How Wilbur’s Builds Five-Star Service With Training, Values, And Process

Peakzi Podcast: You can feel the difference between a home services company that “talks culture” and one that actually runs on it. We sit down with Megan Welch, general manager at Wilbur’s Air Conditioning, Heating, and Plumbing in Birmingham, AL, to unpack how a family-owned HVAC and plumbing business stays sharp after decades of growth by obsessing over people, process, and the numbers that tell the truth.

We get specific about what makes customer service a real operating system: daily huddles that set goals, weekly leadership meetings, one-on-ones, and KPI tracking that turns coaching into a habit. Megan also explains why Wilbur’s treats technicians and office staff as “inside customers,” and how mutual respect and teamwork show up when the work is busy and the stakes are high. If you care about building a five-star experience, you’ll hear the practical pieces that support it: transparency, owning mistakes, educating homeowners, and consistent options presentation.

Then we move into recruiting and retention for the trades. Megan shares how Wilbur’s hires “by the person, not the position,” screens for integrity, and uses core values like do the right thing, teamwork, and win, win, win to attract the right people and repel the wrong fit. We also talk training, benefits, and the one-sheet processes that make scaling easier without losing the family feel.

Finally, we dig into AI visibility for home services marketing and why tools like Peakzi’s AI visibility tracker matter now: customers search with different words than experts use, and understanding that language can change how your website, messaging, and booking flow perform. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a contractor friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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More info at:  ai.callwilbur.com 

Peakzi Podcast: Home Services Success Stories

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

Julian Placino 0:00

Welcome to the Home Services Success Stories podcast powered by Peakzi, the number one AI platform for growing your home services business. I'm Julian Placino, your host, and we have another great show in store for you today. Because today we have Meagan Welch, who is the general manager at Wilbur's Air Conditioning, Heating, and Plumbing. Megan, welcome to the show. How are you doing?

Meagan Welch 0:23

I'm great. Thanks. How are you today?

Daily Huddles And KPI Discipline

Julian Placino 0:26

Doing really great and excited to learn more about you, your background, and also the business. So let's jump in. So, Meagan, tell us a bit about your role and um what you focus on day-to-day.

Meagan Welch 0:38

So, Wilbur's is a family-owned and operated business since 1979. I wear a lot of hats, but currently I'm general manager. Um, my day-to-day looks like managing the leaders, uh processes, and daily operations. So we do like a daily huddle every day so we can win the day. So we set goals and then we make them happen, basically. Uh, we also I run a leadership meeting every week. I do one-on-ones and I track all of our KPIs and statistics. That's my favorite part is is all the numbers. Uh, that's my jam. And then the other part of my job that I really love is that I get to cheer on my people and encourage them and lift them up as much as I can. And uh just seeing people better their lives here at Wilbur's. It's it's really fun.

Julian Placino 1:34

I love that. So it sounds like you're over strategy, tactical. You love the people aspect of the business, numbers are your jams, you're super analytical, but you weren't always general manager. So, what was your journey into that role?

Meagan Welch 1:46

So since my brothers and I were little, we've always, every summer, basically worked at Wilbur's. Um, the first time I ever worked at Wilbur's, I was five and I rode in a truck, and it was just the best. It was my favorite. Um, and since then I kind of knew that I always wanted to be here at Wilbur's and whatnot. But uh so I started out basically like a junior technician. Um, of course, like in my teen years, I worked in a truck every summer, and then I started doing office stuff. Uh I started with just filing things and then typing out invoices into our system, and now we have systems that basically do everything for us, which is great. Uh, so I've done call center, dispatch, accounting, management, and now general management and operations.

Julian Placino 2:41

So you can get your hands dirty, or you did that for a season.

Meagan Welch 2:45

Absolutely. Yeah.

Julian Placino 2:46

Interesting. And then you did like all the different roles, and it makes sense what you're general manager. You know how to run all the different aspects of the business.

Meagan Welch 2:53

Yes, it's very helpful to have been through all of those positions to get to where I am. It helps me have good perspective for my people.

Julian Placino 3:02

Wow. Well, tell us a bit more about the business and what do you think Wilbur's does uniquely well that allows you to stand out as a leader in home services?

Meagan Welch 3:13

So I think that customer service is probably our best. And I think it really lacks in the world these days. Uh, not a lot of people have good customer service, um, but it's our top priority for our inside and our outside customers. So our inside customers are like our techs and our office staff and our managers, and then our outside customers are the people that we serve every day. So uh we're all about building lasting relationships with our customers. Uh, so this kind of fosters an environment where everyone gets to flourish and we get to make a positive impact on every customer's day. Um, we kind of do this by cultivating trust. Uh, we do the right thing, we provide a five-star experience, and we are helping the customer solve their issues, but we're also educating them about their plumbing and heating and air systems. So it's it's really fun. And ultimately, we love people and we treat them with respect and honesty.

