Written by “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.”
For many HVAC and Plumbing companies, business slows down in the fall and winter months and ramps back up around March and April depending on where you’re located. A common mistake that seasonal service businesses make is not setting themselves up for success in the off-season during the busy season. On the flip side, some seasonal business owners don’t take enough advantage of opportunities to secure revenue in the off-season. By following these seasonal business tips, you can ensure you’re maximizing revenue potential all year around.
Prepare for the Off-Season During the Busy Season
Whether you’re doing a job for a repeat customer or working with a brand new customer, speaking to them about a maintenance plan can guarantee work for you during the off-season. Offer upsells like a 1-year, 2-year and 3-year maintenance plan and educating them on the benefits of regular maintenance, like how it can save them money in the long run. By explaining the importance of this service right after they have experienced an issue with their HVAC unit or appliance, the homeowner will be more likely to jump at an opportunity to prevent the headache they’ve just gone through.
Here’s an example of an annual maintenance service that an HVAC company could provide:
- Inspect capacitors for leaks and rust
- Complete a thorough operations check
- Search ducts for air leaks
- Inspect air filtration system and blower wheel
- Lubricate motor and take note of AMP draw
- Replace filters
- Check fan blade for cracks or defects
- Inspect condensing unit – tighten screw lug terminals, check motor and compressor, lubricate non-sealed condenser motor bearings
- Inspect wiring and electrical
- Check refrigerant levels and inspect cooling system for unusual vibrations
Keep In Touch Via Email
Stay top of mind by emailing your customers at least once a month during the off-season and at least twice a month when it gets closer to the busy season. Keep them interested by offering special promotions and discounts and or throwing in a pitch for a testimonial or a referral even if it’s just one sentence at the end of the email. If you provided great service and the content in your emails provide value (an example is to send DIY or easy home maintenance tips), your customer should stay interested.
Get Involved With a Community Service Project
What better way to spend your time during the off-season AND expose yourself to new leads than by participating in a charitable event or fundraiser. If you have the money, sponsor an event such as a free Thanksgiving dinner for the local homeless shelter or a toy drive during the holiday season. If your company participates in an auction or another type of fundraiser for a charity or nonprofit, offer up your services as a prize. Doing this not only helps support a good cause, but it gives your company a charitable image and encourages current customers and potential leads to think of your company when they need your services.
Give Thanks and Reward Employees
Hosting a party for your employees to celebrate the close of a successful busy season is a great way to show your seasonal, part-time and full-time staff that you appreciate their hard work during such a vital time for your business. Allow your employees to let loose and provide a catered lunch (if you’re able) and usher in the slow season with a bang.
Plan Your Winning Busy Season Strategy
The off-season is a great time to analyze your current business operations, find gaps and implement solutions to solve for them. Field service business owners typically note problems with their processes and technology (or lack thereof). Examples include the inability for office and field staff to communicate easily and in real-time, techs forgetting to turn in their work orders and invoices after completing a job and the inefficiency of paper work orders and filing cabinets to store information.
Implementing a first-rate mobile field service management software could solve for many of these examples and allow business owners and employees to scale their business and reduce inefficiencies and overwhelm during the busy season.
To learn more about how mHelpDesk can help you plan for your busy season, click here.
Last modified: March 19, 2019
