Fall is rapidly approaching, and that means NOW is the perfect time to start preparing for HVAC’s second busy season of the year: winter. If you wait too long to begin preparing for the busy season, you will undoubtedly experience some mishaps that could’ve been avoided with a bit of preparation. Are you fully prepared to leverage one of your peak seasons for business? In what areas did you fall short in your last busy season? In this blog, we’ll outline how you can prepare for a packed schedule without sacrificing efficiency, customer service, and/or top notch HVAC maintenance this winter by highlighting various areas of your business’s capacity that need to be defined.

1. Inventory Check
2. Field and Customer Service Staffing
3. System Maintenance and Upgrades
4. Marketing and Customer Outreach
5. Plan for Unforeseen Challenges

First and foremost, brainstorm a list of the problems you encountered during your last busy season. You can’t prepare for a better future if you don’t elect to learn from the past. Take a serious account of those big “Oh no!” moments– where things might’ve gone south– during your last busy season. Were you understaffed during your last busy season? Maybe you didn’t have enough parts to serve all of your customers.

After reflecting on your last busy season, with those challenges fresh in your mind, the next thing to do is to prepare to maximize your business’s capacity. According to Investopedia, “The capacity of a business measures how much companies can achieve, produce, or sell within a given time period.” For example, a restaurant can seat a maximum of 200 guests at a time, or a tutor can schedule up to twenty students in one workday. When we apply this principle to HVAC businesses, a few things you should consider are below.

Inventory Check

Filters. Thermostats. Compressors. Refrigerants. So on and so forth. Take an account of where your inventory stock is now, and compare it to that of your last busy season. Start stocking now! Where your competition comes up short this winter, you’ll be set and ready to meet all of your customers’ needs exactly when they call.

Furthermore, demand for those parts is lower now. By purchasing ahead of the busy season, you might be able to save your business money in the long run. Ordering early also gives you the opportunity to negotiate with your suppliers and discuss plans for if you end up running low– a crucial advantage when demand inevitably spikes. As you build your inventory, consider any new products or technologies that have come on the market since last season, ensuring you have the most recent and best offerings for your customers. A well-stocked inventory means fewer delays, less frustration for your technicians, and ultimately happier customers.

Consider:

1. How much of each part was I short on last year?
2. How much of each part do I need to meet the needs of my customers?
3. How can I ensure a rapid restock in advance with my suppliers?
4. How can I add some variety to my inventory, giving my customers more options?
5. How much of a return on investment did I see when selling parts during the last busy season?

Field and Customer Service Staffing

There’s two different areas to focus on when it comes to your workforce: field staff and customer service staff. When it comes to your HVAC technicians, make sure they’re all fully equipped to handle a wide variety of tasks in a timely manner. Each and every technician should be able to earn your business a five-star review when it comes to their abilities. Busy season is their time to shine in the field; start improving your staff’s skills now!

On the other hand, your customer service employees are sure to receive an influx of calls during the busy season. It’s crucial that your representatives not only answer every incoming call but also maintain patience and kindness throughout each conversation.

Whether it’s in the office or out in the field, you’ll definitely need to be fully staffed. Staffing issues are never fun, but during the busy season, they can be particularly frustrating. If high employee turnover is a concern, consider interviewing your staff to gather feedback on how to improve the work environment. Additionally, you might hire temporary workers to help during peak times. You could put out an ad for experienced HVAC technicians looking to make a bit more money this winter, or you could reach out to a 24/7 answering service to handle call overflow.

Check out this case study to learn how we helped TR Miller, a heating, cooling, and plumbing company, with call overflow during one of their busy summer seasons! (Spoiler alert: we answered 28% of their total call volume, despite them being fully staffed, and 22% of those jobs resulted in booked calls.)

Consider:

1. Is each and every technician fully prepared to tackle all of your customers’ potential HVAC problems?
2. How many calls do I receive during the busy season?
3. Is my customer service team capable of handling an influx of calls?
4. Am I satisfied with the customer service abilities of my representatives?
5. Should I employ more workers, or at least consider hiring temporary staff?

System Maintenance and Upgrades

Running an HVAC operation requires a range of tools, both digital and physical, that are used on a moment-to-moment basis. This is an important time to evaluate the various softwares your company relies on to schedule customers, send out bills, and communicate with customers and employees alike. Your digital tools should streamline operations on both the business and customer-facing sides of operations—ensuring efficiency, organization, user-friendliness, and smooth performance. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking the value of these digital tools and the role they play in the flow of data! Streamlined communication between your technicians and office staff can reduce downtime and errors, leading to faster service delivery and higher customer satisfaction.

Now is also the time to perform checks on your operations vehicles and toolbelt necessities! This includes routine maintenance checks on your trucks/vans to prevent unexpected breakdowns that could disrupt your service schedule. Additionally, make sure all essential tools are calibrated and in good condition, as this not only improves job quality but also ensures safety for your technicians. The tools you rely on to do your job should be in top-working condition for the busy season.

