3 Game-Changing Benefits of Tasking for Mechanical Contractors
Mechanical contractors face the daunting task of managing and servicing a wide variety of equipment assets, each with its unique maintenance requirements. Traditionally, this involves manually setting up and managing maintenance schedules—a process that’s not only time-consuming but also susceptible to errors. Technicians often arrive on-site with limited guidance, relying on outdated notes or office callbacks to figure out what needs to be done. This lack of clear direction can lead to inefficiencies, missed tasks, and inconsistent service quality, jeopardizing customer relationships and increasing the risk of non-compliance with service agreements.
Tasking, a new, powerful ServiceTrade feature, transforms this chaotic process by automating and streamlining maintenance scheduling. Tasking ensures that every maintenance activity is scheduled, tracked, and executed with precision. It provides technicians with clear, actionable instructions tailored to each piece of equipment’s specific needs, reducing errors and ensuring consistent, high-quality service. Explore three big ways tasking empowers mechanical contractors to optimize their operations and deliver better results.
1. Tasking Automates Maintenance Schedules to Eliminate Errors and Save Time
Manual scheduling is labor-intensive and fraught with the risk of human error. Tasking eliminates these challenges by automating the scheduling process. These templates are tailored to the unique needs and life cycles of various asset types, ensuring that every maintenance task is aligned with the asset’s specific requirements. By automating this process, Tasking not only saves time but also reduces the likelihood of missed tasks, leading to more reliable and efficient maintenance operations.
With tasking, you can streamline your maintenance scheduling, allowing your team to focus on delivering top-notch service without the burden of manual, error-prone scheduling.
2. Tasking Empowers Technicians with Clear, Detailed Task Lists
Technicians often face the challenge of deciphering what needs to be done once they arrive on-site. Tasking solves this problem by providing clear, step-by-step task lists that are specific to each asset’s current maintenance stage. These instructions ensure that technicians, regardless of their experience level, can perform their tasks accurately and efficiently. By equipping technicians with precise guidance, tasking helps reduce downtime, prevents errors, and ensures that maintenance is completed correctly the first time.
Tasking gives your technicians back more time to do what they do best and the clarity they need to excel, ensuring consistent service quality and boosting overall operational efficiency.
3. Tasking Enhances Asset Visibility and Contract Compliance Through Comprehensive Record-Keeping
Maintaining accurate service records is crucial for tracking maintenance history, ensuring compliance, and making informed decisions. Tasking provides real-time updates and a complete history of each asset, giving you full visibility into past maintenance activities and current asset status. This level of detail helps prevent overlooked tasks and reduces the risk of non-compliance with service agreements. With Tasking, you can confidently maintain compliance and strengthen customer relationships.
Stay informed and compliant with real-time data and detailed asset histories, ensuring your maintenance operations are always up to standard, providing exceptional service to your customers.
Ready to empower your business with tasking?
By integrating tasking into your operations, you can transform your maintenance processes, reduce risks, and deliver consistently high-quality service to your customers.
8 Ways to Sell Commercial HVAC Service Contracts in 2024
Service contracts and maintenance agreements are a core focus for commercial HVAC businesses. They reduce your need to drum up constant business by allowing you to rely on steady income from existing, long-term clients.
The benefits are therefore pretty clear, but the means are a little more opaque—namely, how can you convince people to sign a contract with you?
The good news is, there are a few different ways to package such agreements to make them attractive to clients; you just have to do it in a way that clearly demonstrates value to the client. If you’re wondering how to sell HVAC service contracts in 2024 and beyond, look no further.
Elements of Commercial HVAC Service Contracts
Before we discuss ways to sell mechanical and commercial HVAC service contracts, it’s beneficial to understandwhat commercial HVAC contracts include.
Service agreements come in many forms, with many variable terms, depending on your business and customers. The main variables are similar across the board, though, and should include:
How often the service will occur
Whether the service will happen on a regular basis, or a set number of times as needed
Which services are covered under the contract
How often full preventative maintenance on HVAC equipment will occur (versus, say, quick routine inspections)
The Value of Commercial HVAC Maintenance Agreements
HVAC service contracts are hugely beneficial, and not just for the service provider in terms of monthly revenues.
In fact, they give the customer peace of mind, demonstrating to them that they don’t need to be on alert for problems or breakdowns in the system. Instead, they can rely on you to ensure that doesn’t happen – and to take care of things pronto if it does. Plus, in a slow or unpredictable economy, many facility owners and managers will move toward maintaining their current equipment (rather than replacing it).
