HVAC Business Planning: Avoiding 5 Pitfalls That Drive Business Down

HVAC business planning requires that business owners balance the technical needs of the company and the services it performs with the necessary retail mindset. You see, it’s not enough for a business to simply provide the best technical services -- even though technical superiority is certainly a must-have. You can unwittingly drive business down if you don’t balance technical requirements with the need to run the business in a way that promotes superior customer service.

Here are five common pitfalls you can avoid if you prioritize the technical and retail sides of the business:

• Hiring based on technical skills only – To be sure, having well-trained, highly skilled technicians is imperative. But don’t sacrifice customer service skills and the ability to get along in a group at the altar of technical expertise. A coworker who undermines the authority of a supervisor or can’t talk to customers compromises your business.
• Long call-response times – Customers will undoubtedly call around if your HVAC business doesn't quickly respond to calls for service and repairs. Make it a goal to offer same-day or at least next-day response guarantees. Even if you end up paying technicians overtime during a cold snap, you’re still making money.
• Limiting hours – Make it a priority to get away from the 8-to-5 business day.These hours fundamentally limit growth. It's during this time that most people are away from the home, and HVAC equipment breaks down at all hours of the day. You’ll open up the possibility of more business with extended weekday and Saturday hours.
• Waiting for the delivery of parts – Your customers won’t understand the challenges of keeping a warehouse stocked, and they shouldn’t have to. Strategic HVAC business planning ensures that your techs can access parts when they're needed.
• Not dealing with complaints – While dissatisfied customers can be troublesome, businesses gain key insight into their systems by developing a plan to hear and then deal with customer complaints. Develop a customer follow-up plan, and respond to complaints immediately.

Ron Smith HVAC Spells Wealth can take your HVAC business planning to new heights. Give me a call today.

By Ron Smith