Lauren Conklin Trim, center, holding her daughter Charlotte, with her sister, Christina, left, and mother, Pam.
For over three generations, the Sentry family has provided HVAC equipment, installations and service with an “On Guard for Your Comfort” attitude that has become their hallmark.
Sentry Heating & Cooling was founded by Charlie Conklin in 1987 based on the principle of providing fast and reliable 24 hour/7 days a week service with professional uniformed technicians.
His daughter, Lauren Conklin Trim, began her career with the company in 2011. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in business and marketing, she knew she needed to learn the business from the bottom up. She began by answering phones, assisting dispatchers and performing other office tasks, which allowed her to develop a strong understanding of Sentry’s strategic businesses and processes while beginning to advance and grow the company.
Trim has many different roles within the business, which is something she enjoys. As CIO and systems manager, she handles all necessary internal information with their software and manages daily processes for the office staff within the service department.
“My current role allows me to learn different aspects of the business, which is not only crucial to my personal growth, but helps to strengthen the work relationship between myself and Sentry’s employees,” she said. “Strong positive working relationships is one element of our culture that I feel sets Sentry up for success many years to come.”
Sentry is also a family owned and operated company. Trim’s sister, Christina Conklin, joined the team in 2016 and serves as the lead service dispatch coordinator, while her mother, Pam Conklin, manages accounts payable and has been with Sentry since its inception.
Their logo is the “Comfort Guard” symbol, showcasing the commitment to providing “solutions, not excuses.”
“We pride ourselves in taking the time to do every job the right way, the first time, while going the extra mile to ensure every customer is happy of the work that was performed,” Trim said. “You will always encounter clean, friendly and well-trained technicians when you call Sentry.”
Sentry is a four-time award winner of the Carrier Corporation’s coveted “President’s Award” for excellence in customer service and satisfaction as voted by their customers. As a recipient, Sentry is held to an exacting set of standards and recognized as an example of true excellence in leadership, integrity and performance.
Their edge is that they are committed and confident to never leaving their customers sitting at their home or business at any time with plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical issues. That exclusivity to safety and comfort has enabled Sentry to broaden their footprint each year, while serving the greater Birmingham and Central Alabama communities.
Trim said that their first and foremost our goal is to always keep their customers satisfied and treat them like family.
“We want to strive to be on the cutting edge of technology while still remaining environmentally and consumer friendly,” she said.
When describing the challenging parts of her job, Trim said there are simply times where she feels there are not enough hours in the day to get all her work done.
“I hate when things are left unfinished, but I have learned that there is no need to stress, just breathe and carry on,” she said. “There is always tomorrow to finish and to meet that goal you couldn’t complete the day before.”
Trim said the HVAC industry as a whole is growing substantially with women in the workplace, whether in the field as a technician or working the internal operations.
“Helping to bridge that gap and bring in the next generation of tradesmen and women is a constant goal we are always striving for,” she said.
Her favorite part of running this business is getting to work with the people she loves every day, and although working with family can be difficult at times, she said it is one of the most rewarding experiences.
Looking ahead, she said as new technology and processes are implemented, she enjoys seeing the success and positive change throughout the company as Sentry continues to grow into the future.
Being a woman in this field, Trim said she has found she has to work hard to prove herself to others, and she has been extremely lucky to be surrounded by positive male and female leaders in the industry who have helped her overcome many challenges.
“This has typically been a male-dominated industry; however, we are seeing more women-owned HVAC companies and women serving in more leadership positions,” she said.
► WHERE: 2490 Rocky Ridge Road
► CALL: 979-9864
► WEB: sentryheating.com
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