Quite frankly, I can’t imagine any distributor not assigning a value to their service and recouping at least a portion of the expenses tied to the service. While I personally believe 10 percent is a bit low, it is a start in the right direction.

Is your facility prepared for a natural disaster? Can you rest assured the power will stay on? May 7-13 is Hurricane Preparedness Week. The start of hurricane season is around the corner, and it’s important that your facility is prepared should one make landfall near your location. These suggestions are not just for hurricanes, but also for tornadoes and other naturally occurring disasters that have the potential to knock out your prime power source.

While proper ventilation can sell itself for those who suffer from allergies, it can be a more difficult sell to the rest of the population. Many homeowners are more concerned with ensuring their HVAC system is keeping a consistent temperature than maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ). But, in recent years, more and more studies are linking health issues with indoor air pollution. By making homeowners aware of these results, you can help them make an informed decisions for proper ventilation and air quality improvements.

It’s no secret ecommerce is changing the way we all do business, and distributors are no exception. The new digital economy has created B2B and B2C convergence that puts tremendous pressure on distributors to either find new ways to offset increasing costs or reinvent themselves in some way. Simply put — buyers’ behaviors are changing and distributors need to adapt quickly to fulfil these new needs.

The recent HARDI Focus Conference, Supply Chain Excellence in Phoenix is over, and speakers peppered attendees with sage advice on how to improve their logistics and supply chain operations.

Not only do temperature controlled self-storage units offer an extra luxury for their tenants, but it also puts more money in the business owner's pocket since they can charge higher rent. This brings great news to HVAC contractors who, in the midst of a growing economy, are eager to conduct as much business as possible.

There are over 5.6 million commercial buildings in the U.S., comprising 87 billion square feet of floor space. Air moving, heating, and cooling systems account for the largest amount of electricity used in these buildings. The industry has made intensive efforts to improve the efficiency and productivity of motors and driven equipment. However, the belt drive connecting these components is critical to achieving maximum efficiencies. Two simple solutions for improved HVAC system performance are the use of energy efficient belts and proper drive installation.

It’s time for e-commerce and HVAC to evolve beyond selling boxes of product without the knowledge and experience for true customer service.  Some sites are starting to develop relationships with contractors. It’s a great first step, but we must still be cautious.  Some of these outlets are still allowing the customer to pick any equipment they want, ignoring improper AHRI matchups and causing warranty issues for the customer and the contractor. It’s up to us to hold these sites accountable and move toward a standard that both customers and contractors can trust and recommend.

As a service professional who wants to scale their business, one of the best things you can do is educate potential customers on what to look for and how you meet the criteria.