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In southeastern Louisiana, it’s vital to stay cool amidst 100-degree summer heat.
Any malfunction or shortcoming of your air conditioner can be a complete nightmare.
Doug’s Refrigeration knows that very well.
That’s why they aim to keep all of their customers cool and comfortable in these upcoming warm summer months.
With more than 20 years experience, Doug’s has expanded from a small Thibodaux business to a thriving company that services several parishes across the area.
Store owner Jeff Tauzin said his business offers heating, air conditioning, generators, electrical work, water heater installations and solar panel installations to their customers.
It’s all about doing whatever it takes to keep them happy and comfortable in their times of need.
“We try and focus on people in what we do,” Tauzin said. “That’s our main focus – the people – the customer. We want to make sure that everyone is taken care of and everyone is satisfied with what we’re doing.”
Doug’s is a family-owned and operated business.
The “Doug” in the operation is Jeff Tauzin’s father Doug, who started the company in 1988 with his wife Cynthia.
This line of work has been in the Tauzin family for many years, as Doug Tauzin worked for his father in a similar business as an adult.
“They kind of split apart,” Jeff Tauzin said. “So that’s how my dad started up with Doug’s. It’s kind of like a third generation kind of thing, I guess.”
Jeff Tauzin said one of the things he loves about operating the business is the family feel.
He said he hasn’t always had a great working relationship with his father Doug, adding that his early days with the company were kind of rough.
“It wasn’t until I kind of matured a little bit and decided to put all of my energy into the business that things turned around,” Tauzin said. “When I did that, then my dad and I’s business relationship started to grow.
“It’s wonderful now. It’s definitely great to get out of bed each day and go to work with people that you know and love.”
Just as Jeff Tauzin said he has matured, so has Doug’s.
The store started out servicing just the Thibodaux area.
“And that’s actually still the bread and butter of our business,” Tauzin said. “That’s still where the vast majority of our business comes from.”
But Doug’s has also surged into the Houma market, the New Orleans market, St. James Parish, Assumption Parish and other areas surrounding Thibodaux.
“We pretty much go everywhere now,” Tauzin said. “We’re trying to push into the Houma market more aggressively. We’re trying to get into New Orleans more aggressively.”
It all totals out to a lot of work.
Jeff Tauzin said that last year, Doug’s installed around 350 total units in homes across their service area.
“And this year, you can probably add close to 50 percent more to that,” Tauzin said. “The last six or seven years, we’re been blessed with pretty consistent growth. Sometimes, it’s a little bit more rapid than we like, but I can say it like this: When my dad started letting me manage the company seven years ago, we did right around $350,000 in gross revenue. Last year, we did $3.3 million in gross revenue. … We’re incredibly blessed.”
The quantity speaks for itself.
But it’s the quality that Tauzin believes separates Doug’s from the rest of the pack.
Tauzin said that Doug’s has been recognized for its excellence by Bryant.
“That makes us one of the top Bryant dealers in the country,” Tauzin said. “Which is cool, because there are about 4,500 or so Bryant dealers in America. That’s a great honor coming out of a little small town like Thibodaux.”
But don’t let the booming business fool you – Doug’s said they are ready for the summer.
Tauzin said he encourages anyone to give his company a chance if their air conditioner gets faulty in these 90 degree days.
“June is usually our busiest month,” Tauzin said. “That’s usually the month that we gross the most. So we’re ready for it. We anticipate people calling and needing help as it gets warmer. We are definitely ready to meet the need and make them happy.”
Doug’s Refrigeration secretary Teli Hebert (left) and store owner Jeff Tauzin go over some plans at the Thibodaux office. Doug’s has grown a lot in the past few years. They pride themselves on taking care of the people they service.
