How Elmer's Builds Trust Through Customer First Service

Peakzi Podcast: You can do everything “right” internally and still miss what the market is saying about you. That gap between what you think customers experience and what they actually post online is where reputation, growth, and referrals are won or lost. We sit down with Jason Agopsowicz, head of commercial operations at Elmer’s Home Services in San Antonio, TX, to unpack how a service-first mindset scales across HVAC, plumbing, and electrical without losing the human touch.

Jason brings a rare lens to home services leadership as a Navy SEAL Master Chief in the US Navy Reserves. We talk about servant leadership that starts with vulnerability and self-awareness, then turns into something concrete: candid feedback, learning as a core value, and a culture where employees feel true ownership of their work and development. We also dig into hiring, including the kinds of interview questions that uncover customer empathy and real character, not rehearsed answers.

From there, we get tactical about data-driven operations. Jason explains why data informs decisions rather than making them, how it helps prioritize what to fix first, and why AI visibility is becoming a must-have across industries. He shares how Peakzi works as competitive intelligence and a market mirror, surfacing blind spots like recurring customer complaints so teams can run root cause analysis and make customers whole fast.

If you care about customer experience, technician development, and using AI tools to grow a home services business, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a leader on your team, and leave a review with the biggest insight you are taking into your next week.

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More info at: https://ai.elmershomeservices.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 terrific episode for you today. Because today we have Jason Agopsowicz, head of commercial operations at Elmer's Home Services. Jason, how are you doing?

Jason Agopsowicz 0:21

I'm great. Thanks, Julian. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today and super excited to uh share a little bit about Elmer's Home Services and where we've gone and actually how Peakzi's helped us uh in the last almost year that we've been using you.

Jason's Role And Priorities

Julian Placino 0:35

Awesome. Well, excited to dig into a lot of those insights. So let's jump in. So, Jason, tell us about your role as head of commercial operations at Elmer's and what do you focus on day to day?

Jason Agopsowicz 0:46

So, you know, it's interesting. I've actually been in the role for a few months now. Um I do not come from the industry originally. You know, I have a uh pretty, pretty wide breadth of experience, but you know, the opportunity came to help join an organization um to really help them move to the next level. And what what my job really is here is I'm in charge of all the tradespeople. So the electricians, the uh plumbers, as well as the air conditioning and heating uh professions. Um, my partner, who's also got a very similar background, we're both Navy SEALs originally, um we were kind of the two heads of the organization. He does the backside support strategy, and I do the client-facing work. So that's really kind of what we do. And um, you know, on a day-to-day, what we really focus on is one, how do we get out to our customers uh the same day, provide them quality service, and honestly, how to meet them where they're at, as well as creating professionals that aren't just chosen subject matter experts, but as well as the technical experts and how do we keep them uh updated with current market trends, with where technology is moving, and really like being part of the community. And those are really the things that keep me up at night, as well as what we focus on uh during the day, is really how to be a part of the community that we live in and support them with our chosen professions.

From SEAL Network To Elmer's

Julian Placino 2:11

Gotcha. And you know what? There's a lot there. And I know that you were uh Navy SEAL Master Chief, so I'm always interested in like the Genesis story and how you got there. But tell us a bit about how you ended up in Elmer's.

Jason Agopsowicz 2:24

So, you know, that that's a long story in itself, and I don't know if we have enough time to get there, but really, I guess to kind of sum it up, the the way that I got here is just as an opportunity presented itself within our local uh networks. Really, the SEAL network is what what brought the opportunity here. And I've been in five different industries at this point in time, between the military, I did some security uh and executive protection type work for small business. I worked in the financial industry, I have my own startup, and really this is the actually my wife has the startup. I just helped her. And um the uh the fifth one is really working in this industry. And it was an interesting challenge because I've I've I was looking for where I can come in and utilize the skill sets that I didn't just learn in the military, but also through honing my own craft and really wanted to find somewhere that had a connection to the community, life of service, and really like take people that really believe in what they do and drive forward and where I can help impact them and help drive growth, and and it really like helped help bring an organization to its next level. And really, when uh Elmer's Home Services came uh with an opportunity, you know, just started the interview process like any of us else do, like anybody else does, and uh really just couldn't turn the opportunity down. It really was an exciting change for my my family as well as an organization that I think was hungry to uh to really like move to the next level.

Julian Placino 3:58

Wow, it seems like you're very hungry to make a real impact, and this was the industry for you, at least this season of your career. So um I I guess I'm uh a bit curious about that. Like, how how long have you been at Elmers now?

Jason Agopsowicz 4:11

So since since the beginning of November. So I think we're quickly approaching on a little over five months at this point in time.

Julian Placino 4:18

A little over five months. Okay. Well, well, knowing what you know about Elmers and also the the home services industry, what do you think the organization does uniquely well to help it stand out as a home services leader?

