is what separates us from being a third world country. And so there's that. And then you've got air conditioning. I don't know how you could live in the state without air conditioning. Um, so it's just we're talking like essential services, right? By today's day and age. And so um, I never really saw it like the importance, the need, the value in what we do and how we serve our customers and our community. Um, and it's it's very, yeah, it's it's very rewarding, very gratifying.

Julian Placino:

That's really cool. I never thought about that. That is a distinguishing factor that separates us from a third world country, is the plumbing system, something we take so for granted. You know what I mean? So that's uh that's a really interesting insight. So Parobek says it's more than just the plumbing company, it's a customer service company. So, what exactly does that mean and how does that show up in your day-to-day work?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so uh plumbing and air conditioning, like the trades themselves, it takes a while as a professional, like learn the trade and the ins and outs of how things are supposed to be done. Um, but that's that's really the easy part, right? That's uh the technical skills, that's easy. The hard part is the business aspect and the customer service experience. That's something that you can never perfect, right? You never, if you're chasing, you know, the best possible experience for the customer. Um so that's what we we focus a lot of time and effort on, you know, with our people and really chasing that customer experience because yeah, the technical side of things, once you get it, you get it. You know, you're a plumber, you've been doing it you know, four plus years. Um there's always new stuff coming about, right? But technical-wise, um, that's the easy part.

Julian Placino:

And you know, y'all have tremendous reviews, and it speaks to kind of this whole customer aspect. And some of them even mentioned how professional and friendly your techs are. Some even go the extra mile with like handwritten notes. So, how do you build that into the culture? Because that's not just a one-off, it seems to happen over and over. So, how do you teach that to your team?

Speaker 2:

Uh well, I think it goes back to like who we hire, who we retain within our company, right? It's like I say we're big on culture and we don't have a culture of people that that don't care, right? We we have when we're when we're hiring, we're hiring for attitude. Uh, like I say, we can teach anybody how to do plumbing or air conditioning on the technician level. Um, we're really looking for like what are your morals? What drives you? What what um I mean, do you actually enjoy helping people? Uh or are you just here for a paycheck? So, like getting people that actually enjoy pleasing and helping on a daily basis, right? That's how you you really focus on that customer experience. It's it's our people.

Julian Placino:

So it sounds like it's not you you gotta hire the right people because it is hard to fake customer service and being a nice person, right? So it starts in the hiring process. I think that makes a lot of sense. And when you hire according to your values, that is a great way to kind of naturally perpetuate your culture down to the customer level. I think that's great.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's a trickle-down effect, uh, for sure. It just happens naturally at that point. I mean, we spend a lot of time and effort on training and continuous training on that customer experience, but it comes natural for people that actually care uh about who they're serving every day.

Julian Placino:

So it's kind of like the nature and nurture, nature hiring the right person, nurture by continuing to teach and develop. So I think that's a great point. So Parobek is very specific in saying that it blends old-fashioned service with modern innovation. So, what are some of those tools or systems that have helped you improve without losing that personal touch?

Speaker 2:

Modern innovation. Um, well, I mean, we there's always things changing within our industry, uh, within the the two trades that we offer. And um there's always this new shiny thing that comes up and new new gadgets that help you know our customers. But um I think as long as you you don't like focus too much on these shiny things as they come up, um, certain things have to prove them themselves over time. Um but yeah, we we try to stay on the cutting edge of technology to to help us be more efficient, you know, within our operations, within our processes. Um but again, without losing our culture, losing our connection with the customer um and our internal culture, where you know, uh we like to have fun, we like to, you know, we we value relationships within the company and then with our customers. You can't lose sight of that, no matter like how automated you can get with AI and and technology and everything else. Um we're not gonna lose sight of our culture.

Julian Placino:

So being open to innovation, new tools, new tactics, things like that, but not losing the human touch and and not making the innovation the be-all end all, not making it the focus, but really making solving the need the focus. Um at the same time being open to the new things that are out there. So yeah. Okay, cool. So uh you serve a very wide area from Bass Drop to Austin. So, what do you enjoy most about serving the whole central Texas community?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean, we've uh we've kind of just grown over the years, uh, like you say, organically, like with the need of our community. Um Bastrop County is like our primary service area. Um we've branched out a little bit, you know, seeing some needs in the area, especially like Fayette County. Um, we don't get much into Austin, but there's um we we've mostly gone further um further to the east, and so further east, further south, a lot of rural areas where there's just not a lot of options for for home services. And so uh, you know, I'd say we just kind of grown with the the need of our community as as communities growing. It's you know expanding area, rapidly expanding. And so we've been we've been blessed, we've been fortunate for that.

Julian Placino:

Yeah, so so really going out um serving the needs of the community, kind of like how you originally started, uh, even out in those rural eras areas and uh and and going about it that way. So that's great. Um, so you're a second generation leader. This is an interesting one because you are you are the son of the founder, right? So, like what is uh what's been the biggest challenge and reward in carrying on your father's legacy? What would you say that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, some days it's fun, some days it's a burden, right? Uh yeah, no, growing up as the the boss's son, you know, that's uh the chip on a shoulder I've always had to have, right? Um, you know, at a certain point I felt like uh yeah, I had to prove myself more than anybody else, of course. But uh, you know, luckily I don't have to really mess with that anymore. Um so yeah, there there's like a sense of entitlement that that some would would say that you have to you feel. And then more for me now it's just a sense of responsibility um to our people, right? Like there's a lot of people uh whose livelihoods you know depend on this business. And um I mean the people we serve and then the all the employees we have are what 65 plus strong now. Wow. So I mean that's a that's a big responsibility, and so I don't I don't take it lightly. Um but it's it's one of the things that drives me is is you know that sense of duty, right? Uh I I have a duty and we have a duty to our people to continue to succeed on a daily basis.

