If you cannot answer this question with confidence please ask yourself…  WHO DID I JUST LET INTO MY FAMILIES HOME?  Many people have made this mistake and some paid the ultimate sacrifice.  Some just fell victim to theft, such as the scam where a handyman would offer services to gain access into someone’s home and then steal from them.  You can read more about this crime here.  Unfortunately, there have been more victims experiencing much worse crime.  We do not need to get into the details for the purpose of this blog but we have all heard about them on the news, social media and the stories are very easy to find and numerous.

An electrician on drugs is a recipe for disaster.  Yes an electrician on drugs may not intentionally try to harm you, but how many traffic deaths happen every single hour in the US from people under the influence of drugs or alcohol?  You wouldn’t let a person under the influence of drugs or alcohol drive your children to school, so why would you let them perform electrical work in your home?  Our service electrician’s undergo a drug screen and are also subject to random checks throughout the year.

Our service professionals undergo a thorough background check before being hired.  We won’t just send anyone into your home.  We are going to send a true professional that meets our stringent guidelines.  He is not going to steal from you.  He is not going to harm you.  He is there to help you.  Our electricians truly care about you and the work they are performing for you.

We are here to serve YOU, our customer!  We want a customer for life.  We are not here to steal from you or take advantage of anyone!  We are here to provide a VALUABLE service to you.  We will stand behind our work and make sure you are 100% satisfied.  We guarantee it with the way we act in our organizations culture, and also in writing.  If for some reason you are not 100% satisfied please let us know.  We will not leave until we get it right.  It’s our guarantee to you, our valued customer.

Many contractors say that.  You win some you lose some.  Not with us!  No we do not get every job we bid on, but we realize there may be other factors at play.  What we care about is you truly understand the price presented to you.  You know what options and solutions you have.  You know what will be done, how it will be done, and that we will stand behind our work.  You know the value you are getting when you choose Custom Electrical Services.

It’s common to be nervous when a service person shows up to your home.  Your thinking how much is this going to cost me?  Am I getting the best bang for my buck?  Do I have other options?  At Custom Electrical Services, our technicians are trained for this.  We will work to put you at ease and make sure you fully understand everything presented to you.  We will take the time to fully evaluate your situation and present it to you in a professional manner that you can understand.  Price is not everything.  We will not change the price of the work performed.  The straightforward price you receive will not change if it takes our electrician longer than expected.  You won’t be left thinking, “I hope he can work faster so my bill will be less”.  Lets think about this common statement for just a second.  Would you really want a mechanic hurrying up to put new brakes on your families car?  Of course you wouldn’t!  You would want the mechanic to perform the job as best as possible.  And that is our promise to you.  Give you the best possible job and the most reasonable rate possible.  We are professionals.  We are Custom Electrical Services.

But wait!  A Custom Electrical Services technician is not just there to give you an estimate or fix that minor problem you called about.  We are here to truly help you.  When is the last time someone checked the connections in your electrical panel?  1 year, 10, or never?  Electrical connections can loosen over time.  Electricians are trained to look for this.  As part of our service fee we will inspect your breaker box or electrical panel.  Identify any problems such as loose connections, non code compliant breakers, under sized wire, corrosion, heat, and more!  What if you have an old Federal Pacific Panel and you didn’t even release the dangers they present.  Our technician will identify and let you know of any potential safety problems.

Are all of your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms functioning properly?  For no additional charge we will test all your smoke alarm units and identify any that are not functioning properly.  We will also replace all your batteries at the same time.  It is all part of the service designed to keep you, your family, and your home safe.  Our commitment to you!

As part of our series on pop culture from 15 years ago – a continuing celebration of our 15th anniversary as Pegasus Lighting – here are 15 moments from March 1999 you may remember. Monica Lewinsky’s book on her affair with Bill Clinton goes on sale; the Dow Jones average beats 1000 for the first time; and The Matrix is released. Ah, the sweet 90s. Where were you?

1. Jar Jar Annoys Basically Everyone

At the Golden Raspberry Awards, better known as the Razzies, the award for Worst Supporting Actor went to Ahmed Best, who voiced the character Jar Jar Binks in STAR WARS: EPISODE 1, THE PHANTOM MENACE. Poor Jar Jar, you-sa not much appreciated by STAR WARS fans.

2. The Worst Picture of the Year

The Roth 401(k) combined elements of the Roth IRA and the traditional 401(k). In a traditional 401(k), you contribute income without paying taxes on it. You then pay taxes on the funds when you withdraw them during retirement. With the Roth 401(k), however, you pay the taxes upfront so that you can withdrawal funds tax-free during retirement.

 5. The Melissa Worm Attacks the Internet

At the end of March 1999, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above the 10,000 mark at 10,006.78. This was unprecedented! People made “DOW 10,000” hats and celebrated. In hindsight, people wonder whether that day represented the peak of our economy’s health up to that point or the peak of market excess that was responsible for the economic instability of the 2000s.

7. You Are the One, Neo

Legendary film director Steven Spielberg was once again named Best Director at the Academy Awards for SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. In fact, the director of early 80s movies like E.T. was on a real tear, just coming off of the JURASSIC PARK series and SCHINDLER’S LIST. He continues to direct great movies today.

9. Roberto Begnigni Is Exuberant 

Roberto Benigni won Best Actor for his role in LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL at the 1999 Academy Awards. His reaction immediately became more popular that the movie itself. I’ll have a glass of whatever he’s drinking!

10. Gwyneth Wins Best Actress

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE was the most awarded film of the night of the Academy Awards. Perhaps the most touching award acceptance, though, was Gwyneth Paltrow’s. Try to watch her acceptance speech without getting teary. I dare you.

11. Lewinsky Tells All

In March, 1999, The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the murder convictions of Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City bombing, which left too many dead and wounded to even go into detail here. It was a tragic and totally unnecessary crime, and the Supreme Court decision echoed the feelings of many Americans.

14. Stanley Leaves Us

On the day after we lost Stanley Kubrick, we lost another beloved American hero, the legendary baseball player Joe DiMaggio. His death was caused by lung cancer. He was 84 and sure saw America from an interesting point of view. The loss of this former star was felt all over the nation.

It’s fun to think back to these moments in the popular culture of 1999, even though not everything that happened was happy. Most of us lived through all these events and remember them well. Come back next month to see what we resurrect next.