Customer Service As Differentiator

Jason Agopsowicz 4:30

So, you know, that that's a great question. And I think that's the challenge is what is the competitive advantage of any organization? And one thing that I will say when I first stepped in here, the thing that stood out more than anything else was everybody's commitment of service, as well as really believing in the fact that we serve the communities that we live in, right? It's a little bit different than a lot of different industries that I've been a part of, um, between the multinational enterprises to even like small startups. The unique thing about this is we go into people's homes where they invite us in, and our employees really do value that and they appreciate that. I think really what that does is provide us the opportunity to not just provide a solution for the customer. It really is we want to hear their stories, we want to understand, meet them where they're at. And that really comes down to like very simple philosophy that we have here. To be servant leaders, to be servants of our community, we have to hear what the customer is asking for and provide them multiple options with clarity, as well as being there to answer questions that they may have. And so I think that's one of the things that sets us apart is we provide a lot of clarity, a lot of you know options. Hey, this is going on, this is kind of what we see as different options for you, and giving the power to the customer to say, yes, please help me.

Culture Hiring And Feedback

Julian Placino 5:56

I think that's great. So the first thing I heard was, of course, leading with a service mentality and then also listening to the customer, hearing their stories, making sure that they feel heard and uh making sure that they are sort of co-operators in their own solution, right? So you kind of work together to accomplish that. I think that's great. So let's talk a bit about talent culture and hiring. And I think your background, especially in the military, and especially at the level that you're in, um, will speak very true and insightful for this. But what do you think about uh Elmer's Home Services as a place to work? And what do you think about the culture makes it a great place to be for top talent?

Jason Agopsowicz 6:32

So, you know, when you look at an organization, it really works on three pieces, right? The the the the the foundation of any organization are its people, its systems, and its culture. Right? They're they're all kind of, if you talk about the triad, they're all different legs, and if one leg's broken, the organization falls apart. And culture is one of those things that it's it's that ethereal thing that everybody struggles with. And it one decision can impact culture in a positive way or a negative way, and I think when it comes to a culture, we are an organization of learning as well as a culture of an embracing honest, open, and candid feedback, as well as a culture of service. And I think that's what sets us apart is the fact that any employee can come into my office and bring up a great idea because we truly value diversity of thought, diversity of experience, and really when it comes down to is we value people, the greatest asset of any organization, and this goes from my time as a as a seal to, I mean, there's there's books and classes specifically around this, but it's the great people are the greatest asset of any organization. If you empower the people and you help inform them, create ability for them to navigate, you create a culture of ownership and belonging and service. And really, when we're able to do that, I think that's kind of how when we stepped into our roles, we we we saw that in what we go that there's a catalyst right there. Let's keep feeding that, let's keep informing that, let's keep really driving into it. And because we've invested in our people, that has actually turned in our culture, in the sense of we have reduced hurdles, we have flattened communications out, and we've really come to a culture of understanding when we all say something, everybody understands what the meaning is. And I don't think you can get there without a culture that is supportive, a culture that is aligned, and one that is actually informed. And really, it's about how we make sure that we have the right people, we develop them, we invest in them, and we have the systems to support that. And we understand that's a moving target in any industry, but really culture is one of those things that you have to put people and systems in place and and informed and built so that it actually culture is a result, and and and and it's a slow burn in the sense of if you see a problem where you see smoke, that's probably been billowing for a while. But also the flip side of that is when you see an organization that believes what it all is aligned to, the power of success is because those employees are empowered. Those employees know that they're gonna learn, and if they make a mistake, it's okay that they they move forward and we move forward as an organization. And without those mistakes, or we call them opportunities, we don't get better. And if you embrace those opportunities of learning as learning, we move the ball forward. So I would say as a culture, um, and that's what sets us apart is we're a learning organization, we're an empowered organization, and really, you know, we very well know people choose to work here. They they they choose to spend their time with us, and that is extremely important to us. It is a valuable commodity that we we we we like. Thank you very much. And it is also a culture of things, thankfulness.

Julian Placino 10:09

You know, just just knowing who you are and a bit about your background, especially what you've done in service, hearing you speak about culture has like a real authentic weight to it. So I appreciate your words about that. Something that you said also is that Elmer's intentionally invest into their team, right? To to grow them. So, what are some examples of how you invest in your team, grow them, and make sure to set them up for their careers?

