Every missed call is a missed opportunity.
Building reliable, scalable processes is the key to winning more jobs this summer.
Learn more: 24/7 HVAC Call Answering
When are HVAC businesses missing calls?
Think you’re not missing calls? Think again. Almost all HVAC businesses are missing calls, and counting voicemails isn’t the way to check. 80% of customers won’t leave a voicemail when they call – they’ll move on to the competition. Find out how many calls you’re missing is the first step in answering them! The most common times are:
- Lunchtime – between 12 and 2 – people have their lunch at the same time as your CSRs are having theirs.
- After hours – people have time to do research and call after work – whether that’s at 5.30 pm or 9pm.
- Weekends and holidays – these are when most people have the time to think about new projects or to schedule a service.
Related: When HVAC businesses miss calls (and how to always answer)
What does your current setup look like?
Lots of HVAC businesses struggle to be available 24 hours a day without always having the same people on call. It’s hard, but is also hurting your growth. Now is the time to make a plan before it gets busy.
Take some time to work ON your business instead of IN it. Even if it’s just an hour. What is your current process for bringing in new leads? How do customers schedule a service?
Once you know what you think it is, secret shop your business and find out what the process is really like for customers. Call at lunchtime, late in the evening, or on a Saturday afternoon. You’ll quickly find the gaps.
Now take a look at where there are places you can improve the customer experience and get to the sale quicker.
How do you scale up for the summer season?
The key to a successful summer season is planning. When you’re in the season, you are fully in it – it’s much harder to take a step back and work on the mechanics of your business.
- Systems – Have a system in place so you know who is answering calls at all times, who is scheduled to be on call, and how you’ll manage jobs the next day if someone is out on a call at 2 am.
- Tracking and transparency – Do you even know if you’re answering calls overnight? Have tracking in place so you can see what calls came in, what jobs your team were called out to, and who needs follow up calls the next day.
- Improve your speed to lead – You need to call out to new leads in the first few minutes to have the best chance of winning that business. When it’s busy in the summer, this is hard to do. Have a plan in place for who is calling out and how they’re notified of new leads.