PM Truck Of The Month - Angel Plumbers, Ventura, Calif. - Truck of the Month

Company Earns Its Wings

“Not Just Good Plumbers, Good People.” That slogan is how brothers Santiago and Ricardo Ayala want potential customers to feel when they see the logo on their Angel Plumbers trucks.

During the last 2 1/2 years the brothers have been in business, the California-based company has expanded its service area to Ventura County, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The company has achieved a second license and is envisioning the future with its upcoming engineering license as well. Growth during these times is hard to achieve, however, Angel Plumbers believes its key to growth has been through its charity.

“At the previous companies I’ve worked with, there wasn’t a lot of giving going on,” says Santiago Ayala. He and his brother are former business consultants for the plumbing industry. “As a new manager of my own company, I wanted to achieve that; we want to be a giving company.”

And the giving starts with the customers. For every $100 spent with Angel Plumbers, a dollar is donated to one of four charities, which the customer decides on at the time of the service. From missionary and church groups, to battered women shelters, it’s the customer’s choice where the money is spent.

“We average $2,000 a month for donations,” he says. “Sometimes more.”

As for the Sprinter itself, Ayala has been impressed with its capabilities and benefits, such as its 20 mpg diesel fuel consumption, its torque and power to pull trailers for the company, and its spacious interior, which has allowed Angel Plumbers to work more productively.

“My goal is to have a full fleet of Sprinters,” Ayala notes.

Additionally, proper organization of the company’s trucks has allowed it an edge that was lacking in its early days. Especially now, the owners understand that customers want quality for a better cost. More organization means more profits, and more profits mean more giving.

With tools on the right and materials on the left — and each vehicle identical to the others — techs can now access everything quickly and easily while on the job.

“It took six months to get it all straight, but now our guys find what they’re looking for really fast, and it makes cleaning and stocking the trucks a breeze,” he says.

The large Sprinter exterior space also presented a great opportunity for advertising. The design of the truck logo was a lengthy process of dos and don’ts, according to the brothers. The angel wings graphic and colors were carefully chosen, and the design was crafted to be easily represented on any truck.

Ayala went with decals over traditional wrapping due to the hot California sun, which has a tendency to fade graphics over time. Replacement or restoration will be far less expensive.