MovinCool Updates Online Product Selector
MovinCool has updated its online spot air conditioner product selector, to include the company’s latest ceiling-mount and water-cooled units, and its other portable air-cooled models. The product selector saves customers time and effort in deciding which MovinCool spot air conditioning equipment best fits their individual needs, sources report.
Users are guided through a series of easy-to-answer questions that result in a recommendation of the most suitable MovinCool spot air conditioner and compatible accessories, along with the manufacturer’s suggested list price for each component. For convenience, users can immediately request quotes from local MovinCool distributors.
“Our online product selector makes it quick and easy for customers to find the right equipment and accessories for their needs,” says David Keller, manager, heat management department. “Now, with our new ceiling-mount and water-cooled units included, it’s an even more useful tool.”
The MovinCool online product selector can be found at movincool.com/configurator.
Software Solution Lends Organizational Hand
A.W.E. Air. Water. Energy., Carol Stream, IL, might be 100 years old, but its approach to improved business operations is very much present-day.
A.W.E. began as THE Air Conditioning and Heating Company. As the company expanded, it developed a reputation for providing expert air conditioning and heating maintenance, repairs, and installations throughout Chicagoland’s western suburbs. For nearly 30 years, CEO Ray Grimm has overseen the business’ expansion.
Its name was changed in 2011, to reflect expanded service offerings, which now include air quality testing, and solar panel installation and testing.
“The energy segment was the part of the company we wanted to expand into — solar, geothermal, smart homes, building automation —with an eye on conservation, versus traditional forced air and boiler systems,” says general manager Alan Misale.
“We chose the word ‘energy’ to communicate that we want to provide the consumer with alternative energy options. However, while green energy is a great subject, the stumbling block is still the cost of going green. It’s a very small percentage of our business. Ninety-five percent of the market is looking for better, yet traditional alternatives. They’re more prepared to pay for a 98% AFUE furnace. It’s ‘greener’ though not entirely green.”
As the company looked forward to aggressive growth from the new strategy, one thing stood in its way: a stagnant operational software solution.
While it wanted to expand, A.W.E had been hampered by an outdated business software system.
“It’s amazing we were able to use one software package for so long,” says A.W. E.’s chief information officer Mike Firmature.
This lack of flexibility caused multiple issues. Employees were limited to the amount of information that could be entered into the system. Since the platform could not be modified in any way, employees were constantly coming up with paper-based workarounds.
As a solution, A.W.E. purchased WennSoft Signature Job Cost, Signature Service Management and MobileTech, which were fully integrated with Microsoft Dynamics GP. A.W.E. went live with the WennSoft Signature solution in May 2010.
Signature Service Management was set up with the graphical schedule board to increase dispatching efficiency. It featured an intuitive, color-coded system to indicate type of call, status, and other information. It makes dispatchers more efficient with their time, and the time of the technicians who they are scheduling.
A.W.E. used document management to get away from its filing system and worked toward a goal of going completely paperless. “We’re now scanning invoices, so they can be accessed immediately from the desktop of any computer,” Firmature says. “We’re also scanning contract documents and files at the customer level.”
As A.W.E. looked forward to aggressive growth, one thing stood in its way: a stagnant operational software solution.
“The software has helped us develop a set of ‘business intelligence tools’ that enable us to analyze our business and profit centers at a very granular level,” Misale says. “We want verifiable, quantifiable information before we move forward, and communicate it to our employees, so that they understand what we’re looking for and how they fit into that equation. A dedication to education that makes us smarter business people.”
A.W.E. is in the process of deploying MobileTech for its 24 Building Performance Institute (BPI)- and North American Technician Excellence (NATE)-certified technicians. They’ll easily access customer history, service manuals, repair parts documentation, and much more in the field. Laptops connected to a broadband network now access the company database. Eventually, Firmature hopes to transition to using MobileTech on tablets and mobile phones.
The WennSoft Signature solution provides A.W.E. with an enhanced ability to adapt and grow. Since implementation, A.W.E. has already experienced about 10% growth — despite the concurrent economic turmoil — and it strives to grow three- to five-times larger.
For additional information, visit http://bit.ly/softwaresolutionCB
— Terry McIver; supporting
information provided by WennSoft.