By Andrew P. McCoy and Fred Sargent
Published On July 15, 2023
We went into our visit at ASF Electric Inc., Daly City, Calif., expecting to discuss successful—but mostly conventional—approaches to the electrical service and maintenance business. But we came away from our visit with a passel of novel ideas that most service-related electrical contractors could readily put to work.
Cathy Lagomarsino, president, and Caren Ferrari, treasurer and director of operations, daughters of company CEO Andy Ferrari, welcomed us into their conference room.
“Always Striving Forward” is your company motto. That’s a great philosophy. How does it translate into everyday activity?
“We depend on our service operation to act as a catalyst for our entry into emerging technologies like electric vehicles, battery storage and solar power,” Lagomarsino said. “Staying a step ahead has been a permanent part of the company’s modus operandi from its very beginning.”
We gather that there are many maxims that have guided ASF Electric over the past 50 years.
Ferrari seized on one immediately: “Our dad has always stressed the ultimate importance of customer retention.”
A quote from renowned professor Peter F. Drucker says the purpose of business is simply to find customers and keep them.
Ferrari agreed that if you adhere to that dictum, “You’ll always remain in business.”
Speaking of remaining in business, how would you characterize the effect of pandemic-related disruptions and the resulting fallout on your company?
“Some of the organizations that have provided our long-time, traditional sources of business have not recovered from the setbacks that they suffered,” Lagomarsino said. “Meantime, throughout this period, our service business has grown consistently.”