Whether you’re an experienced facilities manager, or the boss just handed you the responsibility of overseeing the building, here are six things to look for in your HVAC Service Contractor…

1. Experience & Training – “none of us are as smart as all of us”…no one person is expected to know everything on their own, but a good technician is able to find the answers.  It’s vital to have a contractor who’s company culture promotes communication, collaboration & sharing.
2. 2-Hour Response Time – if it’s “mission critical” to your organization, you’ll want a contractor that guarantees a 2-hour response window.  In this case the location of the contractor’s office isn’t as important as the location of its on-call technicians.
3. Maintenance Agreements – “take good care of your HVAC systems and they’ll take good care of you”…you’ll need a contractor that puts just as much emphasis on quality maintenance as they do on repairs.  With any mechanical equipment, repairs will be needed, but downtime and inconvenience are greatly minimized when a thorough maintenance program is put in place.
4. Labor Discounts – many times labor is the most costly part of repairs, so when repairs do become necessary it’s helpful to your budget when your contractor offers discounts on their labor.
5. Primary Technician Assignments – when it comes to your building few people know it better than you, but the next best thing is to have a contractor who generally sends the same technician each time you have an issue to be addressed.  That familiarity with you, your building, and your people can mean a lot when time is of the essence.
6. Relationships – building relationships is an important part of just being together on this planet…next to our families, many times work relationships are some of the most significant and meaningful in our lives. Walking/working through life together!

Remember, your contractors reflect on you & your judgement.  Choose a contractor that’s going to make you look good!!

If your business depends on having customers (what business doesn’t?) you want to keep the ones you have while continually prospecting for new ones.  Here are five keys to ensure that you’ll provide excellent customer service as you strive for success in your business, and your life in general (yes, these things also work at home, at church, just about anywhere)…

1. Show Appreciation!  You can’t say “thank you” too much, and people never get tired of hearing it.  Include some appreciation in every interaction with your customers.  Having and maintaining a grateful attitude helps a lot with this.  Don’t take anything for granted.  I once heard Rev. Keith Moore say this…”Expect nothing. Appreciate everything!”
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   EXAMPLE: “Bob, I want you to know how much we appreciate your business. You have lots of choices in contractors, and we’re glad you choose us.”
   

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2. Has anything changed?  One can not assume things are the same today as they were yesterday, a week ago, a year ago.  Things change.  People change.  Companies change their procedures and policies from time to time.  A simple inquiry goes a long way toward ensuring your visit goes smoothly.  It also helps eliminate potential embarrassment or headaches that could otherwise be avoided. You know what they say about the word “assume”.
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   EXAMPLE: “Has anything changed since the last time we visited your facility?  Previously we entered through the south entrance and signed in with the receptionist, is that procedure still in place?”

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3. How are we doing?  Feedback (both good & bad) should be encouraged and welcomed.  Sure you’re looking for that compliment, the positive comment, a pat on the back, but it’s also a great way to solicit things that may otherwise go unspoken.  There’s a rule that says, “most customers won’t complain, they’ll just decide to leave you.”  Is that what we want?  Certainly not.  Ask away!
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   EXAMPLE:  “We’ve been working for your company about a year now, please tell me how we’re performing.  Are we exceeding your expectations?”

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4. What can we do better?  Nobody is perfect.  There’s always something you can do just a little bit better.  It may take a little prodding on your part to dig it out of them, but there’s gotta be something.
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   EXAMPLE:  “Hey, I’ve gotta ask you…we’re always looking for ways to improve…if there’s just one thing we could do a little better for you, what might that be?”

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5. Who else can we help?  The first four are about them, this one is for you.  Everybody knows somebody that you don’t.  Ask for an introduction.  NOT a referral – that’s just a name and phone number.  A real introduction (even if by phone) means much more.
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   EXAMPLE:  “Bob, I can’t thank you enough for all the great feedback you’ve provided here today.  I don’t suppose you know someone else we might be able to help with our services?”