Following what was one of the toughest years for businesses across a wide range of industries, many HVAC companies are looking for proactive ways to avoid the issues they experienced. From ineffective communication to dwindling revenue, the HVAC industry has suffered considerably during these “unprecedented times.” However, there are certain solutions that can help not only protect your business but fuel its growth in the long term.
Operational Technology: The Key to Avoiding Future Issues & Growing Your Business
Through the use of modern technological solutions, you’ll be able to position your HVAC business for success. The right software behind your business assists with coordination and communication, facilitating contact between offices and technicians while shaping the ideal customer experience. While there are plenty of separate tools that you can use to give you complete control and in-depth insights into your business, the ease and simplicity of all-in-one solutions are also available for HVAC companies and other commercial contractors.
Investing and implementing the latest technology will ultimately be worth the price as it helps boost ROI and optimizes efficiency across all of your operations. The following are some of the specific ways in which today’s tech can help your business thrive.
Use Data to Drive Decisions
It’s impossible to measure the success of your operations without sufficient actionable data. As a result, you won’t be able to make informed decisions if you don’t have the insight needed to guide those decisions. Using certain reporting software, you can benefit from real-time reporting that both collects and presents data at your fingertips. Through highly accurate and consistent reporting, your team can then look for and clearly see existing trends that indicate what’s working and what needs improvement. Additionally, you can more effectively gauge the success of your technicians and determine ways to further improve their performance.
Good reporting software should precisely detail how much revenue your company earned in a given period based on specific types of jobs and departments. Using this data, you can then develop a plan to improve on areas that are underperforming. For example, you might look at revenue by job and see that while around 15% of your revenue regularly comes from installations, you see a gradual monthly decrease in revenue from maintenance and repairs from 20% to 15%. In this case, you may be able to determine how and when to better promote maintenance services to help this branch perform more consistently.
Access to more and better data can be an invaluable asset for your business as you look for ways to shore up your business against competitors and strategically expand. You’ll never need to be in the dark regarding your company’s and staff’s performance, which could otherwise set you back.
Maintain Effective Internal Communication & Coordination
A successful HVAC company will also make sure that there’s good communication between office staff and technicians. The latest operational technology can help maximize productivity and minimize the risk of errors by managing workflows, invoices, and other data points, keeping all of your team on the same page.
You can use scheduling and dispatching software, for example, to clearly show the status of your technicians along with their availability. This makes it incredibly easy to plan months in advance and coordinate schedules with technicians. Meanwhile, invoicing software can enable you to efficiently generate and keep track of quotes and proposals, collect signatures, and keep technicians and your office in sync. Having this kind of technology behind your business will make it easier than ever to keep your staff regularly connected from any location and at any time.
If you and your staff are working cohesively and efficiently, this translates into a great customer experience that boosts satisfaction and, subsequently, revenue.
Improve the Customer Experience
In addition to making things easier for your staff, it’s important to make things easier for your customers using a simplified digital solution. This was particularly crucial when the pandemic made it difficult for businesses to coordinate with customers in person.
Using cutting-edge customer management software, you can streamline communications with customers throughout the approval process. You’ll have the ability to view existing customer’s past jobs, contacts, and equipment, which ensures you have a deep understanding of their needs. You can also perform tasks such as:
- anaging multiple pieces of equipment and jobs in several different places
- Tracking all of your equipment
- Attaching photos and videos to work orders
- Setting up maintenance reminders
Technicians will never need to worry about a lack of clarity impeding their ability to do their job the right way the first time.
All of these components can help you make sure each job is done right and on schedule, keeping your customers consistently satisfied. Happier customers ultimately mean more revenue and growth, as they provide repeat business and recommend your services to others.
Make Every Aspect of Your Work Remote with Mobile Capabilities
One of the biggest issues created by the pandemic was the demand for more remote communication capabilities. With social distancing guidelines and office closures keeping office staff, technicians, and customers at a regular distance, people understood the vital role that mobile communication played.
If you want to ensure your teams and customers are always in tune with each other, your operational technology platform should also feature mobile capabilities. Ideally, an easy-to-use technician mobile app can keep your in-field staff in touch with your office staff. A comprehensive app will allow techs and staff to receive regular updates, fulfill work orders, gain access to site plans, and collect customer signatures and data.
The convenience of a mobile app can save your staff a lot of time and potential headache when coordinating jobs, which further keeps your customers content.
Fuel Growth with the Right Solution
All the benefits mentioned make finding the right operational technology invaluable to every facet of your business. If you can gain complete control over your operations, you can optimize different areas of your business, establish great communication between staff and customers, and maximize overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness. As you begin to streamline operations and boost your revenue, you’ll be able to use this technology to further secure your business and fuel growth in the years ahead.
BuildOps can arm your business with everything it needs to flourish, with an all-in-one solution designed specifically with commercial contractors in mind. If you would like to learn more about our software and see how it can work for your HVAC company, request a demo today to see this innovative platform in action.
