Anyone can make promises to customers about their high-quality HVAC installation and service work and how they fully train and certify their techs. Promises are great, but how many contractors back up their promises with proof that the system actually works?
You may have the best of intentions, but until you test the results of your work and get meaningful performance data, all you are selling is a hope that it all works as promised.
NCI’s motto for more than 20 years has been, “If You Don’t Measure, You’re Just Guessing™.” We recently created a second part to this motto for the companies we train: “We Don’t Just Promise High Performance, We Prove It!™.”
Hope Is Not a Strategy
Think about the difference between making a promise versus proving it. Many contractors have the best intentions to do a good job when they sell replacement equipment.
Unfortunately, most don’t realize that without testing the whole system, preferably before and after completing the work, they’re just hoping that it’s doing what it’s supposed to. Most contractors hope that since they did everything right, it should work just fine.
Hope is not a great business strategy. The good news is if you use the right instruments and methods to verify pressures, temperatures, and airflows throughout the system, you can prove that your installations work as designed. This works for service as well.
Don’t underestimate the power of a mission. NCI has been on this mission for more than two decades.
The beauty of measuring is you can know with certainty the root causes of system performance issues. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the problem is NOT the equipment. It’s usually the air distribution system. Sometimes the issues are on the combustion side, and rarely they may be on the refrigerant side of the system.
Let the idea of proving versus just promising results sink in. Think about how, if marketed correctly, this simple phrase can differentiate you from most of your competition.
Think about the impact on your field people. Having the knowledge, skills, and tools to properly verify their work is more empowering than almost anything else you could do for them.
It does take a different mindset and an investment in training and tools to provide this verification level, but the investment can pay for itself a hundredfold.
Build A High-Performance Culture
Proving the quality and performance of the systems you sell and install goes beyond just doing the right thing for your customers. It can help build a culture in your company that will re-invigorate your team and put you on a completely different trajectory.
Don’t underestimate the power of a mission. NCI has been on this mission for more than two decades, and we continue to attract some of the brightest and most passionate people in our industry.
As you begin to plan for the fall season, think about how to integrate this concept into your business. Don’t try to do everything at once. Choose some specific steps to move in this direction.
Baby Steps
It’s important not to overwhelm yourself or your team by implementing testing and verification all at once.
Start with one small step at a time. Before you know it, you will be on an exciting journey that will continue to evolve and grow your company as nothing else could.
Once you’ve had some training and invested in the test instruments, one of the most important steps is to practice in the field. Have your team test an employee’s house -- or your house. Nothing will cement the idea of verification like getting out in the field and trying it right away.
Want to go to the best place to meet with contractors who are on this same journey? Check out the industry’s only High-Performance HVAC Summit Week in Branson, MO, August 30th through September 2nd.
This event is chock full of breakout sessions, all designed to help you on your journey - no matter where you are.
For more info, visit www.GoToSummit.com. You will have a chance to hang out with contractors who are just getting started, some well on their way, and others that have been High-Performance companies for many years!
Dominick Guarino is CEO of National Comfort Institute (NCI) (www.nationalcomfortinstitute.com), the nation’s premier High-Performance training, certification, and membership organization focused on helping contractors grow and become more profitable. His e-mail is [email protected]. For more info on High-Performance ContractingTM, go to WhyPBC.com or call NCI at 800/633-7058.