How IRBIS built trust through clear pricing and focused marketing
Tim Alagushov helped start IRBIS, which provides heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical services to homeowners across the San Francisco Bay Area. The conversation looks at how clear pricing, customer reviews and a focused approach to marketing helped the business earn trust, and what owners can learn from its early mistakes.
Build trust by answering customers promptly, being clear about pricing and learning from honest reviews. Focus on a small number of customer acquisition channels, and make time to check the contracts and accounts yourself.
What’s the short story of how your business started, and what makes it genuinely different from the other options your customers have?
My business partner Vadim and I started IRBIS in San Jose in 2019. Vadim runs the technical and field side, and I handle marketing, customer experience and operations. The name IRBIS means snow leopard, a national symbol of Kyrgyzstan, reflecting the founders’ desire to raise awareness and support conservation of this endangered species.
What sets us apart is how we treat the basics. Home services has a reputation for vague pricing and slow communication, so we try to be clear about cost upfront and make the experience simple for the customer.
How did you win your first customers, and where does most of your new business come from today?
In the beginning, we built on Google Local Services Ads and Yelp. I personally answered every call and message, which meant a lot of long days, but it taught me what customers actually ask and worry about. Those early conversations and reviews helped us earn trust with people who had never heard of us. Today, most of our new business still comes from people searching online and choosing us based on reviews. We also have repeat customers through our IRBIS Home Care Plan, our maintenance membership.
What’s one decision that changed the direction of your business, and one mistake that taught you the most?
Two decisions mattered. First, we focused on a few channels and did them well instead of spreading ourselves thin. Putting our effort into Google and Yelp early on gave us a steady base to grow from. Second, we committed to a bold, highly recognizable brand. Our trucks quickly became familiar on the road, and that brand recognition helped customers remember us and trust us before they ever called. As for a mistake, early on we didn’t personally check things like contracts and accounting. As owners, we trusted that they were handled. Now we review them ourselves, and it’s a habit I’d recommend to every owner.
What has changed in your industry or in what your customers expect over the last couple of years, and how have you adapted?
Customers expect more than they used to. They want clear pricing, quick replies, easy booking and proof from real reviews before they call. Many compare several companies in a few minutes. Competition has also grown, and many companies have upgraded their service. That makes it harder to keep improving, but we have to, to stay a step ahead and keep finding new solutions. We’ve adapted by investing in technology that makes the experience smoother, by staying transparent on pricing, and by paying close attention to feedback. Keeping up is an ongoing effort, not something we’ve finished.
If you were advising someone starting out in your industry today, what would you tell them to do first, and what would you tell them to ignore?
First, answer every call and treat every customer well. Early on, your reputation is your biggest asset, so ask for honest reviews and learn from them. Be upfront about pricing from the start. And invest in a strong brand identity, so people notice you and you stand out sharply from everyone else. Ignore the pressure to be everywhere at once. You don’t need every platform or every new tool. Pick one or two channels, do them well, and don’t compete only on being the cheapest, because that’s a hard way to build a lasting business.
Thank you to Tim Alagushov and the team at IRBIS Air, Plumbing & Electrical for sharing what actually worked with Leaders Perception readers.
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