How to Thrive in the HVAC Slow Season
The words 'HVAC slow season' usually strike fear into the hearts of most HVAC business owners.
During the crazy summer busy season, most HVAC contractors get used to the high demand and long work hours, and enjoy record profits.
It's hard to keep your sanity as a HVAC tech or HVAC business owner during the summertime. But it might even be more challenging when the high demand stops and things slow down.
But, when the weather starts to cool, and the days shorten, the demand calls for air conditioner repairs start to dry up.
This yearly trend is commonly called the HVAC slow season.
When is the HVAC Slow Season?
In North America, the HVAC slow season is in the months from September through to March each year. This 7 month stretch can be a very tough time to get through for HVAC contractors as the need for HVAC service calls dwindles.
As the weather cools, less people have immediate demand for HVAC services or HVAC repairs, and will not call as often. Many homes that have either a heat pump or furnace will not understand the need for HVAC maintenance during the colder months, and will wait till summer to reach out.
Depending which part of the country you are in, most HVAC businesses suffer from a lack of new customers during at least one third to one half of the year.
Ideally, each HVAC business should prepare for the HVAC slow season before it arrives. But even if you didn't take full advantage of the busy season, then there are still things you can to thrive in the HVAC slow season.
The HVAC Slow Season is Not Going Away
Unless you can find a way to affect the weather, there will always be a busy season and a slow season in the HVAC industry.
It's just a reality you need to accept, and adapt to.
The truth is that most HVAC businesses have to fund their slow season with profits they make during summer. And then, when summer returns, they do it all again next year. It's not a great way to grow a HVAC business.
Relying on potential customers to call during anytime except summer is not a realistic business strategy. Failing to find and keep new HVAC customers is one of the reasons that most contractors lose money during a large portion of the year.
Take Advantage of The HVAC Slow Season
If you are worried about the HVAC slow season, you are not alone.
Almost every HVAC business owner worries they will lose money, and very few do anything proactive to try to fix it. Most simply hope that customers will call, or that some will need repairs on their furnace or heat pump during the winter.
The fact that so few HVAC contractors or HVAC technicians know what to do in the slow season means big opportunity for those who do. The HVAC slow season is an excellent time to get ahead of the competition and grab more market share.
In this article, we will look at five ways to generate revenue during the slower months, and get ahead of the competition.
It all comes down to seeing the HVAC slow season as a time to thrive.
Your CSR Team is a Profit Center
At SBE, we believe that the purpose of the Customer Service Representative (CSR) in a HVAC business is more than to just book appointments as they come in.
Using their communication skills and ability, your CSR team can keep the technicians busy throughout the whole year.
Year-round, even when the phones aren't ringing with demand calls, with the right outbound phone strategy your CSR team can help your HVAC technician team to have a steady flow of new customers for your business.
So, if the phone is not ringing in your HVAC Business because it is slow, this is an opportunity for the CSR team to begin calling past customers with outbound offers, and booking seasonal maintenance calls so that each week all appointment slots get filled.
Offering your existing customers a low-cost tune-up during the HVAC slow season is key to keeping busy.
Use the Phone to Generate Leads for Your HVAC Company
The truth is that every HVAC contractor has a huge opportunity with their existing clients.
New customers cost a lot of money and time to attract, and then convert. They don't trust you nearly as much as existing customers, and they don't have the same level of need during the HVAC slow season.
Satisfied, happy HVAC customers of your business are the ultimate source of annual revenue.
With the right HVAC marketing strategy, your current customers can steady your company’s future revenue. On top of this, your current customers are the biggest source of getting more HVAC Customers through referrals.
Your current HVAC customers already trust you, have been helped by you, and are three times more likely to buy from instead of a competitor.
Further, there are additional HVAC revenue opportunities with Indoor Air Quality products and other add-ons such as duct cleanings, filter changes, etc.
As a HVAC business owner, the most effective way to have consistent revenue is to grow your own customer pipeline. By selling a HVAC Maintenance Agreement on a new system install up front, you are setting your business up for more equipment sales in the future.