Tips For Making Your HVAC Business Stand Out From the Rest

One look at the phone book or online listings of HVAC contractors these days and you will see that there are dozens, even hundreds of service companies vying for a share of the HVAC pie in one area. Considering the competition, it could get tough trying to stand out from the crowd.

However, there are little tweaks that HVAC contractors can make to the way they do business to provide better service. This way, they can build a good reputation among customers, which is almost always a guarantee of repeat business for the foreseeable future. Here are some simple tips that can give your HVAC business an advantage over your competitors.

Man the phones at all times

Answering machines are a thing of the past. With you or an employee consistently receiving phoned-in inquiries, prospective clients will at least feel relieved that they’re talking to a human being who can actually answer their questions about their HVAC issues. It’s going to get even better if you provide excellent service later on, all because of that one phone call you actually answered.

Be a techie

While phones remain the most common way of interacting with HVAC clients, there are apps out there that can help make the HVAC service experience better not only for your clientele but also for yourself. We are not endorsing anything, but there are HVAC apps out there that you can install on your smartphone or tablet which can make getting in touch with your customers more convenient. You can even use any of the dozens of messenger apps to achieve some degree of efficiency in connecting with your clients. Taking to social media to raise awareness about your HVAC business and engage customers is a fantastic idea as well.

Educate your customers

Experience should tell you how much homeowners know about their HVAC systems: close to zero. This is the most likely reason why many of them treat HVAC contractors with a certain measure of suspicion because they have no idea what’s going on.

Educating your customers about what you’re doing should change all that.
Let’s say you were called upon to install an entire HVAC system. Show up at your customer’s place with a presentation at the ready, and it should include an installation checklist, complete with details that your customer can review before you do your work. With this checklist, the customer gets information about the tests they will be conducting, how they check gas pressures using manifold gauges, and how the technician makes sure there would be no leaks by pressure checking refrigeration line sets using nitrogen.

And since we’re on the subject of educating your customers, it would also be worth your while to educate them about your surety bond. This bond, after all, is essentially insurance for your clients. Since telling your customers about your surety bond can give them some peace of mind, you should also mention your surety bond in your ads and other marketing materials for your HVAC business.

Your customers can also use your professional opinion on how to increase their AC unit’s energy efficiency. You can teach them the importance of using a programmable thermostat, for example. You can also stress to them how keeping their air conditioner clean at all times can help lower their utility bills. Look around the house, and if you see signs that point to an insulation problem, tell them about it and give them useful tips on what they need to do to solve it.

Your customer will certainly appreciate all the information, and that should earn you enough brownie points to get him or her to talk about your HVAC company to friends and family.

Implement flat-rate pricing

Many customers get frustrated by pricing models that can be a little on the confusing side of things. How about implementing flat-rate pricing instead? That way, customers won’t have to wrack their brains trying to figure out how much they’re going to pay for what service based on your pricing model. While fixed-rate pricing could mean that you have to charge a bit more, you will likely see that your customer will have no qualms about paying that price as long as you provide excellent service.

Take a closer look at the tips above, and you’ll see that they don’t require a lot of expense or effort on your part. Just give them a try, and see what they can do to make your HVAC business a cut above the rest.

Andrea Ladera is a writer and the content marketing strategist for Precision Air & Heating. When she's not busy creating online content, she does yoga and mountain hiking with her family and friends to stay fit.