Investing In Training And Education

Jason Agopsowicz 10:31

You know, that's that's such a great thought. And and when you look at it as a leader, it's how do I arm my people? But when you look at it as a human being, what do I do to invest in somebody so that their success is my success? If they stay with the organization or if they move on to greater and greener pastures. And one of the things I want this organization to continue doing is if we invest on people and they move somewhere else, which is better for them and their family, which is awesome, and we fully support that. They know that they got their their skill sets from here. Um, and really like that word does get out. And the thing that we really value here, which go, you know, go back to what your original question is: how do we invest? Um, one, we actually want openly talk about it. We say, hey, you are the greatest asset that we have here. We truly value what you do. What do you need from us? So the first investment that we do is we ask what our employees need. And it could be training on a system that they need. It can be, hey, this is what we run into. And it's an investment in questions and creating a culture of learning. The next level investment is what all the home services companies use, and hopefully they use them to the max capability is using the manufacturers to come out and train us on new technologies, helping us re reinforce standardization as well as some different things that they're trying and doing that are actually working on all over the place. So, really, it's bringing in that knowledge of success and best practices and implementing those best practices here and trying to realize what's not working, maybe this new best practice can help. And that really goes back to the original one is investing and questioning and really going, hey, how does this work? And then one of the other things that we do is we help offset education costs. That is a program that we do that we really do and it really want to empower our employees to use. And if we don't invest in them, somebody else will. And so I think really when you look at it from the the the that triad, if you will, the the trident, you know, you know, talking about it, keeping it in the open, investing through the systems and everything else that they use, as well as giving them outside opportunity and saying, hey, we're gonna help reduce your pain point by helping invest with you. Those are things and critical assets and critical capabilities that allow us to actually move that ball forward. And I think that's what really sets us apart in our culture and within the industry as a whole, that we actually do that. I know other successful companies and not just within home services, but everywhere else, they do a lot of similar things. And that is, they've usually been very successful when it comes to that.

Julian Placino 13:18

Yeah, I think that's great. There's there's three main points there. Number one is asking, getting to know the individual, what is it that they want, kind of meeting them where they are to kind of tailor their development based on kind of what their needs are, right? And the second was always listening to the industry best practices, bringing in the manufacturers to teach your latest technology skills to really upskill them that way. And then lastly, you put your money where your mouth is and you help offset some of that cost of the education. So I think that's great. Well, before we move on to the next segment, uh Jason, like what's your what's your pitch? Let's say there's a top talent technician or maybe even office staff administration. Why come work for Elmers?

Jason Agopsowicz 13:54

You know, that's such a thoughtful question in the sense of why am I going to ask somebody to invest their time with us? And one of the other questions, like we asked that specific question in interviews, like, why what interests you about Elmer's? What why do you want to come with us? And a lot of times it really comes down to I've heard great things about y'all, I've done some research, I've done a little bit of this. And it really comes down to the one simple ask, you know, ask when we do ask that, that creates a conversation. And we make sure it is known in those interviews that we invest in our people. And I think that investment in itself, just not from the start before they even come here to while they're living here, I think that really does matter in today's world. Because with the invention of open language models, AI, machine learning, everything else, information is critical in the world, no matter what industry you're in. And it implies, it actually informs, it really does come down to those things. And what sets anybody apart from anywhere else is in the air conditioning world, we all work on air conditioning systems. In the plumbing world, we all work with piping, we work with gas, we work with water, we work with sewage, electrical, we work with electricity. So, how do we actually get to be more competitive in that space? And the way that that is is during the interview process, we ask questions around not just behaviors of when you've had problems of in the past, you know, the normal, tell me about a time you had a manager that you didn't agree with, what did you do? Kind of, and then they start using the star methodology, which was the situation, the task, the action, and the result. We also challenge that a little bit by what was it like when you worked with a customer that was struggling? How did you help them solve that problem? And then, you know, one of the other things that we'll ask is like, what do you do to make yourself better? What can we do as an organization to help you if you choose to come here? And then a lot of times it goes back to what I was originally saying, they'll start asking things about culture and we're not afraid to answer them. And I think that's kind of how we develop the talent, how we bring people in, and how we really capture the interest. Because we understand that if somebody says, I want to come work for you, that is not just a one-sided conversation that, hey, we have a job, come do it. It's it has to be a cultural fit for the employer and the employee. And I think that understanding helps create that that movement of where one, not just what Elmer's does, but where the the business world is going as a whole, because information is so available. It's it's also able to be digested in a much quicker formation.

Vulnerability And Ownership Leadership

Julian Placino 16:49

Yeah, it seems like it's just a very intentional hiring process right from the jump to make sure that they're not just a technical fit, but personality, cultural, uh, and not like not like just faking actions, but looking to see for the wiring of the human being to make sure those values like line up with what you're looking for, right? So I think that's really great. Um, so so now, Jason, I want to I want to talk a bit about your leadership philosophy and also how that affects the growth of the company. But before I ask this question, please tell the layperson, myself included, what exactly is a Navy SEAL master chief in the US Navy reserves? What does that title mean? And um, what should we take away from that?

