Southern Trust Home Services began life on a farm. An electrician by trade, Ted Puzio founded his contracting business in 1995 while raising his two teenage sons. Then named TP Electric, Puzio and his sons renovated and flipped farmhouses before building a two-story facility to both live in and use as a workshop.
In 1997, Puzio began tackling commercial jobs and rebranded the company to Southern State Electric. He grew the business to a 1,700-square-foot office and was able to hire three full-time employees. However, in 2010, Puzio dropped commercial work completely, instead choosing to focus solely on residential work. In 2015, after adding plumbing and HVAC services, the company was rebranded a final time and became Southern Trust Home Services. The business continues to grow today, thanks to Puzio introducing new services, such as sewer and bathroom remodeling.
“We are a value-driven organization that treats our clients like family. “This helps create an atmosphere where our clients are respected and valued. We also provide our associates with ongoing world-class training.” – TED PUZIO
Today, Southern Trust Home Services boasts 45 employees and 27 fleet vehicles. The fleet includes 2021 Ford Transit high-top van, 2021 Ford Transit mid-top van, 2021 Ford 2500 HD pickup, 2021 Ford Connect van, 2021 Chevrolet Equinox SUV and a 2018 Ford Fusion.
Of the different makes and models, Puzio says he prefers the 2021 Ford Transit high-top van over the others.
“The van is tall enough to serve as a great advertisement while on the road or parked,” he says. “Being a high-top, the vehicle has excellent headspace in the back for working, and it can store enough equipment and tools to ensure our clients will be taken care of throughout the day. This vehicle sets that standard for being a ‘warehouse on wheels’ when it comes to inventory. The capacity increases technician efficiency, eliminating additional supply house stops. The cab comfort and ease of ride are also excellent, and the Bluetooth connections increase safety. The comfort allows our technicians an opportunity to relax while preparing for the next job.”
Southern Trust trucks are easy to spot thanks to the colorful design.
“According to our research, yellow is the first color that catches the eye, so we chose that as a primary color,” Puzio explains. “Our trucks have a bold design with a traditional feel to the logo, creating an eye popping, dapper and exciting design.”
Puzio wanted to go with a traditional image that invoked a feeling of comfort and trust. “Similar to the American Flag, the logo is in red, white and blue, which helps create that feeling. We worked with our business coaches and CEO Warrior when it came to every aspect of the design to ensure we created something that was memorable.”
Brand recognition was Puzio’s main goal when it came to the truck wrap design. “As I mentioned, we view our vehicles as billboards on wheels, so we needed something that helped us stand out," he says. "We believe we achieved that with our wrap. Our trucks are very visible and memorable. We hear all the time that people see our trucks ‘everywhere.’”
Southern Trust stands by its slogan: “On-time service and quality you can trust.”
“To us, this means our company is reliable, family-oriented and trustworthy,” Puzio notes. “Our core values include integrity and safety for our family and homeowners. We also have dedicated clientele, no pressure solutions and a 24/7 emergency service to assist our clients whenever there is an emergency situation. We are very visible in the communities we serve.”
