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Carving Out a Niche in a Competitive Market

In Butler, Pennsylvania, one HVAC and plumbing company has set itself apart by specializing in areas others can’t (or won’t) work on. While Armstrong Comfort Solutions offers full-service residential HVAC and plumbing, the company has also built expertise in boilers, oil-fired equipment, and geothermal installations—key needs in the region.

Additionally, Armstrong operates a main drain and sewer line division, with capabilities in camera inspections, pipe replacements, trenchless pipe lining, and full-scale excavation— areas many competitors avoid.

“Some of the work we do, like boilers and oil-fired equipment, is tough, and a lot of people are getting out of it,” Armstrong Comfort Solutions President Don Tacik explains. “But if you have the right resources—especially those affiliated with Nexstar—you can build the right team, develop the right capabilities, and do a lot of business in those spaces.”

Overcoming Industry Challenges

The HVAC and plumbing industry in Pennsylvania presents unique challenges, particularly with licensing. Outside major cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, little regulation exists. “Technically, anyone with a backhoe and a six-pack of beer can work on your house,” jokes Don. This has created a highly competitive landscape, with hundreds of other companies trying to compete in Armstrong’s service area.

Talent acquisition, wage inflation, and consumer hesitation due to economic uncertainty were additional challenges in 2024. “Last year, there was a lot of uncertainty in the financial market and political landscape, which led to consumer hesitation,” Don explains. “But one of our core goals is to be the employer of choice, so we can deliver the customer experience of choice.”

A Culture-First Approach to Growth

Don likens the concept of being an employer of choice to a restaurant chain, where one location may provide outstanding service while another falls short. “The difference? Management. A great manager creates a great experience, and a bad manager creates a bad one,” he says.

Recognizing this, Armstrong has been focused on strengthening company culture. This meant making tough staffing decisions to ensure team members aligned with company values. “In the past, we let our fears dictate decisions—we’d keep someone who was disrupting the team just because they had technical experience we thought we couldn’t afford to lose. In 2024, we stopped doing that.”

Driving Operational Effectiveness

Don attributes Armstrong’s success to a combination of internal commitment and Nexstar’s resources. “At first, we didn’t believe we could hit the same performance benchmarks as other Nexstar companies,” he says. “But as we worked through the process, we learned the why, mastered the how, and started taking small steps toward meeting those benchmarks.”

Key strategies included:

• Daily huddles and a “bad news fast, good news often” communication approach.
• Weekly one-on-ones to drive accountability and bridge leadership gaps.
• Onsite coaching and deep-dive sessions with Nexstar coaches, including Jamie Robinson, Jason Green, Margot Shaffer
• Business Planning Workshop (BPW) engagements to fine-tune goals and expectations.

Don credits the entire team’s hard work and willingness to embrace change as the driving forces behind their progress.

Measuring Success

Armstrong saw 19% top-line growth in its first year of the new approach, along with a similar percentage increase in profitability. Their cultural shift also led to a 25% decrease in turnover, and the 14-member leadership team remained intact throughout the company’s operational and cultural improvements.

Looking Ahead

Armstrong has ambitious plans for the coming year. “Like everyone else, we’re looking to improve sales, customer service, and operations. But on top of that, we’re outsourcing business support functions so we can focus on what we do best,” says Don. “For example, we’re outsourcing inventory to a vendor-managed system and fleet management to an external provider. By offloading them, we can keep our focus on delivering great service. We’re also restructuring and growing our maintenance club membership. That’s a major priority. Finally, we’re strengthening our safety culture.”

Despite industry challenges, the company is already seeing a strong start to the year. “Compared to last January and February, we’re already doing much better,” Don says. “Part of that is because last winter was mild, and this year’s winter has been brutal, which has helped our business. But part of it is also the changes we’ve made.”

With a strong team, refined strategy, and focus on cultural and operational excellence, Armstrong Comfort Solutions is well-positioned for continued success.

For the last 75 years, the Armstrong Group has been delivering top-level service to customers in their homes. Armstrong Comfort Solutions is a recent addition to the group of companies, providing homeowners with service in heating, cooling, and plumbing.

Three years ago, Don Tacik, formerly the vice president of operations at the Armstrong cable company, decided to branch out and bring Armstrong's strong work ethic and professional philosophies to the HVAC and plumbing industry. Don quickly grew Armstrong Comfort Solutions and brought homeowners in the community another quality option for heating, cooling, and plumbing services.

Armstrong Comfort Solutions provides everything from installation and repairs of heating and cooling systems to unclogging drains and installing new plumbing fixtures.

Being a part of the Armstrong Group gave Armstrong Comfort Solutions an advantage that allowed them to quickly grow, establish themselves, and begin gaining the trust of customers right from the start.

"There are things that the Armstrong Group has been doing for the last 75 years that many new businesses have to learn in their first few years," says Don. "We already had the knowledge of how to provide great customer service and we leveraged that to treat customers the way they deserve to be treated."

When you call Armstrong Comfort Solutions, you can expect outstanding dedication and service that makes you feel comfortable in your own home.

"We're not just doing a job," says Don "we're taking care of someone's home. Every time we are on a job, we are upholding the highest level of professionalism. Our technicians are timely, well-spoken, trained, knowledgeable, and well-prepared."

A furnace can be the third most expensive investment homeowners make (right behind the house itself and a car). It's important to take care of it—starting with building a relationship with a service provider that you trust.

"Homeownership is a journey that requires taking care of your property," says Don. "My advice is to do the little things every day. Have someone you trust come out and do routine checks of your systems. If they're working properly, you'll save energy and you'll get more life out of them. A lot of times the emergencies can be avoided by routine checks by a trained professional."

Armstrong Comfort Solutions offers the Peace of Mind Club for customers to join. Member benefits include discounts on repair charges, yearly checkups and cleanings, priority scheduling of service calls and so much more.

The technicians at Armstrong Comfort Solutions are highly trained professionals in the heating, cooling, and plumbing industries. Employees regularly have trainings to maintain their certifications and licenses and there is no crossover of professionals between companies within the Armstrong Group.

Armstrong Comfort Solutions cares about their employees just as much as they do their customers. With their servant-leader philosophy, Armstrong Comfort Solutions believes that the people who directly serve customers are the most important part of the company.

"We have a desire to be the employer of choice in our area," says Don. "We've learned that if you treat people with respect and honor their contributions, you'll have a group of employees that want to be there. A great place to work leads to great customer service which is what our customers deserve."

Don and his family are members of this community. When you do business with Armstrong Comfort Solutions, you do business with a company that is owned by a local family. They appreciate every opportunity to help their neighbors and their community.

Armstrong Comfort Solutions is available by phone 24/7. Call (833) 789-9100 on any day at any time to talk to a representative. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, and at armstrongcomfort.com.