Jason Agopsowicz 17:27

So, you know, to help probably start there is Navy SEALs, they're they're the the the special operations force of the maritime world in the US, the premier maritime world, which is the United States Navy, um, have a history all the way back to the OSS, all the way back to which is the offices, you know, within put it this way, short story, World War II, you know, they were doing all the special missions and they were the maritime branch. So as they did that, we've we we've had continuity of service between the OSS, the underwanted demolition teams, all the way down to the Navy SEAL team since 1961. And then we've been in the news a lot, you know, for for many years. But really to get back to what your question is, what what is a Navy SEAL Master Chief do in the reserves? And what is a Navy SEAL Master Chief doing here? So, number one, I chose a life of service. Um, some of it was thrust on me, some of it was chosen, and the chosen part was becoming a SEAL. Um, I you know, I did active duty for a multitude of years, and then I went into the reserves because I still had the itch to serve the greater good. And I was lucky enough to keep making rank and to keep being influential in the community. And because of that, I was eventually awarded the ability to become a SEAL master chief. So I'm a I'm a E9, which is the highest rank you can make in the enlisted world. Um and and really just kind of, you know, continuing finding ways to solve and serve. And my service now is actually as a leader, instead of, you know, where I'm going forward and doing something, I'm happy, I'm I'm more of an enabler now. I help enable, although it may be administratively, and as a steward of the organization, really moving forth and doing good things by taking my experience and bringing it to bear. While really the biggest thing is for for for the SEAL teams, if I can help somebody achieve their desired end state or at least help them down the journey, that's where I hold passion, which really connects back to my life of service and my dedication and being a servant leader. It's not about me. The the about me happened when when they promoted me, but I only got promoted because of the teams that I was leading. They were uber successful because I empowered them, I gave them the opportunity. And it is not about me, it is not about I, it's about we because if we fail, I fail. If I fail, the the team's gonna struggle, but the team can still succeed. So it really is that self-awareness, that self-realization. And that's one of the unique things about the SEAL teams is we push everybody through our basic training, which is about you know, six-ish months, and we have a very high attrition rate. I think uh overall it's a little bit below 18% success rate of every candidate that ever goes through the program. The reason why is it forces the each candidate and each individual to face their own vulnerability, and that's the hardest thing for anybody to face is where are my weaknesses? And that's the critical thing that I've actually been able to leverage in my growth as a human being is that self-awareness, that self-reflection. And then the other piece of that is being vulnerable to others to ask for help. Wow. And when you can do that, the world is like you can be successful in the world no matter what you do. It comes down to awareness and vulnerability. And then what happens when you ask and you get support? Because you know, the saying is the weakest link in the you know, you fail at the weakest link of the chain, right? If you refuse to be that weakest link because you don't want to admit your weakness, the chain's gonna break and you're not gonna hold anything together as a team. So when you ask for help on something that you're struggling with, you've just reinforced that weakness. Now, somebody that's actually really good at it can help. Now you've raised the tide, so all boats are floating. Now, what happens is when this person's struggling, I may be really good at it and I help them. So that the tide rises all boats at that point in time. So it really does get into self awareness and uh you know, which drives into self accountability. Because if I can't hold myself accountable, how can I hold an organization accountable? So those simple principles of my time as a seal have actually translated professionally as well, which ultimately allowed me to uh take on the Challenge of uh navigating the the home service industry here in Texas. And and truth be told, I constantly rely on those. As you can see in the back there, I've got my helmet uh from Buds. And that's a constant reminder. The reason I have that in here is to be both be humble, to be supportive, to ask questions, as well as admit when I that is not my strength. How can I how can I help? But how can you help teach me? When we do that as leaders, that empowers the organization. And I think that's really for me a lot of those um skill sets and confidence in that ability from successes and also the opportunities that we've had in the past to allow me to build trust within the organization or any organization that I've been a part of, which strengthens the organization because if people see the leaders doing it, they're gonna do it. Because I am not that type of person that says, just do what I say, not as I do. I won't ask anybody to do anything that I'm not willing to go do myself. And that that goes back to no matter what your religious philosophy is or anything else, it really goes back to the golden rule. You know, expect on others as you do to them, or actually just really like being a human being, like let's do this together. And I think when you can do that, that builds that trust. And then also when everybody has candid conversations, you can define a common purpose. So it really is, it's not systemic, like one thing after another. It's all just kind of like how the approach goes, really goes back to the basic servant leadership principles, which is what this organization is a servant organization. We want to serve our customers and be there and be the helper of the solution, even if they don't choose to go with us. At least create awareness for our customers. And you know what? You were kind enough to invite us into our home. We owe you everything we can give you in the time that you've given us.

Julian Placino 23:55

Wow.

Jason Agopsowicz 23:56

I'd say that's how the SEAL teams have actually informed me. But you know, if you really want to be honest, it's how my wife actually makes sure that I hold the standards and my values and my principles. Because I do answer to a higher person. So just answer this.

