How Do HVAC Companies Beat Their Competition On Price?

Blog, Field Service, HVAC, Mobile App & Checklist

Last updated Nov 2, 2023 at 7:24PM | Published on Oct 7, 2019 | Blog, Field Service, HVAC, Mobile App & Checklist

Every HVAC business has had a customer tell them, “Your competition quoted me much lower”. Though this is difficult to respond to, here are two answers you can give. You can either tell them that this is your price, and that they should go with your competition if they want to pay lower, or you can explain why your price is your price and the value behind it. Maybe going into detail about how you run an HVAC field service software and the field service mobile app won’t be enough, however, the benefits of those tools will give you the selling features.

Offering a lower price is how new competition gets into a marketplace or tries to take more shares of it. In some cases, it reflects the service the customer is going to get. ‘You get what you pay for’ is true in the HVAC industry, and those trying to cut costs might be running less-than-ideal service departments. Instead of slashing your own prices, which means a drop in revenue, it’s best to use your HVAC field service software to your advantage. Along the way, explain to your customer why choosing you is actually worth the money they are going to pay.

Quality service leads to a quantity of customers

There is an old saying of quality over quantity. You want to be on the side of quality. That’s because, in the HVAC industry, quality will actually lead to the quantity of customers to make you sustainable. By offering your customers a quality service, you can justify a higher price than your competition. That can mean many different things to different customers, such as:

  • Always being on time
  • Quick response to emergency calls
  • In-depth reports or checklists for repairs
  • Fast turnaround of invoices
  • Insight into a technician’s work

You can achieve this by installing HVAC field service software into your organization. Turn your business into a field service operation that is focused on quality service. When a customer asks why your price is higher than your competition, answer with promises of fast service when they call, fewer delays, and a focus on great service. Scheduling and dispatch tools for your dispatchers will make it easier to book service calls in a timely manner. With a skillset search, find the right technician, with the right skills, and check their schedule to see their first opening.

That leads to quality service. When the right technician with the right skills is selected, you know he or she can get the job done right the first time. That increases your first-time fix rates, which is a great indication of the quality of service you offer. Through word of mouth, you’ll be known as the organization that offers quality service, which leads to the quantity of customers you need.

Customers love technology like HVAC field service software

Technology actually helps to win customers. At one point it was flashy to have the latest gadgets, but in today’s HVAC industry, customers want to know you are supported by great technology. Walking up to a job site with a paper-based work order? That doesn’t scream quality, high-end service. But come in with a field service mobile app connected to an HVAC field service software, it not only impresses your customer but tells them your business is investing in themselves and their customers.

If you’re also able to add additional technology to the customer’s equipment, it will help you sell higher prices. Features like the Internet of Things (IoT) sensor technology are not something your low-price bargain HVAC company will offer. And it’s a great talking point with potential customers in order to sell your predictive service. Why are your prices higher? That’s because you are constantly monitoring their equipment. If something looks to be failing, your technicians are on site. Put your technology to use as a selling feature. HVAC field service software has so many useful tools that will ensure service calls aren’t missed and information is available, allowing you to deliver quality service.

Be the expert your customer needs

Experts can charge more, so be an expert in the field. When it comes to price, it’s all about the value the customer is getting. If they are getting the best service and highest quality, they will pay more. If they are getting an expert on specific equipment, they will pay more. A lot of HVAC businesses want to do every job possible, regardless if they have expertise in that area. It can leave them with long service calls as technicians try to figure out how to make a repair and can spread your company thin with the number of services you provide. Remember, quality over quantity. And to be a quality HVAC company for your customers, you need to be an expert.

HVAC companies are achieving this by using the field service mobile app to give technicians access to information. The same technician may not always be available to a familiar customer. Over time, technicians find new jobs or retire and need to be replaced, but you still want to provide expert-level service to your customers. Through the field service mobile app, technicians can look up the service history on equipment. They can see past repairs and solutions from previous technicians. With HVAC field service software storing your work order history, your technicians have the knowledge of everyone that came before them. This knowledge transfer helps to create experts in your workforce. That’s much better than having a new technician show up with no knowledge of the customer or their equipment. It’s a tough sell for a high price that way.

Leverage your HVAC field service software

There are many ways to earn more profit in the HVAC industry. Cutting costs by reducing travel times and better utilizing your technicians to take more service calls is one way. Becoming an expert and offering quality service at a high price is another. Or you can do both because your HVAC field service software gives you the ability to do so. With plenty of tools, modules, and automation to drive your business, you will have no issue defending your higher prices and selling the benefits to your customers. Customers are willing to pay for more for quality service. Get the tool that allows you to provide the best quality service you possibly can.