HIGH-PERFORMANCEHVAC TODAY TMIf You Don’t Measure, You’re Just Guessing!™hvactoday.comMAY 2019Digital Solutionsfor Your BusinessALSO IN THIS ISSUE:Use HVAC Software to Improve Technician PerformanceEvolving Your Performance-Based Selling TechniquesA Content- Marketing PrimerABCs of High- Performance Contracting: Part 10MAY 2019 3HVACTODAY.COMMAY 2019 VOLUME 3 NUMBER 05HIGH-PERFORMANCEHVAC TODAYTMSALES:Our Evolution with Performance-Based SalesContractor and Summit Speaker Michael Hyde explains how implementing Performance-Based Sales changed his company. MANAGEMENT:Use HVAC Software to Improve PerformanceHow do you assure your techs consistently gather correct info and properly diagnose systems? Here are some tips.SALES:ABC’s of High-Performance HVAC Contracting, Part 10This month, Dominick Guarino focuses on how to generate sales leads with little or no competition.MARKETING:A Content Marketing Primer for Performance-Based ContractorsThink you don’t need content marketing? Think it’s too expensive with no return on investment? Think again!261622 DEPARTMENTSOnline Content ......................................................................................4Today’s Word .........................................................................................7High-Performance News....................................................................8High-Performance Products .............................................................9Summit 2019 Spotlight ...............................................................12Member Update ...............................................................................30Photo of the Month .........................................................................31HVAC Smart Mart ...............................................................................32Ad Index ................................................................................................33One More Thing ................................................................................34204 MAY 2019HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYFREE Monthly DownloadThe May download explains how to access the refriger-ant circuit using the Fieldpiece SMAN 460 Manifold. This is a procedure for technicians to help them know when to in-stall gauges and what to do BEFORE accessing the refrig-erant circuit.It includes a six-step process for confirming airflow as well as a seven-step procedure for purging all air and contami-nants from the manifold and hoses. If you use the Fieldpiece SMAN 460 manifold, keep this download handy.Just go to ncilink.com/MonthlyDL, or use your phone with the QR Code below.By registering for free on NCI’s website, access this download and many more.Online UniversityFeatured this month is the fourth module in our Custom-er Service Training series. Generational Gaps - The Impact on the Workforce teaches you how to deal with a multi-genera-tional workforce. Managers will learn how to adapt their style to capitalize on each generation’s strength to create a better team. The course includes a downloadable grid that defines each generation’s characteris-tics including: Attitude towards authority Messages that motivate Work styles and so much more.Go to ncilink.com/ou0519 to learn more.ONLINE CONTENTMAY 2019 5HVACTODAY.COMBLOG POSTSSUPERCHARGED SERVICE WITH PERFORMANCE-BASED DIAGNOSTICS Rob Falke writes, “A service manager reviewing the week’s service records called me to report a tell-tale pattern: his technicians consistently re-peat the same 10 to 15 repairs.” In this blog, Rob examines the impact when techs slip into autopilot and fail to search for performance-based solutions. Read more at ncilink.com/supercharged10 TIPS FOR PROVIDING SUPERIOR HVAC CUSTOMER SERVICEPart of our legacy series in tribute to NCI’s Nita Brooks, we provide this timeless customer ser-vice blog. She writes about building relation-ships to set the groundwork for success. Nita passed away in 2016. Read more here: ncilink.com/CServHeard Around the Web ...HOME SERVICES PROVIDER BUYS HVAC CONTRACTING FIRMSIn March, Franchisor Neighborly® (formerly the Dwyer Group) announced 2018 to be a milestone year in terms of acquisitions and growth. Neighborly grew to a total of nearly 3,600 franchises across nine countries in 2018. The company sold a total of 325 new franchise units across its brands. In addition, the company’s annual systemwide sales reached a total of $2 billion.“This past year was a period of transformation and growth for Neighborly,” said Mike Bidwell, president and CEO. “We changed our company name after 37 years from Dwyer Group to Neighborly, completed three major acquisition deals, and put our company on a new growth trajectory. “Neighborly is a home services platform that connects consum-ers to the trades. Learn more here: ncilink.com/neighborly.MAY 2019 7HVACTODAY.COMTODAY’S WORDBy Mike WeilLast month I talked about your Perfor-mance-Based Contracting™ brand and how that can help you dominate your marketplace. What I didn’t bring up is the importance of your reputation. This is a very important part of your brand and is something you should really pay attention to.You really only get one chance to make a great impression to potential customers and then, once you have them as customers, you have to work hard to keep them. Your reputation is cen-tral to this.In the past, companies built their brands rep-utations through traditional methods – word-of-mouth, advertising, direct mail, and so on. Those methods, by the way, are still valid, but now you have to think about your “online” rep-utation as well.Why? With the ever-more dominant millennial generation, that reputation, especially what they find online, is one of the most important “hooks” they use to determine whether they want to do business with you or not.Most of us are quite familiar with this phenom-enon, but for kicks, here is the definition of repu-tation management I found on Wikipedia: “Reputation management is the influencing and/or control of an individual’s or business’s reputation. Originally a public relations term, the advancement of Internet and social media use, along with reputation