Julian Placino 24:11

Oh, wow. You know what, Jason, what I get from that is that um because the question really was like, what did you what do you think you got from the SEAL team that you're able to bring here? But I think I got the answer that from your message is that you are um, you know, in strengths fighters, there's a strength called the maximizer, right? Which is basically you help maximize the people around you. I think that's kind of what I got. That in your like, you think Navy SEAL's in like this guy's like a super tough guy, but you are unafraid to your vulnerabilities, right? And I think that helps you, you know, gain trust. But I think that's the big thing is you're like a people maximizer, and it doesn't matter what industry you're in, it doesn't matter the technical aspect because you you hum you you maximize human potential. I think that's really great.

Jason Agopsowicz 24:54

And you bring a great thing, right? Again, it goes back to people, it's always about the greatest assets, and and and it really is finding that talent in somebody that they may not see, and just helping support that development of that, and then relishing when they realize it and then they're successful, that's reward enough for me. And here's the great thing when you do that for everybody, the organization is gonna grow, it's gonna get better, everybody's gonna want to become a part of it, and it just helps serve the locations where we live.

Data Informs Operational Fixes

Julian Placino 25:26

Yeah, yeah. So so there's one aspect to your philosophy, which of course is so people-centric and that seems to be primary, but also you often talk about the importance of investing in people and using data to solve operational problems. So, what do you mean by that piece?

Jason Agopsowicz 25:42

So in the world today, data is a thing. Uh, I think back in the day it was where we maybe it had some numbers, but we had, you know, we had a gut inkling, right? We we we were like, I think this is this is what I'm feeling. The the great thing about today's world is data can capture that. As an executive, I have to make data-informed decisions. I cannot make decisions off the cuff. Um, and I think really to give back what you're asking is how does data solve real operational problems? It's real simple. Data doesn't solve it, it informs it. And really, it's a time and place. And then the other one, too, is the data helps architect where we are going to drive, and then it helps us prioritize and helps us make sure that that's where we're going. Um, but using data accurately, and I think that's the challenge, right? Because it really depends on how you design your data. And and everybody we're always running into data problems because it's always a constant moving target. We introduce something new, it adds new new new fields. You're like, well, this isn't how it was before, right? Great. But it really comes down to understanding the common assumptions, using the data in a way that makes sense to everybody sitting in there and making the best decision that you can at the time, but not being afraid to adjust as you come to newer realizations. And it really does allow you to make informed decisions because a gut decision without information is exactly what it is. It's a guess. An informed decision is something that you can actually anchor to and drive to. And now you can measure where successes are because you have historics of information of like, well, this didn't work, but because of this, so well, what if we did this? And then all and that's how you get on that growth continuum of not just education, but knowledge, as well as getting better and moving organizations and successful organizations that utilize data and learning, not just school, but also organizational learning, thrive. Without that data, we struggle to thrive. It's basically trying to do something with one arm tied behind your back, if not to. So that's how I approach data as it comes in. It also helps that I probably did a little bit of data work in my past and working through that. But I really think informing how your systems and your people are working are going to drive back to what we were originally talking about in the culture. Without that information, you're never gonna be able to like, you're just gonna sit there and be like, why is this going on? Why is this going on? It really is that information that goes forward. It's really uh in in today's world, it's our textbooks, like it used to be in school. So those textbooks are helping us actually navigate where we're gonna go.

Peakzi As Competitive Intelligence

Julian Placino 28:22

So really tool uh data is a tool to diagnose and also prioritize like where you should be spending your energy and your focus, not just for the sake of accumulating data, but to use it to inform strategic business decisions, which is a beautiful segue to uh our conversation here about Pixie, right? So you are a Peakzi customer. Um so uh I guess just from your perspective, first off, how would you describe what Peakzi is to other home services leaders?

