Ever since Eben Robison founded the company in 1921 from a small office in Hartsdale to today, Ro- bison has worked to give its customers personalized service. The premiere, full-service home comfort company, turns 100 this year.
Robison is a family-run organization led by brothers David and Daniel Singer and supported by an experienced management team. Dedicated to customer satisfaction, its service center is staffed by highly-trained customer service representatives and technicians who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to its customer's needs, quickly and efficiently.
In celebrating its special anniversary, Robison has looked back at its long his- tory in Westchester and Putnam, one that reflects important changes in society that have shaped the entire home energy industry.
“Today people are looking for a company to provide all their home needs,’’ said David Singer, co-president of Robi- son. “Being comfortable and safe is more important than ever these days when people are spending more time than ever in their homes.’’
Operating out of its headquarters in Port Chester, New York, Robison supplies home heating oil and clean-burning biofuel, natural gas, and electricity; installs and services heating and air conditioning systems; provides quality plumbing services 24/7; and delivers solutions for indoor air quality.
Dan Singer, co-president of Robison, said that Robison has succeeded over the years because of its ability to read consumer trends and to change with the times.
“It’s really all about whatever the customers need for their home. Nowadays people are concerned with carbon footprint, so we offer environmentally friendly products, bio-fuels, electricity, and more and with Covid-19, people are concerned with air quality in their homes and businesses, and we can help with that too,’’ he said.
Two Companies Come Together to Create a New Business Model
Robison is the result of two successful heating oil companies coming together and evolving into a home service company.
Lee Silano, a customer for more than 50 years, said she remembers seeing
Eben Robison, the founder of Robison, walking around downtown Hartsdale greeting residents with a smile. The architectural engineer opened the company’s first office in downtown Hartsdale in 1921. Living above his shop, he and his wife ran the company.
Around the same time, 1928, Dan and David’s grandfather, Harry Singer, founded Original Oil, which served the five Boroughs of New York. The two companies merged in the 1980s, start- ing a more than three-decade expansion, which revitalized the company and consolidated all four corners of Westchester and Putnam into one company. Through training, purchase of new equipment and technologies, the company transitioned from an oil company to a full-service business providing for all homeowners’ needs.
David Seicol, who has worked for Robison for more than 30 years, said that Robison’s success has been tied to customer service and offering products that people need. “I’ve seen a lot of companies come and go in the time that I’ve been working here. The fact that they are a family-owned company and really care about their customers’ experience has really helped them grow within the market, which is very important.”
Meeting the Changing Need of the Customer
Robison has stayed committed to evolving in order to meet the changing needs of its customers. That meant embracing the latest technology and becoming a “one-stop-shop” for all energy needs.
When deregulation came to New York state in the 1990s, Robison was one of the first companies to start providing customers with electric service. At the same time, Robison began offering natural gas customers the same reliable at-home service as oil customers. “We developed the full-service model for natural gas,’’ said David Robison.
Volatility in pricing during the 1990s created upheaval in the oil business, giving Robison the opportunity to acquire some of its largest competitors. Robison purchased 15 or more local/regional companies, consolidating its base from Mount Vernon to Brewster.
“The acquisitions quadrupled the size of our company and created the necessary density in our service area to maximize efficiency,’’ said Dan Singer. “We had to reevaluate all our operations and bring in new technologies in routing, communications, inventory control and sales. All of which was accomplished while still delivering best-in-class service to the customers.”
The story did not end there, Robison continued to expand, purchasing one of the largest HVAC companies and adding air conditioning services, followed by plumbing and green energy. Dan Singer said that Robison offers nonsulfur, bio-fuel oil products that are closest to natural gas in carbon output. The company also purchases Renewable Energy Cred- its (RECs) so they know that the energy contributed to the grid is sourced 100% green.
Robison’s latest additions: Rug cleaning and chimney service. And it’s not likely to stop there, according to David Singer.
“We will be keeping our ears to the ground for the latest developments,’’ he said. “We will always be there for our customers, providing them with the latest technology to meet their needs.”
Reposted from: https://issuu.com/thewagmag/docs/wf_042621/34