With summer quick-ly approaching, HVACR companies are gearing up for a busy season where they’ll be working long hours to serve customers.
For many HVACR companies, this is the busy season — perhaps the busiest season of the year. It’s the “high water mark” by which you compare the rest of the year. When things are quiet in the spring or fall, you fondly remember how busy summer was, until you find yourself preparing for another busy summer season once again.
However, what if you could make just a few small changes and extend the busy season beyond the summer into your slower months? What if you could make a few small changes in the summer and transform the rest of your year? What if these changes could change your entire business?
Here are five ways that you can make this summer the best ever for your business and extend the success into the rest of the year.
No. 1: Pump Up Your Employees — Without realizing it, you might actually be holding your business back. You see, your employees look to you for inspiration and guidance, so the question you should ask yourself is: How are you expressing your anticipation of the summer? Are you dreading it with phrases like, “We’re going to be so busy, I’m worried,” or are you looking forward to it with phrases like, “We’re going to be so busy. I’m excited because it’s such a great opportunity to help people”?
Make sure you’re getting your employees pumped up and excited to serve your customers. Consider holding a contest to reward the top performers who sell the most while still maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.
No. 2: Systematize Your Service — Turn your service into a system by writing out the step-by-step process that every employee needs to perform while on a house call. From the moment they leave your office to the moment they return from the completed job, every action should be detailed in sequence. Train your employees on how to serve your customers in the way you expect them to be served.
Why do this now? You’ll make sure all customers are served to the very highest level while making it easier on your employees to know what you expect.
No. 3: Presell Other Products and Services — While your employees are busy serving customers this summer, arm them with a way to serve them even more. Identify other products and services you can pre-sell to customers at a discount today, so you can deliver those services at a later time.
For example, if you are installing an a/c system right now, consider preselling a winterization package or duct-cleaning service to be delivered in the fall or early winter. That way, you increase your revenue now while also making sure your team is scheduled and busy during typically slow months.
No. 4: Collect Testimonials — One area that a lot of HVACR companies struggle with is collecting testimonials. It’s often the last thing your employees are thinking about when serving your customers. But, if you make a huge push for testimonials, and even make it part of a summer contest for your employees, you’ll keep it top of mind for them and help them remember to collect more.
There’s a good chance you were meaning to get more testimonials but never made it a priority. Well, now is the time to make a big push to collect them during this busy season.
No. 5: Collect Contact Information — Want to make your marketing easier for the rest of the year? Collect contact information from your customers, including email addresses, so you can send them additional information in fall, winter, and spring. Consider sending them coupons, newsletters, and birthday cards — all to remind them that you are there to help them and to offer additional services.
SUMMARY
Summer is here, and your phone is likely ringing off the hook with customers looking for you to serve them. You could simply step it up like you normally do and focus on helping them, or you could adopt these five strategies to take advantage of the increased business and make this the very best summer your business has ever had.
