Building Value Into Your HVAC Business

What are your company's goods and services worth? How do you separate your high quality, professional company from the competitors low price strategies?

In any business, having the lowest prices does not always translate into the best value for the money. The heating and cooling business is no different. There are always going to be lower price mentalities out there. The low price companies frequently have new faces associated with them, due to business failure associated with the strategy.

The way to combat lower priced competitors lies in building the value of your company. There are several ways to build value. No single way will build value by itself. Value is built into the fabric of the company. Value building is a concept; a way of thinking and doing every process in the business.

Value building examples include company image, employee impressions upon customers, building, vehicle, and employee appearance. Clean vehicles, company uniforms and professional appearance will go a long way with customers.

Do what you say you will do. If you offer 24 hour service, deliver it. If you schedule an appointment at a given time, be there a few minutes early. If circumstances beyond your control will cause you to be late, call as soon as you know and let the customer have the option of re-scheduling.

If your heating and cooling company is licensed and insured, promote these facts. Your low price HVAC competitors may not be able to produce these items if challenged. Promote your service technicians and office employees skills and qualifications. Well trained professionals in a skilled trade cost more and earn more than unskilled laborers.

Treat customers with respect. This begins with answering the phone. Your office staff will likely create the very first real impression on your customers. If this task goes badly, you may have already lost the customer.

Field personnel are the face of the company. These employees are on the front lines and are face to face with your customers. They should be professionally dressed, groomed, and should respect customer property, such as taking care when parking, wearing shoe covers in the home, and being polite to the customers.

Many heating and cooling companies do not train their employees in interacting with customers. Proper training in this area will create a professional way of doing business.

Buy professional products and HVAC service parts. Do not take short cuts on cheap, low quality parts. Buy better air filter products. Become more than the a/c guy. Become the indoor air expert. Better quality parts last longer, and will support a good service warranty program. Yes, these parts will cost more to purchase, but you are building value. Remember?

Take pictures of previous work and build photo albums to share with new customers. Be proud of your previous accomplishments. Have simple professional brochures, and business cards to represent your business and employees.

Follow up after a visit with your customer. Let them know you care about them. It can be as simple as a short telephone call, or a thank you card.

Honor your warranties. If you say you will replace a defective part in a certain time frame, then do it. No questions asked.

Building value into your heating and cooling business is the culture of the business. Everything in the business must be born of this culture. If this culture is promoted every day, your company will be around for a long time, and you will see many low price competitors come and go.

Rhinohorn Sales LLC provides heating and cooling contractor services, such as employee skill training, business consultation, and shopping cart websites. Building value is an ongoing, constant evolution. Periodic training keeps skills sharp, and maintains focus on company values. For more information, visit http://rhinohornsales.com

Jeffery Hunt is Co-Owner of Rhinohorn Sales, LLC, Products include contractor shopping cart websites, and other contractor business services. Rhinohorn Sales LLC owns HVAC Parts Online, Filters Today, Smart Contractor; and other websites offering heating and cooling parts, filters, and indoor air quality products.  He is also a State of Florida licensed Air Conditioning Contractor, and HVAC business consultant.