It’s common knowledge that there are major fluctuations in business for HVAC dealers between the high-demand period during the busy seasons and the lull of the slow seasons in between. But how does a business stay profitable during the slower months? One tried and true method is selling maintenance agreements; the other is offering what I like to call “tune-up time.”
Tune-up time gives your business the opportunity to work your customer list and do pre-emptive maintenance for your customers. Here is a quick run down of the benefits of utilizing tune-up time in your organization.
- It flattens out your sales curve. Because your customers’ systems aren’t working as hard to perform in the off months, the chances of breakdowns are lower. This means your service techs will not be working as much bringing in less revenue. Offering tune-ups is one way to make money during the slow season.
- It provides quality time for preferred customers. Preferred customers, or customers with maintenance agreements, can get easily overlooked during the busy season, so use tune-up time to touch base with them and deliver outstanding preventative service.
- It helps you grow your business. Tune-up time provides a steady workflow and allows managers to focus on new-customer acquirement as well as marketing specials.
- It prevents burnout. Busy seasons are full of around-the-clock maintenance and require all hands on deck. With a tune-up time period before your busy season, you can reduce the probability of emergency maintenance and lessen your service technicians’ workload.
- It helps generate additional revenue and sales leads. You will occasionally find parts that need to be replaced, turning the tune up into a service call with the resulting revenue. This becomes a win/win for you and the customer.
Be the reliable HVAC dealership your employees and contractors want you to be. Choose tune-up time today to even out your sales and provide steady work for your dedicated employees before the summer stress begins.
Guest blogger Dave Nichols is a regional training manager with HVAC Learning Solutions.