Building A People-First Team Culture

Julian Placino 4:15

Well, as you know, so much of being able to deliver that in terms of treating customers with respect and providing that white glove service, it has to do with your people. So let's talk a bit about talent, culture, and also hiring. So, so what do you think sets Wilbur apart as a place to work? And what do you think you do to attract top talent?

Meagan Welch 4:36

So we're here at Wilbur's to serve our people. Um, we want to help them better their lives. We want like we care about each individual and we celebrate their differences and we encourage them to just be themselves. Uh, we also have a lot of good camaraderie and we laugh a lot and we have a lot of fun together too, not just at work, but outside of work. Um, and we all come together as a team. And I believe that this makes people want to come to work when you actually are part of a team that helps each other out. And we have lots of teams here at Wilbur's, but we all work together towards the same goal. And I think that that really helps us uh just by loving our people.

Julian Placino 5:21

So really treating your people well, making a really friendly kind of family sort of environment. Uh, what else do you think really attracts top talent to Wilbur? What are some things, um, perhaps some perks or whatnot that really set your company apart from other home services companies?

Training Systems And Values Hiring

Meagan Welch 5:37

So let's let me think about that. So I think what is really good is that we do a lot of in-house training. So we do a weekly training for all departments. Um, this is usually technical training, but it's also our process on how we greet the customer, how we show them their options up front, how we get them to approve them, and then how we do the work basically the same day. So uh trainings are really important, I think. Uh it makes sure that our we also make sure that our employees have all the right resources so that they can be better at their trade and that they can also sharpen those skills that they have. Um and then some other things is we don't really hire, we hire basically by the person, not by the position. Um we like individuals that love people that love to win, they love to do the right thing, and they they really like consistency and detail. So we kind of use our three core values to do that hiring. Um, and it helps us kind of gauge if is this the right person or not. So our three core values are uh do the right thing, teamwork, and then win, win, win.

Julian Placino 6:57

Gotcha. Okay, so it's a mixture of technical and also soft skills training, making sure that your people are always supported and growing, right? Yeah. Um, and you mentioned the core values. So um they were do the right thing, win, win, win, and what was the other one?

Meagan Welch 7:12

Teamwork.

Julian Placino 7:12

Teamwork, okay. How do those actually kind of show up in the day-to-day culture and the running of your business? What's an example of that?

Meagan Welch 7:19

Yeah. So uh for do the right thing, this is we make sure that we're upfront and we're honest with everybody that we come to see. Um, honesty and integrity are really important to us. Uh, if we do make a mistake, we're gonna own that mistake, we're gonna communicate it transparently and we're gonna make things right. So we try to build that trust with each customer through all of our interactions with them. And uh let's see, for teamwork, this is I kind of explained this earlier. We all have mutual respect for each other. And I think that that really helps us uh be a better team and that we also are serving our teammates and we like to lead and we like to honor their collaboration and and we love everybody's input. So if we can get that, then we usually come to a good conclusion where we can use our teamwork to help us better our days.

Julian Placino 8:15

Gotcha. Okay. And and so much of what you said also is that you make sure to hire for those values, and values are sort of like wired and ingrained into the person, right? There's only so much that you could teach a person, although there's so much that you do. So walk us through your hiring process. How do you go about finding the right personality characteristics?

Meagan Welch 8:32

Yeah, so we really so when we do interviews, we all we tell them about our core values. And a lot of times you like to see how they react to those. And we kind of explain them in detail to them. And um, I I think that that really helps us to decide is this person, do they have the right qualities? Not necessarily the right skills. If they have the right skills too, that's always a plus, but we can teach anybody anything that they need to learn about their trade. So that's really nice. Um, and then each of my managers kind of do their interviews differently, but they all ask questions about integrity. Um, and they all ask questions about like how if you had this situation, how would you solve this situation? What steps would you take? And so that kind of helps us see um where their mindsets are at and how they actually do things in life. And I think that that really helps too.

Julian Placino 9:35

Yeah, so a couple things. I heard number one, you're just very upfront with what your values are, and values like it'll either attract the right people or repel the wrong ones, right?

Meagan Welch 9:44

Okay.

Julian Placino 9:44

Um, and it sounds like you focus a lot on sort of situational or behavioral questions to see not just kind of yes or no, but like how do you react in this kind of situation? So I think those are our good points. So uh so before we move on to to growth with culture and impact, um, anything else you want to make uh you want to share about why you think Wilbur's is a great place to be.

