October 24, 2011 -
Long Island
When Bobby Bellini's father started Varsity Plumbing and Heating, Inc. nearly 50 years ago, he did so with one very important—but very simple—philosophy in mind: if you want to become a successful company it is essential that you earn your customers' trust. Now earning someone's trust is easily said, but not so easily done. In fact, it's pretty hard to do it.
At that time, in 1962, Bellini's father identified four fundamental principles necessary to earning a customer's trust. Those are: Do a good job; charge a fair price; stand behind your work; and always keep your word.
Even though his father has retired, those four guiding principles are the very same ones Varsity lives by and to which they can attribute their success. Over the past five decades, Varsity has become one of the most trusted plumbing and heating companies in the metropolitan area. From corporate headquarters in Flushing, Queens and Long Island offices in Bohemia, Varsity provides service from Nassau and Suffolk to the five boroughs of New York City.
Whether their clients need a simple leak repaired or a complete building re-piped, Varsity can serve their needs quickly, efficiently and at a fair price. One reason for this is Varsity's ability to stock virtually every part needed for most jobs right in their warehouse—over 8,000 s/f in Flushing and another 6,000 s/f in Bohemia. This means that when the trucks go out on a job, they have the parts they need to get the job done; there is no waiting around at the plumbing supply house (at the client's expense) for a part to be found, put on a truck, sent to a job site and collected by a waiting plumber. At Varsity, that all sounds like an incredible waste of time (and money) and they strive to have their warehouses fully stocked at all times.
Each Varsity truck is fully computerized and also fully stocked, so that in the event of an emergency, dispatchers can find the closest truck, know immediately what parts are on that truck, and can get to the job prepped and ready to go. On the other hand, if a part is unavailable off one truck, dispatchers can send a nearby truck over with a spare quickly and easily. From burner and boiler problems to frozen pipes and backed-up sewer and drain lines, they have the expertise to solve problems quickly and efficiently, round the clock. And they stand behind each and every job they do. When clients hire Varsity to handle an emergency, they will make the repair, and follow up later to make sure you are satisfied—in fact 94% of their clients would recommend the company after having work done at their properties.
"We have been doing business with Varsity for over 15 years, and have always found them to be reliable and professional," said Frank Socci, Jr. of NAI, a commercial real estate company with offices in Melville on Long Island. "I would certainly recommend Varsity."
Theresa Hagen of Bayshore faced an emergency at her 87-year-old mother's house on Long Island. With a nor'easter on the way, the heating system went down, and she called Varsity late in the day for an emergency service call. "Within 24 hours we had a new burner and hot water heater," she said. "It was not only the workmanship, it was the wonderful people, from the woman who answered my call to the professional men who came to the house."
All Varsity employees undergo rigorous training, mandatory drug testing and criminal background checks. The safety of Varsity clients is of utmost importance, and Varsity takes the responsibility of entering its clients home or business very seriously. Varsity's clients can be comfortable opening their door to a uniformed Varsity employee, and feel safe with every member of its staff.
Varsity's principals hold licensed master plumber status throughout Long Island, the five boroughs, Westchester County and the state of New Jersey, so they can handle work in any of their clients' locations. Hiring a licensed plumbing contractor ensures that the work will be performed in a safe and code compliant manner. Never take the chance of having plumbing, heating or air conditioning work performed by an unlicensed plumber.
Also avoid taking the chance of having a contractor or individual perform work at your property without verifying that all insurances are current and of sufficient coverage. Don't let damages caused to your property or injury incurred while on your property become your problem! Insist on verification of insurance.
Varsity has been recognized by Plumbing and Mechanical magazine for its efforts in water conservation, has provided radio commentary advising building owners on strategies for achieving maximum energy conservation, and has shared their expertise with the readers of numerous publications, including The New York Times.
"Thanks to Varsity, our problems with dirty water have finally been corrected," according to one co-op board member. "I've lived in this co-op for 19 years and have had dirty water in the showers, clogged faucets, and dirty ice cubes. Since Varsity installed a new filtration system, our water is crystal clear and no more clogged faucets."
Even though Varsity has grown over the past five decades, they treat even the smallest jobs with the utmost respect. Varsity's business is always based on service work, and small repairs are the lifeblood of that business. The company prides itself on having the attitude of a small local company with the resources to handle any project that comes up.
Varsity is proud to support their neighbors and our community. They have organized a food drive for "Long Island Harvest," make regular donations to the Boomer Esiason Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis research, sponsor Little League Teams and local sport teams, donate to local churches, synagogues, and fire departments. Varsity Plumbing and Heating, Inc. is part of the fabric of Long Island, and pleased to be able to support those in need.