What does that mean for you? Well, if you’re a business that relies largely on installs and/or construction projects, you may find leaning into service a good strategy for the year and beyond. If you’re a company who already focuses primarily on selling service contracts, then this is a good time to sell bigger contracts to better customers.
8 Ways to Increase Service Agreement Sales for Your Commercial HVAC Business
There are numerous ways that commercial HVAC companies can increase sales of service agreements, and we’ve covered 8 here. Note that you don’t need to try and implement each of these ways of selling HVAC service contracts all at once. That will quickly lead to overwhelm and a disorganized business strategy – and no one wants that.
Instead, read through this list and choose two or three you think could mesh pretty well with your current business development strategy. Start with tips 1-4 to ensure a solid foundation of service contract value and sales strategy. As you successfully weave those into your routine, add a few more.
With patience, you will transform your commercial HVAC business into one that is not only lucrative but resilient against economic changes.
1. Get Your Team On Board
It may seem unnecessary to say, but sometimes you need to start with the basics and make sure everyone on your team understands the value of selling maintenance contracts to commercial HVAC clients. If the people who work for you don’t see why a maintenance contract is of value, then you can’t expect them to jump on board readily.
More than knowing what’s in it for them, though, your staff need to comprehend what’s in it for prospective customers. Only then can they effectively sell it while they’re on the phone or in the field. And since your staff are often the face of your company – you can only be in so many places at once, after all – you need to trust them to get the job done.
If you haven’t already, make sure you sit down with your team and talk through service contracts: why they matter, how to tell customers about them, and how to follow through.
2. Sell What Your Prospect Needs
Don’t oversell your prospect on a ton of services that you know they don’t need yet — that’s no way to instill confidence and keep your customer long-term. On the same token, you shouldn’t undersell them in order to get them to a lower monthly rate, either. They need the services they need in order to keep equipment running and by providing fewer services than necessary, you may end up neglecting some equipment, leading to breakdowns and decreased customer trust.
The best way to respect your customer base is by providing detailed proposals that explain exactly what, when, how, and why each service is recommended. If you are proposing a package or contract, you’ll need to give a good reason why they should pay you more money upfront, or over a period of time, rather than as needed for maintenance visits. In fact, that’s one reason selling service agreements can be difficult.
However, if they see a lot of value in your explanation, they will perceive it not as a money grab but as a good-faith effort on your part to help them. Getting granular in your agreement reasoning and performance details can help not only get their business, but ramp up your referral traffic as well.
3. Reach the Decision Makers
The building engineer might seem like the smart person to reach out to, and in some cases, maybe they are – if only to get in the door. But you’ll learn real quick who the actual decision maker is in the situation, because you simply cannot sell a long-term agreement to gatekeepers or maintenance personnel.
When you call or contact the company to discuss your contracts and services, ask clearly for the person who can give the go-ahead. Don’t be afraid to say “Are you the one who makes these decisions? Are you able to greenlight a deal if you’re happy with what I can offer you? Great! When should we meet?”
4. Sell the Program
It’s not enough to sell the idea of maintenance. Your customers understand why a company wants to get them on a contract. Instead, make them understand what’s in it for them.
Don’t sell promises. Instead, sell examples that show them exactly what you provide and where you’ve provided it in the past. Explain how service lowers costs, reduces risk, and increases protection. Additionally, show them the program you use to track their visits and check in on their system. Make yourself out to be a benevolent Big Brother who knows what’s best so they don’t have to think about it.
If you don’t know how to do this, read up on some companies that are doing it well and thetakeaways from their success.
5. Offer Flexible Maintenance Plans
Business owners know they need regular maintenance, but they’re wary of signing up for something they might not need as often as they pay for. This is especially true if the only maintenance plan you offer includes a ton of the bells and whistles that your customer knows they won’t need.
Combat this with a range of tiered, flexible maintenance plan options. Perhaps one plan provides the absolute bare minimum, while the next offers a few nice-to-have services, and the top-tier plan pulls out all the stops. Or, think about creating an a-la-carte maintenance plan option to provide the ultimate in flexibility. Whichever structure you go for, make customers understand that your plans keep warranties in effect and ensure every HVAC unit receives the timely maintenance it needs, all without having to spend unnecessary funds.
6. Make Your Business Visible and Reputable Online
A leading study by Podium says that 93% of consumers pull up online reviews and rely on them when making purchase decisions. So, if you’re not already putting a sizable effort into maintaining your online presence, you’re a bit behind the game.
That said, you can catch up. You’ll need a website with a local SEO presence, and good reviews for prospects to find. Create a Google My Business account if you haven’t already, and encourage each and every customer to leave positive reviews about their experience with you.