Meagan Welch 10:05

Um, I guess I could our benefits are really great too. Um we um we offer single insurance, like we pay for that. And if people want to add their family, then they pay for that portion of it. Uh that's a really good one. We have really good insurance. We also um have simple IRAs that they can contribute into. Um that way they're saving for their future. And we do we also do dental, not just regular health insurance. That helps. Um and that might be it.

Julian Placino 10:39

I mean I think that's really great because you are um a lot of these things that you're mentioning, you sort of historically associate with like a corporation, right? But it also puts in a mind of a potential prospect that you care about their families. It's not just about them, it's about just the entire well-being, right? Because it's not just a job, it's a it's a career, it's a place that you want them to be able to hang their head on. And I think it's really great that you make that a point.

Meagan Welch 11:03

Yeah, that's right.

Scaling With One-Sheet Processes

Julian Placino 11:04

Yeah. Well, let's jump into growth with culture and in intact intact. And the reason why I say this is because um you've been around since 1979, right? Yeah.

Meagan Welch 11:15

It's a long time.

Julian Placino 11:16

With one truck in a dream, and um, and like over the past 45 years or so, how would you say that you have been able to continue to grow without sacrificing that commitment to excellence? Because a lot of times when companies grow, you sort of dilute processes, you can kind of cut corners, but what do you think Wilbur's has done to grow well?

Meagan Welch 11:37

So I think something that has really helped us to grow and kind of stay like a mom and pop feel is that we one care about our people and we haven't stopped caring about them. Um, they're not like an employee ID or anything like that. We know them, we know their family members, you know, things like that. So I think that really helps us. Um and then what else? So we've actually honed more into our processes now that we've grown than we did previously. So and I think this has really, really helped us um stay organized. And then it's kind of easy. You know what to do. There's a process. I make these one sheets for everybody, and it's basically every process we do is on one sheet of paper. So if you're not sure how to do it, you can flip to that one sheet and it's gonna tell you what the process is. Then, of course, if you have any questions, you can come and ask. Um, but I think though that really helps us. We love our people, we care about them and their well-being, and we're process-oriented now.

Peakzi And AI Visibility Tracking

Julian Placino 12:45

I think I think that makes a lot of sense because you don't have to reinvent the wheel. And you've been around for so long that you found a way that you can do a particular thing and produce a specific outcome. Um, and I think that's a way that you actually can scale by teaching everyone that same process, that Wilbur's process, right? So um I think that's really great. Um, okay, so so let's let's talk a little bit about why we're doing this podcast right now. So Wilbur strikes me as someone that is a a very kind of innovative company because you're a customer of Peakzi, right? This podcast is powered by Peakzi. So, first off, tell us a bit about, in your own words, how would you describe what Peakzi is?

Meagan Welch 13:24

Okay, so we're new to Peakzi, and so far I'm I'm very impressed. Uh, my favorite thing is that y'all are helping us be visible through AI searching, right? And everyone these days is asking AI for help. And I think that it's uh the visibility tracker, that is my favorite, and I feel like everybody needs to get on this train, right? But um, having everything in one place and that tells me all the statistics, which is my thing. I love the numbers, um, of how our website is performing overall, is it's really easy and convenient from you guys, and it helps us improve things overall, not just on our website. So I I really love that about Peakzi.

Julian Placino 14:13

Nice. So tell us a bit more about the AI visibility tracker. What benefit do you think that has to home services leaders?

Meagan Welch 14:20

So, what I love is that it helps you understand how people are thinking and how they're moving through your website, and maybe what are the particular words they're using in order to get what they need, right? So, not everybody has the same language that we have because we're the experts. So we get to learn what our um what our customers' words are too through that. And I think that's really cool.

Julian Placino 14:47

Interesting. So, what the market is using in terms of language and what they're looking for, and it gives you insight into that because you can kind of tailor the way that you do your own messaging based on what the people are saying, and I think that's pretty cool. Um, so I um you've been you've been you've been in the industry since you were five years old, so you've seen like all the technology changes and everything like that. So, how would you describe to other home services leaders what AI visibility actually is and why that matters to their business now and moving forward?

Meagan Welch 15:17

So I think that I'm trying to think. Uh, it is the future and it is the present also right now. If you don't have this visibility with AI the way that it's going, I don't think that you'll be very successful on the internet, at least. Um, and it helps us do so much more than um just know what people are thinking. Um, I think that it's very, I don't know, it's just like a telltale. And and the more that we use the AI, the better it also gets. So if you would like to put your input in, I think it's good that if you use it as well. Um and we use it every day here.

