Short of reducing a staff or closing down a location, what are the best ways to streamline a business? The NEWS wanted to know and asked some HVACR contractors how they are watching their expenses in these slow economic times.
I was visiting with an HVAC contractor recently who had
moved his business from a small shop in the city to his home in a beautiful
rural setting. He took a gamble that the move would be better
for him.
I know a lot of you are thinking that consolidation has been a dead issue for several years, with only the occasional acquisition of an HVAC contractor making news. The latest acquisition was of Goettl Air Conditioning by ARS. Who will follow up with the next big acquisition news?
Brian Javeline is the president and CEO of MyOnlineToolBox.com, an online software service for construction estimating and invoicing, designed for contractors to manage jobs and grow their businesses. He recently took time to answer questions about MyOnlineToolBox and how it impacts the HVACR trade.
Yes, it is time for another spirited debate between my mean-spirited boss, Murph the goof, and me. He seems to think that HVACR contractors should continue to sell systems based on life-cycle costs and they should also pick and choose the right customers to sell to. Hogwash.
The NEWS talked to Talbot Gee, vice president of the Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), for his insights into whether independent ownership is alive and well or if consolidation or dealer acquisition is making a strong push in the HVACR distribution trade.
HVACR distributors do more than just sell parts and equipment - much more. They offer support for their dealers by sponsoring training and education, both technical- and business-oriented. With today's challenges, many contractors are turning to their distributors for help and advice.
The path of the traditional distribution chain has followed some twists and turns in recent years, especially with the advent of online ordering and consumer-direct purchasing. One HVAC equipment manufacturer has been using a hybrid system to bring its products to market and has enjoyed a great deal of success.
If what I heard from HVAC contractors is true, then sending techs and installers into hot attics makes a lot of good business sense, in spite of the inherent health problems associated with hot attics.
In the April 7 issue, The NEWS introduced readers to three senior service technicians - one was 91 years old and the other two were 88 years old. But the story wouldn’t be complete without traveling to the other end of the age spectrum and finding out what young techs - just starting on their HVACR careers - thought about the trade and their own longevity.