The HVAC industry can be competitive. After all, there are hundreds of thousands of HVAC contractors in the world, with over 119,000 in the US alone.
Needless to say, it takes a lot to stand out in this field. But there are a few things you can do to differentiate your HVAC company from all the rest. The following are five ways to get started if you want to be successful in this industry.
1. Focus on Quality
First, make sure you’re good at what you do. Don’t go into this business if you don’t have the skills and tools to fix the most common air conditioner and heater problems. Your customers deserve to hire a company that stands by its high-quality work. If you don’t have the HVAC knowledge that’s required to repair and replace most heating and cooling equipment, you won’t last long in this field, which will lead to a failed business in the long run. So make sure you have the training and certifications necessary to make HVAC repairs before you start offering your services.
2. Hire a Great Team
You might be knowledgeable when it comes to the HVAC field, but if your employees aren’t, your customers won’t get consistently good service. For this reason, you need to have high standards as you hire your team. Make sure every person you hire has experience in the HVAC field so they can fix your customers’ HVAC problems just as well as you can. You should also ensure they have a good, friendly attitude that people will appreciate, as customers need to feel comfortable welcoming your team into their home or business during repairs.
3. Offer Great Customer Service
Now that you have a knowledgeable, friendly team, you can focus on offering great customer service. This means listening to your customers as they explain their HVAC issues, quoting them accurate prices, and being flexible when it comes to scheduling appointments. Do your best to get to their heating and cooling problems quickly so they’re not stuck in a hot or cold house for weeks, and don’t change price quotes at the last minute. Basically, put yourself in your customers’ shoes and treat them as you’d like to be treated. When your heater or air conditioner breaks, you simply want a skilled HVAC contractor to show up on time as soon as possible and get the job done within your budget. So focus on giving your customers the experience you’d want if your HVAC system was broken.
4. Create an Online Presence
When you give good customer service, you’re going to have lots of people wanting a way to thank you and recommend you to others. Make this easy by having a platform where they can leave reviews, whether on your social media pages or on Google Maps. So make sure you have an active page on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and anywhere else you feel comfortable posting on regularly. You should also have a website that describes your services, lists your service areas, shows off testimonials from customers, and makes it easy for people to schedule appointments or get price quotes from your team. You can then link to your website on your social media pages to get more eyes on it. Be sure to also use your social media pages to post tips and news related to the HVAC industry in order to help your customers.
5. Get HVAC Contractor Liability Insurance
Finally, getting the right insurance policy will also help you stand out from your competitors. You should start with HVAC contractor liability insurance, which is typically either required or strongly recommended for companies like yours. This will protect your company and your customers alike, as HVAC contractor liability insurance will pay for any damage your team accidentally causes at a customer’s home. It will also pay the medical bills if your services ever injure your customers, such as if they trip over your HVAC equipment and break a bone. And HVAC contractor liability insurance is only the start of the coverage you should have as a company in this field. You can also add coverage for any commercial vehicles, tools and equipment, workers’ comp, and more. Be sure to reach out to a local insurance agency to get a quote on HVAC contractor liability insurance and additional coverage.
If you follow these tips, you’ll have a good chance of standing out from other HVAC companies in your area. And in a growing industry like this one, this is important if you want to last long term!