Julian Placino 16:15

Got it. Okay, yeah, I think that makes sense. And I think it's cool that you made the point that the more that you use it, the better it gets. It's kind of an adaptive thing. So um, that's great. Any other insights about Peakzi that you want to share before we start to close things out, Meagan?

Meagan Welch 16:30

Not that I can think of. Everybody is so pleasant, and you guys have really great customer service. So I really appreciate that.

Funniest Service Calls In The Field

Julian Placino 16:36

That's awesome. Well, we certainly appreciate that. Well, well, Meagan, uh, we'd like to close our episodes with a bit of a fun kind of lightning around just to learn a bit more about you and your personality. So if you're okay with it, let's kind of jump in.

Meagan Welch 16:48

Yeah.

Julian Placino 16:49

Awesome. So having been in all aspects of the business, including the field, what's the funniest or strangest service call that you've ever experienced?

Meagan Welch 16:58

Oh, the funniest ones are when toddlers flush things down the toilet. Like we pulled out G.I. Joe's, hairbrushes, balls. Like you can imagine, toddlers think that's fun. Um, those are really, really funny for plumbing. And then on the HVAC side, we get this a lot more than I figured we would. Um, but dogs like to chew the line set into the house from the outdoor unit. So it's like all the wires that connect.

Julian Placino 17:28

Oh, wow.

Meagan Welch 17:28

And they get like a shock from it. And we have this one customer, his dog did this like four times. We went back four times, and eventually we helped them build a fence around his outdoor unit. So the dog couldn't get to it anymore. But I always think that one is really funny.

Julian Placino 17:44

Oh, that's hilarious, poor dog. Any long-term effects from the four shocks? Are he still No?

Meagan Welch 17:49

Uh, it's like he liked it. I mean, even the owner was like, I don't understand. He must just really like the way this feels. I was like, that's pretty wild.

People First Future And Lasting Legacy

Julian Placino 17:58

Oh, that's funny. That is funny for sure. So um, what do you think the future of the HVAC and plumbing industry is in one word or phrase?

Meagan Welch 18:09

So let me think about that. I think that people first is always important. Um, for then like for the industry as a whole, I think personalized AI enables an on-demand service is really awesome because it it combine it combines um automation with like instant fulfillment of services, like especially like booking calls. So that's really helpful to us.

Julian Placino 18:39

I like that. I like that you said people first. And um, and and you know, it it we are a technology platform, of course, but what the technology the technology allows you to sort of reduce the amount of friction so that you can be more people-centric for your customers, you know. So I I love the fact that you use that. Um, so last question here for you, Meagan. And this has been a real fun time getting to know you, and thank you for your time. This has been a wonderful conversation. But when you look back on things, and at the end of the day, what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind in home services?

Meagan Welch 19:11

So I think that serving is what's most important.

How To Follow Wilbur’s Online

Julian Placino 19:20

Serving and making sure that you made an impact through that, serving your customers, serving your employees, serving your community. Um, and I think you have much of a great proven track record of having already done that, Meagan. So yeah. Yeah. Well, close us out then. Share with us um how do folks learn more about Wilbur and also connect connect with you on social, your website. Tell us all that.

Meagan Welch 19:44

Okay, so we do have Facebook and Instagram. Um, and you can look us up on Instagram, it's Wilbur's Home Services. And then for Facebook, it's Wilbur's Air Conditioning, heating, and plumbing. And we actually have a few pages out there, but you'll know you're on the right one because it says, this is the right one on it. Um so that's for socials. Um, and we are we actually have been kind of behind the ball on socials, so we're just now picking this up this year and really focusing on it. So there's lots more to come on our socials. Um, and also you can go to our website, it's wilbur1.com, and that's the number one. And we have all kinds of things on our website. We have a blog, we have coupons that you can use and other ways to save money. Um, we do financing, of course. And then we also have um a feature where if you need an HVAC system or a water heater, you can go ahead through our website and quote those things and we'll give you a quote, even though we still have to come out to make sure that it is exactly what you put into the form. Um we just verify that estimate basically. But I think that people are really loving the price transparency of that. It's really helping people kind of understand how much things are and what to expect when we do come into the home.

Julian Placino 21:08

Nice. Lots of great information. We'll make sure to have all that in the show notes as well. So uh so, Meagan, this has been a true pleasure wishing you and the organization all much continued success.

Meagan Welch 21:19

Yes, thank you, Jillian. This was so fun. I really appreciate it.

Julian Placino 21:23

And that is it for today's episode. And we'll see you next time in the next episode of the Home Services Success Stories Podcast, powered by Peakzi, the number one AI platform for growing your home services business.