In the U.S., AD has been named a Philadelphia Inquirer Top Workplaces winner for the eighth consecutive year and, for the third time, has been recognized as a USA Today Top Workplaces winner.
Feedback from the survey continues to inform how AD evolves its workplace experience. Over the past year, this has included enhancements to benefits and wellness offerings, a continued focus on recognizing associate contributions, and expanded access to professional development opportunities
Across the industry, contractors are steadily recognizing that the word emergency is being applied far more broadly than the conditions it was meant to describe.
Emergency demand will always be part of plumbing and mechanical work. Systems fail. Weather intervenes. Customers need help quickly. But treating urgency as an emotional reflex rather than a validated signal creates inefficiencies that compound as organizations scale.
In a hyper-competitive market, talent poaching happens instantly. Salary matches provide short-term retention, but fail to build long-term loyalty. The true competitive advantage comes from the daily workplace experience.
When a homeowner under 50 opens ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, or Google AI Overviews and asks "my AC stopped working — who do I call" or "best plumber in my city," the answer is almost never one of the 230,000 small or independent contractors in the U.S.
Loyalty doesn’t require expensive software or flashy marketing. It comes from consistent, thoughtful habits that show customers they are seen, heard, and cared for.
Instead of focusing solely on closing out a dispatch, companies should be intentional about building relationships: communicating proactively, documenting their work, and checking back in even after the invoice is paid.
When Ryan Edgington began exploring the value of Oxford Plumbing & Heating out of curiosity, the third-generation owner navigated the sale of a deeply rooted community business while preserving its people-first values.
People from all over the world came together with a shared purpose: to learn, grow, and help one another succeed. I sat with plumbers from Georgia during one session, and over lunch, I joined a group from Wisconsin. We talked about everything from the unique challenges of running a business in different regions to funny on-the-job stories that reminded us all why we love this industry.