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What’s In a Name?
Legend has it American founding father Ben Franklin brought the first bathtub to America from France in 1790, which was well before the TSA outlawed bath tubs for carry on. Judging from reports of Franklin’s exploits in France, however, there may have been some carrying on in Franklin’s bath tub.
Renowned as both statesman and inventor, Franklin was ever on the lookout for ways to make homes more livable. He invented the Franklin stove to warm chilly colonial homes twice as efficiently as fireplaces, while consuming two-thirds less fuel. Heck, he probably heated water for his bathtub on the stove.
Ben Franklin would have been right at home at Berkey’s, given his interests in plumbing and heating. But you won’t see us putting his name on our business, as some plumbers do. We’re a little uncomfortable seeing people’s names used commercially when they aren’t around to know about it.
Franklin didn’t have any more say about his name being used commercially than Sam Adams, another revolutionary patriot. Don’t you reckon there might have been a chilly night or two when Ben and Sam sat by a Franklin stove drinking Sam Adams beer, never suspecting the royalties they would miss out on one day?
In our book it’s far more honorable to name a business after a nation, state or city. Sports teams do it all the time – the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers, for example. And in our line of work, there is American Residential Services, which may not be as proud of the “American” part as they could be, since they go by their initials of ARS now.
Better yet, a company can carry a person’s name. Some choose a first name, such as Joe’s Crab Shack, or Ernie’s Plumbing, but don’t those names make you wonder about Ernie and Joe? Are they real people or just corporate brands?
Now, if they happen to be real people who become corporate brands, that’s about as good as it gets. That means a company has done things right for a long time, to the point that when people hear or see the name they immediately associate it with what the company stands for.
We have a good example for you: Berkey’s. Over the past four decades our name has become synonymous with quality plumbing, heating and air conditioning. Mr. Berkey hasn’t been active in the business for more than a decade, but the business he built on his personal reputation is going stronger than ever.
We thank you, our thousands of loyal customers, for helping us become the trusted name in plumbing, heating and air conditioning in Southlake, Colleyville, Grapevine, Flower Mound and beyond. You have made it all possible, and we remember that every time we answer the phone or knock on your door. Please let us know – any time – how we can serve you better.
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