The NCI Connection

In Rausin’s view, partnering with NCI makes a lot of sense. He says the FieldEdge approach aligns with NCI’s motto, “If You Don’t Measure, You’re Just Guessing.” He explains that the software helps contractors track and measure all the different aspects of running a field service business.

“Our mission is to educate, improve, and help contractors be more successful. The more educated contractors can be, the more pain and time they can save themselves. Plus, they can save a lot of effort and get much better results.

“For me, one of the most frustrating things is watching people struggle. The technical training that NCI provides helps technicians and contractors become craftsmen by helping them develop the skills necessary to solve customer problems and succeed in business.

“I liken that to the importance of doing it right the first time. You can learn by trial and error, but that is a painful way to learn. I resonate with the craftsman mentality; many of our contractor customers have it. I also think the craftsman mentality spreads down to the technician level.

“For these and many other reasons, FieldEdge has partnered with NCI. We’ve been partners for some years but only recently formed a dedicated team that will now work hand-in-hand with NCI and their members to establish, grow, and maintain a fruitful and rewarding relationship for all involved.”

Rausin says their goal is to enhance that relationship and make it much better for everyone involved, especially NCI members. “We’re proud to be a partner that can help members build their NCI bucks which can be used for valuable training and take their business to the next level, time and time again.”

A Magic Wand?

One of Rausin’s pet peeves is that the HVAC Industry struggles with inventory management on every level for whatever reason. He says, “if there were a magic wand I could wave and improve the industry, it would be this: better, easier inventory control. Having a good inventory system is more complicated than it should be.

“In today’s retail world, inventory is getting so simple. For example, I visited a brick-and-mortar store recently with no checkout lines. You walk the aisles, put the items you want in a basket, and leave.

“The technology in the store tracks your purchases and bills your credit card! Eventually, I’d like to see that happening in the HVAC Industry.

“I think it’s a huge step because right now, inventory is an expensive problem to solve. However, as in the example I just cited, a lot of exciting technology is coming down the pipe that could make this easier to manage and control. That is my magic wand wish.”
Furthermore, Rausin says he believes it is essential for service and installation technicians to key in on doing their jobs well.

“They need to take pride and ownership of their creativity and craft,” he says. “That means committing to continuous education and training.

Greener Grass?

“The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence either. Someone will sometimes try to lure your techs away for $0.50 more per hour. Once upon a time, that was enough to lose good techs.

“Technicians should remember that a slight increase in pay doesn’t matter nearly as much as the people they work with, the integrity of the company they work for, and the pride they have in their knowledge and skills.

“As a tech, if you do find yourself working for a company that doesn’t have high integrity, remember there are other companies out there that DO have that integrity. They are worth finding and working for. This is how you will improve your livelihoods and create your future.”

The High-Performance HVAC Today and National Comfort Institute team congratulate Eric Rausin and the FieldEdge team on being named the September 2022 Partner Spotlight.

If you’d like to learn more about FieldEdge and take advantage of their Training Incentive Partnership Program with NCI, visit their page at ncilink.com/FE-TIPP.

If you have any questions, you can contact Tracy Kellogg at TKellogg@fieldedge.com.