Service Titan then notifies our office team via email, stating, “Jose has completed a follow-up form for this customer,” and flags it on the dispatch board. This system prevents us from missing opportunities due to busyness.

The significance of this action cannot be overstated. It conveys to the customer that we care enough to follow up and helps us seize additional opportunities. What better way to demonstrate to the customer that we are the right company? We uphold transparency and honesty in all our dealings and possess the integrity to stand behind our work.

In today’s world, technology has become an indispensable asset in managing service calls, maintenance tasks, and business operations. Service Titan is instrumental in facilitating the latter. I emphasize to my technicians the importance of investing in the right tools and instruments that offer valuable feedback. Many of our team members utilize Testo instruments, while others prefer Fieldpiece.

However, my focus has shifted from purchasing numerous test instruments to acquiring more construction equipment to simplify tasks for the team. Nevertheless, the role of technology in streamlining work cannot be overstated. The convenience of having maintenance checklists on mobile devices is immense, and the transition from manual note-taking to digital record-keeping helps mitigate clerical errors.

Moreover, digital instruments allow us to upload data to cloud-based servers for storage and retrieval. This not only serves as a backup, but also facilitates remote troubleshooting of complex issues. I can delve into the problem and decipher the underlying cause, which is quite remarkable.

The landscape of our industry is continually evolving, with daily advancements in technology, equipment, and refrigerants. Grasping the workings of modern circuit boards and mastering their troubleshooting is essential. This necessitates ongoing education, training, and practice to stay abreast of these changes.

Maintaining an NCI membership and ensuring my field service and installation team receive training from them is a crucial strategy for us to stay abreast of high-performance diagnostics. We also send our team to other providers to keep pace with evolving technologies. I personally participate in jobs to collaborate with my team – this is all part of conducting business.

If one chooses to be an HVAC contractor, shouldn’t the aim be to excel in the field?

This philosophy guides my life. I made a commitment to myself long ago that I would not only be part of the HVAC industry, but also strive to be the best technician I could be. My personal best. I’m not benchmarking myself against others, but against my own potential.

After all, as individuals, our goal should be to continually strive for improvement. Consider this analogy: doctors are committed to the ongoing practice of medicine. Similarly, we should be dedicated to the continuous practice of HVAC.

Our team takes immense pride in their work. The numerous photos we share on LinkedIn and other social platforms often elicit comments. This leads me to wonder why other contractors don’t do the same. Perhaps they haven’t considered it, or they prefer to keep their work private. We, on the other hand, are passionate about our work and eager to showcase it to the world!

Our company operates under the motto, “Fast is Fine, but Accuracy is Everything.” If you can’t proudly attach your name to your work, then it’s an indication that the job wasn’t done well enough.

With this in mind, my counsel to other contractors is to unequivocally back their product. Regardless of whether it’s an installation or maintenance task, standing behind your work is crucial. You must embody the principles you advocate. Over-promising and under-delivering is a strategy that will deter customers from returning.

Furthermore, if you’re not incorporating high-performance diagnostics at any level, you’re likely overlooking at least 50% of potential revenue opportunities, if not more.


Ron Mathias owns Accurate Heating and AC in Lompoc, CA. This $1.9 million residential/commercial HVAC company specializes in High-Performance HVAC™ contracting and has since opening day in March 2016. He has been in the HVAC trade since he was 18 years old. If you have questions about including performance diagnostics in your service/maintenance agreements, contact him at ncilink.com/ContactMe.