7. Improve Retention by Providing Exceptional Customer Experience
Customer experience is just as important as your online presence. It’s important that you know what customers go through at every phase so that you can adjust your process to hit the highest possible satisfaction marks. Request feedback, take surveys, and maintain open lines of communication at all times, even after they sign on the dotted line. Especially after they sign on the dotted line.
Maintaining a great customer experience and securing those online reviews will bring customers to you organically, majorly reducing the amount of work you have to put in.
8. Use a Sales Software Built for Service Contractors
SalesManager is a robust software solution that enables your team to create accurate proposals and manage your sales funnel to win and retain customers.
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Want to learn more? We encourage you tosign up for a free demo and see the full ServiceTrade platform in action. It’s never been easier to use HVAC service agreements to build your business in 2024 and beyond!
Industry Shifts: Insights from AHR Expo 2024 for Commercial Mechanical Service Contractors
The AHR Expo 2024 in Chicago brought together commercial mechanical service contractors for valuable insights into the changing landscape. Here are 7 key takeaways that focus on enhancing efficiency, strengthening customer relationships, and staying on top of industry advancements, including AI.
The ServiceTrade team at AHR Expo 2024
1. Operational Efficiency for Sustainable Growth
Efficiency emerged as a central theme, urging contractors to streamline operations strategically. The emphasis was on adopting smart tools not just for technology’s sake but as a practical strategy for sustained success in an industry marked by constant change.
2. Elevating the Customer Experience is Critical
Amidst the industry’s digital transformation, the focus on customer interactions was undeniable. Contractors were encouraged to provide tailored solutions that go beyond meeting expectations. This customer-centric approach is not merely a trend but an essential strategic move in cultivating long-term relationships.
3. Strategic Approach to Securing Maintenance Contracts
The spotlight was on securing profitable maintenance contracts. It’s not just about immediate gains but about fostering partnerships that benefit both contractors and clients in the long run.
4. Simplifying Project Management for Enhanced Agility
Seamless integration of operational tools emerged as a solution for simplifying project lifecycle management. The goal is not just operational efficiency but increased agility—a crucial capability that allows contractors to adapt swiftly to changing project dynamics and industry trends while meeting the project’s financial goals.
5. Embracing Mobility for On-Site Decision-Making
The shift towards mobile solutions in the field is more than a technological trend; it signifies a fundamental change in how work is executed. Mobile capabilities, including those offered by ServiceTrade, empower field teams for on-site decision-making and collaboration, aligning with industry trends.
6. Data-Driven Decision-Making for Strategic Planning
Data-driven insights were underscored as a key strategy for informed decision-making. In an era abundant with digital information, contractors, including those leveraging tools like ServiceTrade, can harness data to identify trends, optimize resource allocation, and make decisions aligned with long-term business goals.
7. Technological Adaptation for Future Resilience
The overarching theme of AHR Expo was the necessity for technological adaptation to future-proof businesses. Embracing innovative tools, such as ServiceTrade, isn’t just about staying current but positioning oneself for success in the dynamic and evolving landscape of commercial mechanical services.
In conclusion, the biggest takeaway from AHR Expo encourages commercial mechanical service contractors to reflect on the strategic integration of technology. The emphasis on customer-centricity, operational efficiency, and forward-thinking approaches, with practical tools like ServiceTrade, provides a roadmap for navigating growth in the practical realities of the digital era. As we collectively shape the future of the industry, these insights serve as practical guides for contractors aiming for sustained success.
New group to help mechanical leaders solve their most pressing technology challenges
ServiceTrade, a leader in purpose-built software for commercial contractors, announced the formation of a distinguished Advisory Board to provide strategic guidance and support the company’s growth in the commercial mechanical market, deepening ServiceTrade’s role as a trusted advisor to mechanical executives.
The Advisory Board will work closely with ServiceTrade’s executive team to provide strategic direction, industry insights, and advice on emerging trends. Their collective knowledge will be instrumental in helping drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, and deliver even greater value to its clients.
The members of the Advisory Board include:
Brad Boggs, President at B&W Mechanical: Brad started his career at B&W Mechanical as a technician and has since held multiple roles in account and service management over the past 20+ years. As President, he has doubled the company’s revenue year over year. Brad is also actively involved in multiple boards, such as the MCAG HVAC Service Advisory Board and the MTI/JATT HVAC Service Advisory Board.