Jason Agopsowicz 28:47

So, you know, what I would describe as Peakzi is it is a way to understand the market that you're working in because of the tool that it really is. It it you know, to put it simply, it is an eye into things that you are not seeing. And and when we look at as things as a human being, right, we we have that persona that we project out, we have that persona that we have no idea what's going on that somebody else can see, and then we have the other persona that is actively trying to hide what we know is there, but we're trying to put it so other people may see it as something else. What Peakzi does, and this is why I love this. We've been using it for about a year, I think. About at this time, it is that eye that shows you what you don't see or that you're hiding. And it makes you have that self-awareness as an organization, it makes you face it, or you just keep seeing it over time and over time. And it's one of those that you know, it keeps reminding you. And there's a point where you're like, okay, I'm tired of seeing that same thing. How do I go at it? And it and some people will call it competitive intelligence, some people will call it, you know, corporate information. Really, what it is, it's it's it's open source information that consolidates everything that we're seeing from the systems of record that we see to reviews that are going online to what we're already experiencing with the customer or what we're experiencing with our own employees. It consolidates it. It consolidates it in a usable format that allows me to understand either the SWOT analysis, you know, back back back to you know, the school days, what are my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. But really, it comes into like what do I want to invest my time in as an organization? And what can I do to make myself better? And the great thing is, is if the whole industry used it, we'd all be working from the same common playbook in some way, shape, or form or fashion, which then we now we have to invest in what our competitive advantage is, which that's what Pixie does is it helps inform you where your competitive advantage is, if you don't realize it at the time. So it really is a real-time tool to allow us to actually understand what others are seeing, either self-admittedly, or what we're trying to hide. And and the other one, too, is it gives us a pathway when you look at it and you look at it from a very, you know, just healthy, healthy look, like, okay, here's my opportunities. Am I gonna does that make sense? Okay, or or or or really it becomes where your risk tolerant is as an organization. And what I will say, one of the things that Peakzi has done is it's also showed us where our successes are, not just the opportunities, and allows us to keep okay. Well, what made us successful there? Okay, let's keep growing that, let's let's keep pushing on that, because that is something that that is where your competitive advantage is created. And so as we move that and we navigated it, we have noticed that over the last year that we've done it, things that we've targeted or focused on have actually come true. And then the other thing that it's done is not just inform us of opportunities, it's also helped us when we see something in our own day-to-day look, and then we go look at our reports and we open everything up, and we and we have meetings where we all talk through all of this stuff. It helps support some of that. It really is like, no, you guys are going down the right path because this is what you're seeing. So it shows successes, shows opportunities, and is also kind of like that comfort blanket that we get to wear when you're like, okay, yeah, we're going down the right path. We're good. So that's what I would say Peakzi isn't the shortest thing. It's a comfort blanket and a way to actually confirm what you're doing is right, and as well as give you opportunities to learn and grow as an organization.

Julian Placino 32:36

A lot of really awesome things you said there. The one thing that struck me is that it helps you see what you're not seeing, right? So, so what are some of those examples of things you didn't see, but now that you can helps you make some very strategic informed decisions for the business?

Complaints Root Cause And Recovery

Jason Agopsowicz 32:51

You know, I was hoping you wouldn't ask that question. No, so you know, to be honest, customer complaints, right? We all have them. It's just the life of service. And and what Peakzi would allowed us to do was focus on some of that and really drove us into root cause analysis of like why is that occurring? Because if it's coming up here, it means it's already on the internet, it's already out there, and it's not like we can take it back. Um, and really what it did is it called when something happened that probably should not have, is it allowed us to go dig and do the one thing that we pride ourselves on. Go make the customer whole, go make the customer right. And and and I think that was the hardest thing for any organization to do when you're being, you know, when you're being talked to or about in that thing of like, we did what? Oh man, it really is like, okay, this happened. Doesn't matter how we got here, we're here. What can we do to help reduce the pain point in the future? And then how do we actually serve, if you go back to your principles of life of service, how do we service that customer to make them whole? And because of that, and those are some of the hard things that came out when we started looking at what Peakzi was showing us, of it really forced us to do root cause analysis as well as really like honestly, re-reset our anchor and make sure that we're going down the right path. So, I mean, honestly, that that's probably the best answer that I can give you. Of that's some of the stuff that keeps me up at night is like, are we truly being involved with our community by working in the chosen profession that we have? And are we being servant leaders?

Why AI Visibility Matters

Julian Placino 34:35

Yeah, and that's perfectly aligned with what you said your philosophy was about data, right? Using it to prioritize and focus on where you need to improve upon the business. I think that's great. Um, so so uh looking at the industry overall, right? So, how important do you think AI visibility is gonna be for Elmer's and home services overall, would you say?

Jason Agopsowicz 34:53

Well, I'm gonna actually go up one level.

Julian Placino 34:56

Okay.

Jason Agopsowicz 34:57

AI and information is critical for any industry. Any industry. Um, you know, I'm gonna date myself here back in the 90s when the internet was becoming a thing, everybody was worried that their internet's gonna like shut all kinds of things down. We just got smarter in how to use it. What it did is it became a tool for us to use. And then, I mean, I still ask my parents, I'm like, how did y'all work without the internet? And and you know what we get? We just worked. Like, okay, great. I think what the internet did is it informed a lot quicker than where the historic information came from. Um, I mean, I remember going to school and we had to use encyclopedias to do research papers. I'm like, oh, okay. And then you had to you had to like create your bibliographies in school, and then you're like, oh, where did I check that book out from? You know, so um, but I think the internet helped speed that up, and I think that's where AI is moving to. I really think the automation, open language models, as well as um all the machine learning and things that are out there is going to like we're kind of here with information. I think what it's gonna do is it's gonna speed that information digesting and information flow up. But I think the critical thing is how humans interact with it. And I think that's the key key thing. So, what happens is you know, there's a disparity sometimes with how people communicate. I think AI is gonna help lessen that disparity as long as you don't go, well, this is what Chat GPT said. And there you go, you're like, let's make sure that what it's saying is right. So that's where the human touch is gonna come in, is how to actually make it move and make it correctly and use it in business. Now, when it comes to like Peakzi, AI systems, and how that comes in, that's gonna give you real-time information that's gonna help your data structure as well as information. And the great thing about Peakzi is it already puts it in a usable format that you don't have to go actually create it with a pivot table, Power BI, any of these other tools out there. It's already done. So that's the nice thing about it. And then it actually becomes um really like your analytics behind it and the analysis so that it comes in from there. And the great thing is what it does is it does it pull from one thing, and then what it's gonna do is like, okay, well, what else is it? Like, what's going on on this page? What's coming up here? And you're like, okay, so it helps confirm what you already think or know. And then I think really, as we move forward in in looking at it from the home services industry, which is back to your original question, I think it's critical. It's a must-have using some kind of way to manage data. Because one, it's either managing your customer base, two, understanding where the market's going, three, what kind of new EPA guidelines are coming out around Freon or some kind of coolant, to even like what new technologies are coming, because everything is becoming integrated. If you cannot integrate and utilize systems and data like this, you're going to struggle.

