For years, electrical contractors have understood the importance of maintenance. But selling long-term service agreements? That’s been a tougher sell.
Now, with NFPA 70B shifting from a recommendation to a standard, there’s a clear opening. It’s not just about compliance—it’s about turning regulatory shifts into business opportunities.
And it’s bigger than just NFPA 70B. Across the industry, codes and standards are aligning around a single reality: proactive maintenance isn’t optional anymore. Contractors who position themselves as expert partners—rather than one-off service providers—stand to gain.
Selling the Value of Maintenance: Key Takeaways
We sat down with industry experts to break down the strategies contractors are using to build lasting service relationships. Here’s what stood out:
1. Structure Agreements Around What Customers Actually Need
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Maintenance contracts only work if they solve a real problem.•
Start with a deep dive into the customer’s business—what they spend, the age of their assets, and their pain points.•
Question-based selling helps uncover gaps and build tailored agreements that feel essential, not just nice to have.
2. Make Service Agreements About Partnership, Not Paperwork
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Long-term contracts shouldn’t feel like a financial trap.•
Position agreements as a win-win: predictable budgets for customers, reliable revenue for your business.•
Show them the cost of doing nothing—unexpected failures, rushed repairs, and downtime that could have been prevented.
3. Leverage Standards as an Education Tool
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NFPA 70B isn’t just a rulebook—it’s a selling tool.•
Pair it with NFPA 70E (electrical safety) and the NEC to highlight how compliance reduces risk and prevents costly downtime.•
Customers care about business continuity. Use these standards to show how proactive maintenance keeps operations running.
4. Show the ROI of Service Agreements
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Business owners don’t just need compliance—they need predictability.•
Service agreements help customers avoid costly downtime, shorten lead times for parts, and plan expenses in advance.•
When they understand the financial impact of interruptions, signing an agreement becomes a no-brainer.
5. Target the Right Markets
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Not every customer sees immediate value—go after the ones that do.•
Healthcare, manufacturing, and distribution** have the most urgent need for preventive maintenance.•
A clear sales process helps walk them through the agreement without friction.
6. Use Data and Tech to Strengthen Agreements
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Past maintenance records help you build smarter, more effective contracts.•
Software keeps asset data in one place, ensuring continuity even when personnel changes.•
Spreadsheets won’t cut it. A solid tech infrastructure makes scaling service agreements possible.
Turning Compliance into Contracts
Regulations are shifting, but the biggest shift needs to come from contractors. Contractors who move beyond one-off jobs and into ongoing partnerships will win—not just on compliance, but on business growth.
And the right tools make it easier.
