Tom's Appliance Service, Inc. Comparative Summary

According to its owner, Jorge Paiva, Tom’s Appliance Service, Inc. values every one of its customers, whether they live in “a multi-million dollar home or a one-bedroom apartment.”

Mr. Paiva says small courtesies make the difference with his Morgan Hill-based business. Customers receive a phone call in advance of their appointment, so they don’t have to wait at home for a technician to arrive. Mr. Paiva and his employees have often returned to a previous jobsite, despite having no obligation to do so, to correct problems that weren’t covered under the company’s warranty.

“We simply want to make our customers happy,” says Mr. Paiva. He recounts a yearlong period during which he paid almost monthly repair calls to a customer who, despite ample evidence to the contrary, had convinced himself his refrigerator was malfunctioning.

Mr. Paiva says Tom’s Appliance Service has a large and loyal customer base, which it acquired “through exceptional customer service.” Customer satisfaction is important to the company—it routinely fields calls from customers who commend it for the caliber of its work and professionalism.

All service appointments are managed with sophisticated scheduling software that tracks jobs in real time. The company uses TV screens to track the whereabouts of every technician, from the moment they clock in to the moment they leave. “Every employee and job is accounted for,” says Mr. Paiva. “Nothing and no one slips through the cracks.”

Tom’s Appliance Service’s technicians are among the few in Santa Clara Valley who are factory-trained and certified at the Sub-Zero and Wolf manufacturing facilities in Madison, Wisconsin. In fact, says Mr. Paiva, the company is one of only 100 in North America selected for distinction by Sub-Zero.