Reading The AI Visibility Tracker

Julian Placino 37:57

Wow. Powerful words for sure. I think that's great and really, really uh great insight. So um you mentioned it's all presented to you in a very kind of easy to understand format. It's not just the raw data, but it's like here's information of what you can do to manage your business. Yeah. Uh, do you by chance have any hands-on experience with the AI visibility tracker tool?

Jason Agopsowicz 38:15

So I've looked at it a little bit, and yes, um, and and really the the AI visibility tracker tool, it it gives you kind of where your organization is falling within different things when you're when you're looking at like between you know market share, uh, where where you're sitting overall in your industry, as well as like top cities, the different things within like the different trades that you're working in, and really what are some of the influencers? What I would say is that AI visibility tool is a great consolidation of things, not just looking at a SWOT analysis and reading words, it puts it into a picture of understanding. And it's real simple, it's got that stop light. It's red, green, green means good. Is it dark green or light green? Everybody's like, What? You're like, oh, light green? Not so good. Let's get to that dark green. So it also gives you targets to hit as you just have your daily conversation. So I would say the visibility tool is actually extremely helpful. And and really, it's just like, how do you fold it into your daily, daily life and just digest it? Now, again, it's all hinged on when the data is updated, but that's great because it's a point in time, you're great, because then hopefully you see improvements, or if you are seeing something kind of going down, it gives you information. Is is this something that we need to go after, or is this a side effect of something else where we've already committed into?

Julian Placino 39:32

Nice. All right. Well, well, Jason, before we start to close out here, anything else you want to mention about Peakzi?

Folding Insights Into Meetings

Jason Agopsowicz 39:38

Um, you know, honestly, it took me a little while to kind of understand it. And and I think the greatest thing is, and this is just me, it's just getting in, looking at all the tools, and then figuring out what works for you. But what I will say about Peakzi is it's consistent. Uh, you know, the the Peakzi team is very uh, you know, they're very driven for success. And what that means is they're very interactive with us as customers. And when we have a question, they answer it really quickly. And then really, you know, the biggest thing that I would say is it really does help speed up information and conversations. And and because you could put it up in front of everybody and be like, hey, this is what Peakzi is saying. And they're like, Oh. And then especially the best part of it is, yeah, this is the same thing we've said through our system of record and through everything else. But now we're seeing it from what the market data is telling us. And they're like, oh, okay, because what it does is it helps seal up the holistic look of what it is. It it's it really removes that planning in a a uh silo. It allows you to open the aperture, reduce uh communication problems like flattened communications out, as well as create opportunities as an organization to get rid of old things and move forward and do new things.

Lightning Round Sourdough And Customers

Julian Placino 40:57

Wow. Amazing, amazing insights, and I appreciate you sharing all of that, Jason. So um, so let's start to close out. The way we like to end these episodes is just kind of a fun lighting round just to know a bit more about you personally. So let's kind of jump into that. All right. So, Jason, in in your months in in home services, what would you say is the funniest or memorable customer moment that you've had in the industry?

Jason Agopsowicz 41:19

So, you know, I would say honestly, it's every customer conversation I have. I don't really have a funny one, but what I have is a lot of realizations talking with customers. And sometimes you're like, wow, because what it was is was time that customer gave us to really tell them what their problem, what they're facing. And here's the great thing even when a customer is upset, they just want to help you become an organization and be better. Almost to a T. Most of them are always like, Well, you know, I had trouble here, but really like you guys did right by doing this. And and just if you know, if you focused here, that wouldn't have been a pain point for me. And you're like, awesome. Well, thank you, Mr. Customer, Miss Customer. Like, awesome. I'll keep keep that. And and and and we just want to, you know, you just start doing that. And honestly, those customer engagements have sped up my realizations of how this industry works and actually how to be an informed leader and lead. So I would say honestly, I would I don't know if there's been a funny or a single moment that that I can be like, that was the aha moment. It's every single one of them because we do value everybody's time. And it really is how do I make you right? How do I move forward? But honestly, thank you so much for my customers helping me understand the industry that I chose to spend some time in.

