There are two types of customers: new ones and repeat ones. Both are important, and if your company has a healthy supply of both, your job (if you are competent) is pretty secure.
So how can you as an HVAC employee help get new customers or retain current ones?
New Customers
New customers are always great. Fortunately, in many places local regulations can help you out. For instance, in Utah the natural gas supply has been changed, thereby necessitating people with natural gas appliances including gas heaters to have inspections. This is a fantastic source of new work but not exactly one that can be influenced much by you — people will likely call someone in the yellow pages.
Word of mouth is usually best. Advertising, etc., is up to the bosses, so it’s word of mouth. Of course, people who know you as an HVAC person will judge whether or not to hire your company, and therefore you, based on how they feel about you.
The biggest source of new customers, though, is satisfied current customers.
Current Customers
Nothing causes more trouble for a company, and nothing will get you laid off faster, than unhappy customers. Conversely, happy customers tend to refer more people and mention you, the person who worked on their equipment, in a positive tone.
So customer service is, of course, the be-all and end-all. This depends on several things: how good you are, how friendly you are, and if the customer can trust you, among others. Let’s face it: if you can’t fix the issue or you do a bad job installing something, you won’t get a referral.
It’s unfortunate that many HVAC technicians have reputations for surly behavior. If you get the customer’s job done but snarl and just don’t relate well with the customer, he or she likely won’t recommend you. It’s tough with customers who are screaming bloody murder about how they need heating right this very second and why are you taking so long, but it’s still important to be nice. This goes for more than just the installers: more customers have been alienated by front office and billing types than most people imagine.
Trust is also something that’s hard to get. If the customer just doesn’t trust the job you’ve done, even if you did it perfectly, there won’t be any referrals. And your company won’t go back to that customer, but your competitor might!
Don’t forget that customer service and a reputation for quality are almost priceless. If you work for a company that gets a reputation for good work, they can charge more, and hopefully pay you more. Even in down times like these, an HVAC job seeker who has a reputation for good customer service and technical competency is a highly valued prospect. There are too many who have only one or the other, or none at all, so if you want to stand out in the field, show that you know your stuff and can be kind to customers as well.
By doing your job well, you can help increase your company’s business, which is a form of job insurance in these troubled economic times.
