Patrick Jorge Besinga, president/CEO of Works Plumbing, and his wife, Margaret Besinga, vice president/COO, grew up in the Philippines, and both hold a college degree in business and marketing. They decided to move to the United States to build a better life and future for their family.

“We were also expecting our first-born child, and for us, it was the biggest decision we made, leaving our whole family behind back home and starting a new chapter of our lives together as a family,” Patrick Besinga says. “Arriving in San Francisco in late September of 2001, we only had our hopes and dreams.”

He started to work as a plumbing technician at one of the biggest plumbing companies in San Francisco at the time.

“That is how I got introduced to the industry and my first job here in America,” he says. “The truth is, I didn’t know anything about plumbing or the trade. I never really planned or dreamed of becoming a plumber. I guess it was a calling that led me to fall into the plumbing world. I was young, driven, confident and willing to learn the trade. 

“I was trained, did a ride along with a master plumber for a month and the rest was history,” he continues. “I am forever grateful for the opportunity they gave me. I was able to learn the trade and provide for my family. It was only possible because of my great friends, who at that time, was the manager and later became the owner of the company.”

Adventure awaits

In 2009, at the age of 29, he decided to start his own company to create a legacy for his family and to create that “freedom lifestyle” he always wanted. 

He wanted the name of the company to reflect everything he could do, and that’s when “Works Plumbing” was born.

“I always take pride in my work — back in the days when I was a service technician working for someone and to this day in my own business,” he says. “Every great plumber who is a master of his craft would always look back at their work and see it as an art or a masterpiece. This is how I came up with the company name. Every time I finish an extensive plumbing job, I would show it off to a coworker or a trainee with me on the jobsite and call it ‘The Works.’”

He also wanted something that portrayed what he and his team could do and what they offer, “the best option, the wow experience and the giving-it-all-we-got attitude.”

“Our customers desire affordable, efficient and high-quality service, and that’s exactly what we provide,” he says. “We take pride in providing quality professional workmanship to our clients, backed with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.”

A new look

For over a decade, Works Plumbing has been providing service to the San Francisco Bay Area community. The company — now with 10 employees and eight vehicles — decided to start rebranding in the beginning of 2019. Works Plumbing now boasts a new, fun logo and an all-around fresher look. 

“In an ever-changing world, we feel it’s important to stay modern and let our brand speak for us and what we do,” he says. “We’ve even adopted a new mascot named Rocket. We are still the same reliable company we’ve always been — committed to providing 100% satisfaction to customers with our stellar residential plumbing and drain services. We’re just packaged better. In fact, our new tag line sums it up best: Beyond great service.”

Patrick Besinga worked with KickCharge Creative and told them that he wanted something with a mascot that would represent his awesome technicians as hardworking heroes.

“We also wanted a fun and friendly mascot that our clients can trust and like — a mascot that the whole family would love,” he says. “These are important because I learned that the people buy from who they like and trust.”

Wrapping the vehicles not only helped the company with brand awareness, but also with recruiting. 

“Building a culture and creating a brand that people want to be part of is huge,” he says. “Would that employee be proud to wear a uniform and drive one of your trucks? His perception is partly going to be driven by brand image. Investing in your brand makes recruiting much easier.

“I truly believe that a big part of our growth is when we decided to rebrand,” he says. “We saw a 66% increase in revenue one year after rebranding," Patrick Besinga adds. “And here’s the best part: While we’ve changed our look, we haven’t changed our incredible service.”

A look back

“When I made the decision to start my own company, my wife and I learned and experienced that a business can either make you or break you,” he says. “We made a lot of the same mistakes, had a lot of trials and errors and failed so many times. 

“Six years in the business, my wife and I joined and started another business,” he continues. “It was the insurance and investment industry. We both got licensed and even got our own office and ran an insurance business for about four years. I was doing plumbing in the morning 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and then 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. I was doing training meetings and insurance. 

“We were juggling two business at the same time,” he adds. “In October of 2018, we met Richard and Laura Behney with The Million Dollar Plumber. Richard made me realize I was sitting on a gold mine the whole time and made us understand that it isn’t about plumbing, it’s about the business of plumbing. He was also big on branding and helped us decide to rebrand with KickCharge Creative. We then decide to hire them as our business consultants and mentors. It was the best thing we did in our business.”

The future

What does the future look like with Works Plumbing? 

“Growth and abundance,” he says. “You have to learn from the past to give you a better road map to the future. Our future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades!”

 

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The trucks

Works Plumbing currently uses a fleet of Ford Transit vans, completely wrapped and fully stocked with materials and with the best Spartan brand equipment. 

“If I was to be back in the truck and do plumbing again, I would prefer driving the Ford Transits Medium roof with a long wheelbase,” he notes. “I like that I am able to stand up inside without hitting my head on the ceiling of the truck, and that I can move freely without bending and forcing my back. Another favorite set up that I like is each transit is fitted with an automatic power hoist, eliminating the hassle of lifting heavy machines in the truck.”