Julian Placino 42:37

It just seems like your natural wiring is to is to is is is towards optimism and positivity. And what I heard from that is that you're just constantly downloading, downloading how to make things better, how to make the people around you better, how to serve better. And I think that's a great characteristic of your of your leadership um essence. So um, not the Navy SEAL thing, because we now know that. But what's something about you that most people don't know, but if they did know, would find really interesting.

Jason Agopsowicz 43:01

I don't know if I can answer that because then that doesn't make me interesting anymore. Everybody needs to find that you know so no, honestly, it's sourdough.

Julian Placino 43:12

Sourdough.

Jason Agopsowicz 43:13

Sourdough.

Julian Placino 43:14

Explain.

Jason Agopsowicz 43:15

So I have been trying to make a good sourdough loaf of bread for about 18 months now. I have yet to succeed. But what I'm really good at is making all the byproducts, which are, you know, when you use a little sourdough discard, I can make great pretzels, I can make all of that. And the funny thing is, is when I do get in and I make bread, my my my kids and my wife come downstairs, they're like, Well, we're not using the kitchen today. And they're all like, Well, we'll see how the end of the day, guys. So you go through it, they're in there eating everything, which is great. Everyone's like, This is great. And then every time I pull out my sourdough loaf, because there's there's a science to it, but then there's a little art as well. Um, it's either too gummy, too dense, or it's overproofed, or and I use Same recipe every single time. And I just tried a little nuances and and and and and my girls laugh because they're they're like, Well, we know how dad's day is. Either you hear the trash can slam, or he does get one almost right, and he's feeding it to us all day long. Like, tell me about this. What do you think about this? What do you think about this? I'm like, that's pretty good. My wife's like, okay, let's save that one and I'll eat that one up all week. So it really is, I have a passion for trying to get something that I was never good at to get good at it, but really it's just that challenge of the sourgo because it's the combination of science and art, and I have yet to perfect the art, or the science, actually, at this point. So it really is like Sundays are typically when the family's like, nope, we're staying out of the kitchen, dad's making bread.

Julian Placino 44:47

Well, a couple things. You you enjoy cooking. We all know you always like to improve things, and you're a girl, Dad.

Jason Agopsowicz 44:51

Also, I am, I am, okay, I have girls, and they are honestly the apple of my eye and so successful in their own rights, it's awesome.

Legacy Ownership And How To Connect

Julian Placino 45:02

Love it, love it, love it, love it. What do you think is the future of home services in one in word or phrase?

Jason Agopsowicz 45:08

So, you know, I would say it's almost in the name, service, right? But I think the future of home services really comes down to one simple thing. Customers. It's meeting the customers where they're at and being an honest broker to them and helping them navigate their journey. So, really, it's meeting the customer where they're at is, I guess, probably the most simple form.

Julian Placino 45:38

Love it. And last question here for you, Jason. You've had an amazing uh career in life, you know. So um, when all is said and done, what's the legacy you want to leave behind?

Jason Agopsowicz 45:48

Ownership. I thrive and really want to help places get better no matter where I'm at. I don't think organizations are successful if the employees do not have ownership in the organization. I'm not talking financial, I'm not talking, it's it's ownership of their time and their own development. And they need to be feel that they're heard and they want to be part of the movement of everything, and they want to feel connected with where the organization is going. And if I ever leave anywhere, I want all the employees of that organization to feel that they have ownership of their time, their company, their their organization, and their life of service.

Julian Placino 46:35

Beautiful. Well, we can definitely tell that you lived your message and you've already made that impact and will for sure continue to do so. So, Jason, this has been really fun getting to know you and also Elmer's. If you would close us out, share with us your social media, how to get to your website, share with us all that.

Jason Agopsowicz 46:50

Yeah. So, you know, Julian, first off, thank you so much for taking the time with us. Um, you know, we we we have a bunch of social media. We're on LinkedIn, we're on Facebook, we're on Instagram, and all of that. And we do publish on there. So please uh let us know. You should be able to find our social media links on Elmer.com. So it will be it'll drive you to our main website, and we should have our social media uh post in there. And as well, you know, we do appreciate everybody that that that comes along for the ride. At least come do a click and see what we got. And then honestly, if we can help you solve a problem, that's what we're here for.

Julian Placino 47:25

Awesome. And we'll make sure to have all your contact information in the show notes as well. So, Jason, this was a true pleasure getting to know you. Thank you for your time.

Jason Agopsowicz 47:32

Thank you so much, Julian. You have a great day. And uh to everybody else, thank you for listening.

Julian Placino 47:37

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