Jaimi Lomas, VP/GM of Service at AO Reed: Jaimi has 30 years of experience in the commercial HVAC industry. She has succeeded as a female in a male-dominated industry by focusing on building a diverse and inclusive organization that reflects the community. Jaimi has previously served on the National Board of Managers for the Mechanical Service Contractors of America (MSCA).
Russ Borst, Former Owner/President at Hurst Mechanical: Russ has sold Hurst Mechanical and is now focused on ensuring a smooth transition of operations to new ownership. He is also actively involved in various boards, including Co-Chairing the joint UA/MSCA Labor Relations Committee, the International Pipe Trades Joint Training Committee, and the Ferris State University Advisory Board.
“With a career spanning over two decades in the HVAC service industry, I am thrilled to serve as a member of the advisory board for ServiceTrade,” said Brad Boggs, President at B&W Mechanical. “I see ServiceTrade as a trailblazing force in the software world for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractors. I am excited to be able to offer any insight or perspective to a company that provides such a vital service with a recognized culture of growing their people.”
“I’ve been impressed by the ongoing innovation and long-standing focus on customer success by the ServiceTrade team,” said Jaimi Lomas, VP and Board Member at AO Reed & Co. “By bringing these industry leaders together, I look forward to advising ServiceTrade on how software can make commercial contractors successful today and in the future.”
“I am honored to join the country’s number one Service Software Advisory Board,” said Russ Borst, VP of Service at Hurst Mechanical. “I firmly believe in hooking your wagons to good people and good organizations, and ServiceTrade is no exception. I have a passion for giving back to this Industry that has been so good to me for over 35 years, and I’m excited to help ServiceTrade become even better for contractors and their customers.
“We are thrilled to welcome these esteemed professionals to our Advisory Board,” said Billy Marshall, CEO of ServiceTrade. “Their deep industry knowledge and strategic vision will be invaluable as we continue to grow and excel in the commercial HVAC, electrical, and plumbing sectors.”
Learn More
ServiceTrade will showcase its end-to-end software platform for mechanical contractors at two upcoming mechanical industry conferences
5 Ways to Sell More (& Better) Mechanical Service Agreements with SalesManager
Selling more maintenance agreements is one of the best ways to scale your mechanical service business, particularly in a labor shortage. But improving your sales engine can be a daunting task, especially when you’re focused on operations and keeping up with your current workload. That’s where SalesManager, sales software built for mechanical contractors, can help.
What is SalesManager?
SalesManager is the only cloud-based sales management software specifically designed for mechanical contractors. It provides industry-specific expertise, built-in pricing models, and templates to help you create comprehensive proposals that meet profit margin goals, automate and manage sales, and deliver a professional, winning pitch.
5 Ways to Sell More with SalesManager
Here are five ways you sell more (and better) service agreements with SalesManager
1. Stay profitable by pricing proposals to meet your specific margin goals.
Once SalesManager knows your margin goals it can calculate the right pricing for the services on any estimate. Margin calculations consider tech labor rates, agreement coverage level, equipment-specific seasonal tasking, belts, filters, and any other material costs, and travel time requirements. By tailoring proposals to your specific margin goals for different types of work, you can ensure that you create profitable proposals that meet your business objectives.
2. Estimate costs & pricing more accurately with an equipment-specific process.
One of the most significant advantages of using SalesManager is the powerful built-in pricing models for project and maintenance contracts of mechanical hvac equipment. These pricing models are based on each customer’s equipment inventory. Using the SalesManager mobile app, any seller, tech, or apprentice can collect equipment model information that the software uses to generate a proposal. SalesManager adds the right list of services and materials needed to maintain that list of equipment to the proposal.
3. Keep the conversations going with sales follow-ups and reminders.
Following up with potential customers is key to closing more service agreements. With SalesManager, you can keep up with proposal status and prospecting activity to stay on top of follow-ups and ensure that you are staying top-of-mind with your prospects. This can help to keep the conversation going and increase the likelihood of converting the prospect into a customer.
4. Show customers how much they’ll save with equipment operating cost analyses.
SalesManager has the ability to provide customers with detailed equipment operating cost analyses with no extra work on your part. By showing customers how much they can save with a service agreement, you can help them understand the value of your offering. And proposing good-better-best options allows the prospective customer to weigh costs, risks, and value to make an informed decision.
5. Showcase your brand with professional proposal templates.
Here’s another marketing impression for you. Proposal templates in SalesManager can be easily customized with your branding and messaging. Using these templates, you can create a professional, branded proposal that clearly communicates who you are and the value of your service agreement. This level of polish will help differentiate you from competitors and increase the likelihood of closing the sale.
