Tough Jobs: Blue Dot
Blue Dot offers services to maintain many aspects of our lives that we hardly notice until something goes wrong.
It is easy to take a cool home on a hot day for granted, until the day we walk into a humid house, check the thermostat, and see the bad news. Air conditioning is essential for some folks, due to the extreme weather in Kansas, and it is such a norm for the rest of us that we do not like to do without it for long. The same goes for heat on cold, damp, icy days, or a toilet that flushes properly. Little things, sure, but oh, so important.
It is very challenging work. Co-owner Von Kopfman points out that the services offered by Blue Dot require special skills, training, and equipment. Despite all that, the work is still very dangerous.
“My guys are in danger every day,” Kopfman said. “We’re dealing with high pressures, extreme heat and cold, moving parts, fan blades, capacitors, electric panels, high voltage, gas lines, water lines and more. We work in high places, crawl spaces, from trench to roof.”
It is also work that does not stop for holiday breaks, or to get a full night’s sleep. The services that we rely on could go out on us at any time, so Blue Dot is available at all hours.
“It’s all in a day's work,” Kopfman said, “and we’re appreciative of the staff that does that work, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.”
“It’s all in a day's work,” Kopfman said, “and we’re appreciative of the staff that does that work, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.”
For Kopfman, job safety is personal. He lost a son in a work-related fall, and nearly lost his own life one winter on the icy roof of a high building. The roof had no wall or guard rail to catch him as he slid toward the edge, so if not for the quick action of a colleague, who lunged out and grabbed his pant leg, he would have fallen about 13 stories to the ground.
Kopfman emphasizes that training and continuing education are a priority at Blue Dot because the company wants to minimize the risks to their laborers as much as possible. Of course, the company provides protective gear and keeps equipment up to date, too.
“I don’t want anyone getting hurt,” Kopfman said. “We’re committed to safety because it’s the right thing to do. As a business owner, it’s a fine balance to offer the best value in services to our customers, while also providing the best possible for our employees. It is personal, and we don’t cut corners on either. We take care of people.”
Kopfman and co-owner Terry McCart did not plan to work in the heating, cooling and plumbing business, but an opportunity presented itself. Kopfman came into the organization as a salesman, and within a year found himself part of a small group offered an opportunity to purchase the business in 2003.
By that time he already knew that he loved the work, and he took the offer. The two had only 30 days to make the transition into ownership, a tremendous challenge.
“I’m straight with people and provide good value for the money they’re spending,” Kopfman said. “We have thousands of loyal customers.
“We were essentially starting from scratch with banking, accounting, insurances, leases, payroll, etc.,” Kopfman said.
Despite the quick turnaround, they successfully made the transition and kept a decades-old Topeka business going. Kopfman’s reputation as an honest salesman with a consultant approach meant that he had already built many strong relationships in the area, and he continued to build on that honesty in his work as an owner of Blue Dot.
“I’m straight with people and provide good value for the money they’re spending,” Kopfman said. “We have thousands of loyal customers.
That honesty and fair play extend to our employees, too. We have many long term team members, and we’ve watched them grow both personally and professionally.”
Kopfman says that while the work is hard and dangerous, it is also very satisfying and honorable, doing work that really makes a difference in people’s lives. He points out that there is a nationwide shortage of skilled labor, and encourages parents to investigate the possibility of trade school for their kids.
“If you learn a trade, there will be work,” Kopfman said. “You can make great money if you are dedicated and work hard. There are so few people getting into this high demand work that anyone with skills and work ethic will be bound to succeed and make a good living. You’ll never be without a job.”
