As 2021 winds down, it’s time to take a look back at what happened and review 2021 and then take a look forward to what could be in store. This year began with silver linings brightening the end of a dark 2020. The pandemic did hurt business all across the HVAC Industry supply chain, but it also gave us time to pause, reflect, and regroup.
Once again, as an industry, we found creative ways in 2021 to regain some lost ground through use of technology, and out-of-the-box-thinking to improve processes, increase sales, and fight the good high-performance HVAC fight.
But 2021 certainly posed challenges. As we review the past year, we wondered back in February whether the hits would keep coming. Retail businesses were closing left and right. The pandemic kept growing worse.
Yet, the need for HVAC service grew as more people than ever in the history of this country were working from home. The key was to embrace change, to adapt to the conditions at hand, and find ways to provide for customers’ comfort and safety while they sheltered in place.
Re-purposing gave purpose to communities as abandoned buildings were converted into food kitchens, vaccine locations, and more. Then one of the worst snowstorms swept the nation and the importance of keeping your techs winterized, and safe from the cold, became more important than ever.
Rethinking Our Approach
To help keep their people busy, many contractors began to re-examine their marketing and took the time to promote their COVID-19 safety practices to their customers. Some began to stand out and write articles for the trade and consumer media to get the word out.
Others began looking into how to soar on the wings of the Internet Cloud to make doing business with them easier and more convenient.
For these and so many other reasons, it became more apparent to everyone in this country the importance and Influence High-Performance HVAC contractors wield. By testing, measuring, diagnosing, and solving customer comfort and efficiency issues, you made homes safer than ever before during 2021.
Yes, in 2021, comfort became more important than ever. In review, comfort was key not only for consumers and contractors, but for everyone in the supply chain as they worked together to make sure equipment, components, tools, and more were as readily available as possible. Together the industry charted a course toward mutually assured success and set the stage for 2022.
Looking Forward
According to ancient Roman legend, the god, Janus wore two faces — one to look forward and one to look back. Janus presided over the beginning and ending of conflict.
The past year was certainly rife with conflict. Yet, according to ITR Economics, the U.S. Gross Domestic Product has fully recovered from the COVID-19 recession. That is good news. But leading indicators show a slow down of growth in 2022 which means we need to continue focusing on creative solutions to the issues facing us.
We will have full market forecasts from ITR in February and in March, 2022.
In 2021 we’ve seen how this industry can and will evolve to meet the needs of our customers. We must continue to do so.
With that in mind, from the team here at the magazine and at NCI, we close 2021 wishing you all a very happy holiday season, and a productive, profitable, and safe New Year.
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