As part of the rollout process, The New Flat Rate developed a six-week controlled beta testing study to help contractors identify, price and service a customer’s IAQ needs. Those who participate in the beta received free access to the IAQ menu pricing system, four days of classroom training on IAQ and six weeks of weekly coaching sessions.
IAQ beta group trainers included: Matt Koop, John Ellis and Rodney Koop.
“Before we developed this product, contractors never had an automated way to price IAQ services during the discovery phases,” said Rodney Koop, founder and CEO of The New Flat Rate. “IAQ is vital to the health of a building and, most importantly, the buildings occupants. During this beta testing period, we’re focusing on training contractors to identify IAQ needs, the source of the problems and teaching them how to provide safe solutions. With air quality being in the spotlight, more and more contractors want to get into IAQ but do not know how to get started. Our training, paired with the IAQ menu pricing, is paving the way.”
It is estimated that the IAQ industry will generate a $3 billion increase in revenue over the next three years. In addition to the concerns created by the COVID-19 pandemic, other dangerous air pollutants can cause respiratory problems. With the new IAQ menu pricing system, contractors will now have the ability to address those concerns while also getting paid for their work.
“Before, contractors could spend hours inside a customer’s home looking for ways to improve air quality without knowing what to charge for the service,” said Danielle Putnam, president of The New Flat Rate. “We are rolling out the IAQ menu to ensure those contractors receive the payment they deserve. During the spring, everyone begins thinking about IAQ because of allergies. With the increase in calls, contractors now have a useful tool that will make life easier.”
Koop spoke with Contracting Business recently, to describe how the beta test was designed, and how contractors will be selected and trained.
"We try to include as many demographics as we can, include area of the country (north, south, east, west) regions within those areas, and, size of companies, to include larger and smaller contracting businesses," Koop said.
Training includes an introduction to the IAQ menu pricing app.
"As they are using it, we meet weekly, via a Zoom meeting. We ask if they found any IAQ opportunities, how did they find those opportunities, were they able to understand and use the menu pricing system, and did any customers buy any work, and which service did they buy," Koop shared.
As some contractors will be new to IAQ, The New Flat Rate provides them with ideas for generating customer interest and IAQ leads, how to find opportunities, suggested discussion scripts and transition dialogue, and third-party sources that speak to the importance of IAQ to health.
"Then, the customer can state their own level of concern. We've always found that, once the customer understands the situation and sets their own level of concern, they will choose from the menu of solutions based on that level of concern," Koop explained.
"The menu works because it allows the customer to use the same buying patterns they use everyday, in every buying situation. We all set our own level of concern, look at a list, and choose what we can afford and what will solve our problem. The technician works in the product solutions according to the type of IAQ service or installation. The technician is the expert who performs the diagnosis. They hand the menu to the customer, and whatever they select, the technician is capable of installing.
"The only thing they need training in after that, is how to find the right page to show the customer," Koop said.
Indoor Air Quality categories in the menu include
- filtration
- duct renovation
- infiltration correction
- encapsulation
- safety
- containment
- iaq maintenance
- dehumidification
- humidification
- purification.
For more information about the IAQ menu pricing beta, visit THIS LINK.
For more information about The New Flat Rate, visit THIS LINK.
The New Flat Rate The New Flat Rate, Inc. pioneered the first menu pricing system for in-home service providers which has doubled and tripled the average service ticket for contractors across the United States and Canada.