When Customers Call, They 'Leap'
Tim LePrevostis a self-declared fan ofPM’s Truck Of The Month. But we’ve also become a fan of his. The LePrevost Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Inc. (Lee, Mass.) trucks are this month’s showcase because they blend professionalism with pride.“After 20 years in the business and operating my own shop for 14 years, I can now show off one of my own vehicles,” LePrevost beams.
Operating in the “heart of the Berkshires,” LePrevost’s clientele includes many second-home owners - mainly “city dwellers” who come to relax in this rural, but highly cultural area. The company does a fair amount of winterizing and de-winterizing for these “guests” for a total of more than 4,000 regular customers.
The shop supports seven vans, four pickups, a one-ton utility body and four trailers, all fully lettered and sporting the catchy LePrevost frog logo.
The latest truck in the fleet is a Ford E350 cutaway with a utility box and power-locking side boxes. The truck carries all the necessary equipment and materials to satisfy most construction site needs, and very rarely needs to leave the site to run for anything.
“It’s a real profit maker,” LePrevost boasts. It features storage for a REMS pipe threader, air compressor, generator, core drilling equipment, hole hogs, sawzalls, slide-out pipe vise and much more. The fiberglass roof lets in light, so techs can always see what they’re after.
This truck is also equipped with a complete towing package and hauls a 16-foot, fully stocked trailer, ready for any project, big or small.
But the heart of LePrevost’s business is his crew, he says. From his office staff to his field technicians, the team is complimented for its professionalism. The men are cross-trained to be able to handle most situations and help out wherever needed, according to the owner. “I am very proud to say that our team carries one Master license, five plumbing licenses, two oil-burner licenses and three EPA licenses.”
But what does a frog have to do with plumbing? One just needs to look at LePrevost’s childhood.
With a last name of LePrevost, it was only natural that his friends shortened it to “Leap.” So the company logo sports a leaping green frog carrying a red pipe wrench.
“I have received many compliments on what a great-looking and professional fleet of trucks we have, as well as the men who operate them,” says LePrevost. “It is always great to hear kind words from the many customers we serve. It’s also great to make the pages of PM magazine!”