Julian Placino:

So that's a cool story, man. I mean, like the whole leaving and then coming back and not really owning it and kind of stepping into the the the leadership shoes and and carrying on the legacy. That's that's cool, man.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

unknown:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And so do my siblings. I've got two other siblings in business, and um, so yeah, it's it's tough working with family uh at times, but it's it's cool.

Julian Placino:

So so tell us a bit about you, because I know that you're big into supporting local causes like um youth sports, animal shelters. Why is all that important to you and your team?

Speaker 2:

It always has been. I mean, um, you know, it it's community involvement. It's important. Like, why if not, why what are we here for, right? We're here to serve our community, but then like if we can't give back, um what what are we gonna do? Like take that money and go buy a yacht, you know, like it it's it's more it's more gratifying than like to actually give back um to causes that we believe in and that the it's important to the community too, right? Like um that sense of relationships and community, it's it's just important to us and always has been.

Julian Placino:

So yeah. So um not just the business, but of course the social aspect, very conscious of like how you're serving the computer, not just through plumbing um and uh and air conditioning, but just really making a positive impact. I think that's great. So um, so switching gears slightly, so you are a customer of Peaksy. This podcast is brought to you by Peakzi. So, what has been your experience working with them and how have they helped improve the business?

Speaker 2:

Oh man, Peakzi. Um I know they're they're like on the cutting edge of of this AI stuff and like really helped us on the marketing side of things. Um, you know, Candace can speak more to it. She's using it on a daily basis, but I know it's you know, for the value, um, it's worth its weight in gold.

Julian Placino:

Yeah. So what would you say has been so far the the biggest outcome um that Peakzi's helped you with? And if you want to pull in Candace real quick, just kind of pop her head in to share some insights. That's cool too.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, please, because I I I am pretty ignorant on the subject.

Julian Placino:

Candace? And Candace, introduce yourself. We need to pop you into focus. Who is this?

Speaker:

Hi, I'm Candace Butts. I'm the marketing manager here at Parobek. Um, I think the biggest asset Peakzi provides to us is essentially creating the AI website for us that speaks to all the AI chat box. So helping us with um ranking um when people are searching through those AI platforms, but it just has so many different resources.

Speaker 2:

Uh the platform just provides HR um knowledge, it provides so many like competit competitor um insights, market share within Google and like what your presence actually looks like.

Speaker:

And every day there's some some kind of new component that Peakzi's bringing on that helps with your business. So it's just it's just a all-in-one data hub that you can pretty much get any kind of marketing information from. It's just that's a great tool.

Julian Placino:

What's been the most useful feature for you, Candace?

Speaker:

Well, I think one was really good was the uh realtor data, where you can kind of pull um address list of certain customers and target them based off of, you know, uh age of equipment and whether or not they've gotten permits. So we were able to do some targeted campaigns around that. Um, I think that was really helpful. Um, and I'm excited to see where that goes later on.

Julian Placino:

Nice. Anything else that you would mention about your experience working with Peakzi uh uh Peaksy?

Speaker:

No, I think all the reps and everything are super on top of everything and they're super on top, they're very much on top of all the AI uh rapid changes and everything like that. So um just learning the updates from the newsletters and stuff like that is really cool too. So it just kind of keeps you at a forefront because those are kind of things that are kind of outside of my realm of like knowledge. So just getting that information from the reps and stuff on how the AI world is changing so rapidly has just been really helpful because that is um a future, or like that's where you know society is going into the AI search and all that kind of stuff. So just trying to help us stay on top of things in that realm.

Julian Placino:

Awesome. Well, Candace, thank you so much for this insight. I know that was kind of an improv thing, but you shared a lot of great feedback about Peakzi. Thank you so much for that, Candace. Well, uh Travis, close us out here. Like, what is your your vision for the future? Um, like where do you want to take the company?

Speaker 2:

Ah, well, kind of like we said earlier, just you know, of course, we um we're looking for for growth, but we're just looking for sustainable growth, right? If you're not growing, you're dying. Um, but that doesn't mean like, hey, we're trying to, you know, expand into new markets or anything like that. We'd like to add some other, some other trades, some other services in the coming years. Um, electrical would be our next uh one we're looking to do. It's just natural to where that's um the next one in line that we would offer. Um beyond that, it it's just like kind of like it's always been. We're gonna kind of just grow at the uh the demand that a community demands from us, right? It's um not looking for crazy growth in in the future. We're not looking to sell the company or anything like that. You know, some business plans will be like rapid growth to to sell out to private equity or anything like that. But you know, we plan on keeping this business in in the family for generations to come. So um we're we're proud to say that.

Julian Placino:

Yeah, I love that. That's uh and that's that's cool. It's just like the beginning. It's it's organically growing. You're you're growing with the community and for the community. Um, and I think that's a really inspiring vision for the of the future. So uh so Travis, I appreciate the time today and sharing your story. This is really great. Yeah, thank you, Julian. Yeah, well, well, tell our viewing audience how to connect with you. What's the website, how to connect with you in social? Tell us all that.

Speaker 2:

Oh, yeah, Candace, what do you think? Uh bringing Candace back in.com um is gonna be the best. I mean, just just Google us, right? Umb in air. And um we've got uh plenty of phone numbers out there that I mean, probably Google's the best way to find us.

Julian Placino:

So okay, and we'll make sure to have all your contact information in the show notes as well. So, Travis, really appreciate the time. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, thank you so much.

Julian Placino:

Have a good one. And well, everyone, that's it for today's episode. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll see you next time on the Home Services Success Stories podcast powered by Peakzi, the number one AI platform for growing your home services business.