Author:
Revised:
August 15th, 2022
Have you recently completed an estimate with an HVAC contractor, only to never be followed up with? Did the salesperson not give you a clear future or idea of what was upcoming with their services? If this happened to you, you might wonder what went wrong.
According to statistics, it likely has nothing to do with you or anything you said during the initial quote conversation. According to Hubspot, 48% of sales professionals never follow up with the customer, and 44% give up after just one follow-up call.
At Fire & Ice, we strongly believe in doing the right thing or not doing it at all, especially regarding customer service and your overall experience. In the interest of helping to clear confusion, here are some reasons heating and cooling service contractors might not be following up with you.
1. They’re seeking to pursue another job for an unknown reason - Or the job is too big
The lack of follow-up you are receiving from a company could have nothing to do with you and is more about the contractor deciding which jobs to pick. Sometimes, this decision is made at the moment too. For example, let’s say the contractor you called sees your job as “low profit” and knows that others are more profitable on the books.
Or with a smaller business, they may not be willing to be honest with you, call you back and say they just simply cannot handle the job.
However, instead of letting you drop off and not following up, the contractor should be following up to refer you to someone else that they trust, who might be a better fit and can service you sooner. This attention to detail shows that the company cares and is honest about when they cannot help you or might not be the best fit for your needs.
By not following up, that contractor who didn’t call you back, even if it is to refer you to someone else, is losing out on establishing trust with you and a future potential sale down the road when you need services or a referral you could provide. Think about it: who will you refer to as your friends and family? The contractor who didn’t call you back, or the one who did and gave you honest advice.
Another reason a contractor may not call you back is another simple reason that has nothing to do with you and everything to do with how they are operating their business, poor strategy.
2. Lack of a customer follow-up system and strategy
Contractors and companies that have an organized strategy and customer follow-up system tend to perform better than ones that don’t or do not do it well. Of course, the lack of follow-up could be due to poor strategy or some sort of internal issue. But what if you got excellent service the first time, every time from a contractor?
At Fire & Ice, we believe in doing everything right the first time or not doing it at all. This especially applies to how we service customers. We ensure you understand what is happening at every step of the process through follow-up emails, materials, and even talking to you on the phone with any questions.
Additionally, the contractor might not want to follow up because they just do not want to keep pursuing you.
3. The company doesn’t want to pursue the lead because it could take months of follow-up
Any sales professional in any industry likely knows that getting someone to purchase a product or service takes a lot of work and is much more complicated than just saying “yes.”
Around 60% of customers say no four times before saying yes, and around 80% of all sales require five follow-up calls. If the contractor you have spoken with doesn’t have a consistent follow-up strategy, you might get lost in the shuffle and never hear back.
Additionally, there can also be such a thing as too much of a follow-up strategy, where the customer feels like they’re being pressured into a purchase by someone using predatory sales tactics. At Fire & Ice, we never use high-pressure sales tactics because we know it just doesn’t lead to good sales or a positive customer outlook.
Keeping this in mind, you may also encounter the opposite issue from a company offering too many products in too many different areas.
4. Lack of Consistency
Some companies you’ve called for quotes may not get back to you due to a lack of consistency. What does this mean exactly? This could mean that they are offering too many different products and services under too many umbrellas that you’ve simply gotten lost in the shuffle. At Fire & Ice, we stick to heating, cooling, and indoor air quality services because we know we excel at making your home comfortable.
We have placed our focus where our audience is, residential homeowners. Some companies may be putting profits ahead of focusing on their core audience, which can lead to poor growth in the long term.
Characteristics to Look for in a Good HVAC Handyman
Now that you know why an HVAC contractor might not be following up with you, it is important to know some good contractor characteristics.
Pay of Employees
In the world of contract work, a piece-rate employee who is paid by the job is incentivized to finish a job quickly, which often results in cut corners. At Fire & Ice, all of our workers are W2’d and paid hourly, and are financially incentivized to perform jobs that don’t require callbacks due to issues with the equipment. Ask any contractor you plan on hiring for your home how they pay their employees. If it is piece-rate, you might want to reconsider.
Proper Licensing
Proper licensing for HVAC is one the biggest things to look for. At Fire & Ice, As a licensed HVAC contractor, we always pull permits that are required by state and local regulations. This ensures the integrity of the installation through third-party inspection and protects your investment. If the company you’re looking to hire cannot give you their state license number, do not let them perform services inside your home.
Multiple Financing Options
HVAC equipment is a big investment, so we provide a robust array of financing options to meet your budget and lifestyle. Additionally, we look for manufacturer and utility company incentives to provide you with options for tax credits and rebates on qualifying equipment.
Liability Insurance
Ask any potential home contractor about their liability insurance and how much they have. One million is the minimum required by the State of Ohio. At Fire & Ice, we double that to ensure the viability of our business and the safety of the homes we service. Do not let any company perform work inside your home that does not have liability insurance that is the mimimum required by the state you live in.
Background & Drug Checks
Ask a potential contractor about drug and background checks for employees and what they require. At Fire & Ice, for your peace of mind and safety, all of our employees must pass criminal background and drug tests before being hired.
Multiple Installation Options
Sales representatives should be able to speak with you about products and provide solutions unique to you. Our sales representatives are prepared to give you a range of options to meet your budget and comfort needs. Rather than offering a “one size fits all” solution on equipment or brand, we’ll work with you to make a decision that’s right for your home.
Uniforms & Protection Gear
Ask about protective gear employees are wearing and any materials used to protect your home. By requiring that all Fire & Ice employees wear standardized uniforms, and travel in clearly marked Fire & Ice vehicles, you have the peace of mind knowing that the right person is in your home for the job. Our installers also use drop cloths at every installation to protect your surfaces.
Use our free contractor checklist for more suggestions on what to look for or ask when hiring a contractor.
Proactive Consumerism: Doing your Homework Will Help You Make the Right Contractor Decision
At Fire & Ice, We strongly believe we are in business because of our honest service and complete customer experience. It’s what lets me sit down at the dinner table with a potential customer and talk about all the different things we do that our competitors won’t.
But when we struggle, it’s because those who are cutting corners aren’t educating homeowners, and as a result, a mediocre installation for less money seems like a better deal than a great one for a bit more.
We’re not always the best choice for every customer, and there are other companies doing great work, both here in the Columbus area and nationally.
But we wouldn’t be writing this article if it weren’t a problem. It’s a big one, and it’s why HVAC as a whole sometimes (justifiably) has a bad name.
Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of. Instead, educate yourself and be prepared.
Next Steps for Choosing a Heating & Cooling Service Company
If you’re ready to take the next step and check if you’re in our service area, use the zip code map below.
To schedule your free estimate, use the button below.
