HVAC contractors seem to be feeling cautiously optimistic about short-term growth, at least according to ACCA, whose Contractor Comfort Index (CCI) scored a 76 in January 2016. But, there is still concern about the U.S. economy and conditions around the world, in general.

The hot ticket at the recent Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration (AHR) Expo was a seat at Building Services Research and Information Association’s (BSRIA’s) presentation on global HVAC trends.

The latest report from HARDI shows that average sales for HARDI distributor members increased by 8.2 percent in December 2015, but annualized growth for all of 2015 registered a bit lower at 5.7 percent. This compares to the 6.1 percent gain in 2014, the second consecutive year of slower growth since a 7.3 percent increase was reported in 2013.

Sales of HVAC equipment were somewhat flat in 2015, according to AHRI, which reported year-to-date combined U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps decreased by 0.6 percent, and shipments of gas warm air furnaces increased 2.9 percent. 

Contractors, please carefully look at how you do business. Please don’t resort to tactics that set our industry back to the 1950s. We are an industry that does the public a tremendous service. It’s unfair to our customers, and the industry as a whole, if we lower ourselves to these unethical sales standards.

What is your business outlook for 2016?

For many service businesses, marketing is broken. Service business owners should be in the business of marketing, but they often barely give their marketing enough thought. They should be strategic about their marketing, but, instead, they spend more time putting out staffing fires or dealing with less important issues.

Industry figures are estimates that are derived from the best available figures supplied by a sample of AHRI member companies. 

The mechanical systems contractor offers large-scale and specialty mechanical construction project management, engineering and design-build services, mechanical system service, controls technology, off-site construction, 24/7 servicing, modular fabrication, and virtual building systems (VBS).

Technology is an important aspect of any business that desires long-term existence. The implementation of technology allows both the contractor and supplier to be mobile, connected, more intelligent, and flexible.