5 steps for a more successful HVAC business in 2021

Small steps can lead to big leaps. That’s why I’d like to share 5 steps to make 2021 a record-smashing year for your HVAC business. Don’t forget to leave a comment below!

1) Self-awareness

Improvement starts with self-awareness. When you know what you are good at and what you need to improve on you can make improvements with great impact.

Unfortunately, we usually have a different view of our own business compared to those people that matter the most – our customers.

A good place to look for powerful improvement opportunities is in failure. Take the time to look back at past mistakes and areas where you know you could have done better. Look at poor customer reviews and genuine feedback.

Another source of inspiration for improvement is in competition. You really need to know how you compare against the alternatives that customers are looking at. If you haven’t already, you really should take part in the heat pump installer survey to get a report with the results comparing hundreds of HVAC installers working with heat pumps.

 2) Focus

Put together your vision of what your business should be focusing on this year. Who better to ask than your customers and prospects? Here’s your chance to re-align your business with your customer’s needs in clear focus. Start with what you’ve learned about your clients, competitors and your own business.

Needs change and Covid-19 has changed the way we live our lives and do business. It’s inevitable that some aspects of our customer’s needs have evolved and we need to reconsider how we serve them best.

Nevertheless, keeping a beady eye on customer needs should always be a priority and an ongoing process – not just something you look at once a year.

So, put your vision of the business together and make sure you and your team focus on it every day.

3) Processes

Take a look at what you do and how you do it. Surely there are things that you don’t like about your routine or workflow that hold you back. Make a list and then make a plan of attack. Let’s make sure next year you spend less time looking for tools, fiddling with software, and dealing with the same recurring problems again and again.

William Edwards Deming said that “if you can’t describe what you’re doing as a process then you don’t know what you’re doing”.

So, here’s a short checklist for improving your workflows:

1. Map the process - jot it down using a basic diagram
2. Understand the process – what are the reasons behind it? What limitations and constrains exist?
3. Improve the process – make the improvements you think will bring better results with less effort
4. Get what you need to fix it – make sure you have everything for the new process to work
5. Test the new process – does it work better? Can it be improved further?
6. Train and implement - make sure everyone practices the new process and becomes proficient

If you do take part in the heat pump installer survey the results will also give you a good idea of some of the processes that you need to change.

4) Skills

Improve your professional skills! This one is obvious. Dale Carnegie made a very powerful observation that certainly applies to our industry:

“Even in such technical lines as engineering, about 15% of one’s financial success is due to one’s technical knowledge and about 85% is due to skill in human engineering, to personality and the ability to lead people.”

Quality HVAC business training materials outside of the technical realm are not very widely available so we’ve tried to put our own resources together over time. You should really check out these free tools and articles:

·        The HVAC contractor’s Ultimate Guide to business growth

·        The HVAC pro's Ultimate Toolkit for Professional Development & LinkedIn

·        11 Principles of high-performance HVAC sales

·        The 13 principles of spectacular HVAC service

·        Leadership and teamwork: 24 tips for improving your skills

5) Networks

You’re not alone and no business operates in a vacuum. You probably work in a team and you certainly partner with suppliers and other colleagues. There are thousands of HVAC installers all over the world that have similar hopes and face similar problems. There are manufacturers and distributors out there that genuinely care about their installer client base. You can tap into the willingness of all these people to help you just by making yourself available to them and seeing how you can work better together.

This year was tough for most people and those who invested in supporting relationships will be able to reap the benefits of stronger partnerships, loyal customers and committed employees.

Henry Ford once said “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success”. Start with your closest networks and grow them as you go. You can also expand your contacts by joining LinkedIn’s top 20 HVAC groups. 

Don’t forget to get your free copy of the Heat Pump Installer Survey Report by taking part in the survey