Consider:

1. What digital softwares do I currently use, and are there better options out there?
2. Are all of my softwares up-to-date?
3. Do my digital tools streamline or hinder operations?
4. Do my work vehicles need any mechanic work?
5. Are the tools in my belt functioning efficiently?

Marketing and Customer Outreach

Retaining current clients and reaching new ones are the primary objectives of every business! It’s crucial to take advantage of the busy season, while a surplus of people need HVAC services, by upping your marketing measures.

Start posting to the social media channels your audience scrolls through daily (Facebook, Instagram, etc) to advertise your business. (Make sure to use relevant hashtags!) Be more involved in your online community by providing insightful tips and leaving thoughtful comments. When you show off your expertise, you’ll build trust with your audience.

Another crucial way to start marketing your business is by obtaining more online reviews. Online reviews play a serious role in building your business’s reputation, and they heavily influence your audience’s purchasing decisions. According to a 2023 survey that collected research on online reviews, “63.3% of consumers always read reviews before a purchase,” and “91.1% of [those] respondents pay attention to… consumer experiences when reading reviews.” Want to start obtaining more reviews? Check out this article to get started– it outlines how to get reviews and where you should post them!

Consider:

1. What marketing methods were effective for me in the past?
2. What social media channels does my audience scroll through on a daily basis?
3. Will I etch time into my schedule for marketing or outsource the task to an agency?
4. How can I obtain new reviews?
5. Where will I advertise my reviews?

Plan for Unforeseen Challenges

Emergencies happen, and during the busy season, emergencies can feel a lot more chaotic than they already are. Think of any emergency situations you may have encountered in the past and prepare protocols in advance.

As previously mentioned, inventory shortages and lack of staff can be emergencies of sorts. You could also plan for equipment failures, severe weather events, and software crashes. To prepare effectively, conduct a thorough review of past emergency situations and identify any gaps or delays in your response. Establish clear protocols for handling each type of emergency, such as setting up a communication plan for notifying staff and customers when an unexpected event occurs. Regular training sessions and drills can help your team remain calm and prepared, reducing panic and confusion when real emergencies strike. By having well-defined plans and training in place, your business can maintain a reputation for reliability, even in the most challenging situations.

Consider:

1. What are my contingency plans for inventory shortages, staff absences, software crashes, and equipment failures?
2. How will I continue business, or communicate a pause in business to my customers, in the case of severe weather?
3. How will I train my staff to handle various emergency situations?
4. Are there any backup suppliers or alternative resources I can rely on if my primary vendors are unable to meet my needs?
5. What measures can I implement to ensure critical data is backed up and easily accessible in the event of a technology failure?

Conclusion

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Don’t wait to get a few steps ahead– the busy season will be here before you know it! By maximizing your business’s capacity in the areas of inventory, staffing, system maintenance, marketing, and emergencies, you’ll prepare yourself for a smooth and profitable winter busy season. Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of everything you need to consider, all in one place. Start now– the early bird gets the worm!

Inventory Check

1. How much of each part was I short on last year?
2. How much of each part do I need to meet the needs of my customers?
3. How can I ensure a rapid restock in advance with my suppliers?
4. How can I add some variety to my inventory, giving my customers more options?
5. How much of a return on investment did I see when selling parts during the last busy season?

Field and Customer Service Staffing

1. Is each and every technician fully prepared to tackle all of your customers’ potential HVAC problems?
2. How many calls do I receive during the busy season?
3. Is my customer service team capable of handling an influx of calls?
4. Am I satisfied with the customer service abilities of my representatives?
5. Should I employ more workers, or at least consider hiring temporary staff?

System Maintenance and Upgrades

1. What digital softwares do I currently use, and are there better options out there?
2. Are all of my softwares up-to-date?
3. Do my digital tools streamline or hinder operations?
4. Do my work vehicles need any mechanic work?
5. Are the tools in my belt functioning efficiently?

Marketing and Customer Outreach

1. What marketing methods were effective for me in the past?
2. What social media channels does my audience scroll through on a daily basis?
3. Will I etch time into my schedule for marketing or outsource the task to an agency?
4. How can I obtain new reviews?
5. Where will I advertise my reviews?

Plan for Unforeseen Challenges

1. What are my contingency plans for inventory shortages, staff absences, software crashes, and equipment failures?
2. How will I continue business, or communicate a pause in business to my customers, in the case of severe weather?
3. How will I train my staff to handle various emergency situations?
4. Are there any backup suppliers or alternative resources I can rely on if my primary vendors are unable to meet my needs?
5. What measures can I implement to ensure critical data is backed up and easily accessible in the event of a technology failure?