management compa-nies, have made it primarily an issue of search results.”The point is that online reputation isn’t much different from word-of-mouth except it is exposed instantly to tens of thousands potential customers. Oh, and it is up there pretty much forever.No matter what you do, people will post good news and bad news about your company online every day. Some people say that any “press” is better than no press. But if any includes nega-tive statements about your company, its services, people, and products, how is that good? The answer: it isn’t.So – do you know what your online reputation is? Are you proactive at staying on top of it? Do you ask for reviews? Do you quickly respond to them? These are some of the actions necessary to really manage your reputation, stay ahead of your competitors, and attract not only new customers, but potentially new employees as well.If you ignore this aspect of your overall brand-ing strategy, your online reputation can nega-tively impact your business. Your worst enemy is complacency. As I said before, your “digital foot-print” never really goes away. So it’s in your best interest to stay on top of your reputation and take care of customer issues in a fast, positive manner. Read more about reputation management at ncilink.com/Reputation. Be sure to also read about how you can strengthen and grow your rep-utation and brand through content marketing (page 22).Speaking of digital footprints, we dedicate this issue to the digital solutions side of managing a successful High-Performance HVAC Contract-ing company. We cover software that helps close more sales (page 16) plus other digital tools that help you on your mission to measure, diagnose, and solve customer issues (page 9).Branding and reputation are important keys to a successful HVAC business. So how are you manag-ing yours? Your Online Business Reputation Can Make or Break YouMike Weil is editor- in-chief and director of communications and publications at National Comfort Institute, Inc. He can be reached at MikeW@ncihvac.com.YOUR WORST ENEMY IS COMPLACENCY. REMEMBER, YOUR “DIGITAL FOOTPRINT” NEVER REALLY GOES AWAY.8 MAY 2019HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY“The combined testing and manufac-turing location allows us to better serve our customers while enhancing HVAC technology through collaboration and innovation.”You can read the entire press release here: ncilink.com/JCIRTs and can learn more about Johnson Controls rooftop units here: ncilink.com/Rooftops.NCI 16th Annual Summit Hits Home RunPerformance-Based HVAC contractors took center stage in Orlando, FL, April 15-18 as National Comfort Institute’s annual Summit got underway. Nearly 200 contractors, preferred partners, and other industry luminaries gathered in what was a record-setting event.This year the focus centered on the High-Performance Sales and Delivery Cycle. Once again Summit was open to the entire HVAC Industry with the intent of shining a spotlight on like-minded people willing to share their performance-based experiences with their peers.The excitement could be felt even during the pre-conference business plan-ning boot camp conducted by Goodman Air Conditioning and Heating, and Amana Heating and Air Conditioning. Then it was three days of seminars, networking events, an exciting keynote by Jennifer Bagley, CEO of the CI Web Group, and followed up with the yearly awards dinner and banquet. There was even a post-Summit day where attendees could stay and earn or re-certify in Advanced Combustion or Airflow Testing and Diagnostics.NCI Partner EGIA also conducted a post-Summit leadership seminar on developing a process-driven company. Read a full recap of the event, starting on page 12.And don’t forget to mark your calen-dars for the 2020 Summit event, which will be held the week of April 6th in Scott-sdale, AZ. More on that in the very near future.On April 17th, Johnson Controls offi-cially opened its brand new state-of-the-art Rooftop Center of Excellence design, manufacturing, and testing facility in Norman, OK.In a recent press release, the company announced the opening of the 900,000 sq. ft. facility that includes almost 400,000 sq. ft. of incremental laboratory and man-ufacturing space, plus renovations to more than 150,000 sq. ft. of office and meeting space.The plant includes a two-story, 52-ft. high testing lab, roughly the size of one-and-a-half football fields. The lab-oratory offers an environment that al-lows Johnson Controls to conduct on-site, complex development, regulatory compliance, performance, safety, and reliability testing, including the abili-ty to test a 150-ton rooftop unit in cli-mates ranging from -30ºF to 130ºF.“The need for high-efficiency rooftop units has grown as customers demand simplified solutions to achieving sus-tainability,” said Philip Smyth, director of product management, applied DX, Johnson Controls. HIGH-PERFORMANCE NEWSEvents and Announcements:HVAC Industry MilestonesDominick Guarino, CEO, welcomes everyone to the 16th Annual Summit in Orlando, FL.Johnson Controls Opens HVAC Rooftop Center of ExcellenceMAY 2019 9HVACTODAY.COMHIGH-PERFORMANCE PRODUCTSRIGHT-J MOBILEEvery professional contractor in the HVAC Industry is familiar with load cal-culation software and most are familiar with Right-J from Wrightsoft. The company has created a mobile version of its Manu-al-J load calculation software that quick-ly and easily creates an ACCA-Approved Manual J8 block (whole house) load with eight accom-panying reports.Designed for use with mobile phones, tablets, as well as computers, Right-J requires an Internet connection. It allows you to access files from all your computing devices and instantly updates based on the information you enter and change.It works in three steps: zCustomer set-up screen zDraw the building footprint zChoose building details.Building details include choosing the wall, ceiling, and floor R-values, ma-terials, infiltration, glass area percent-age, and more. This info is submitted to the Wrightsoft servers via the Internet, which instantly computes the load and sends the results to the handheld device.Results are viewed on the handheld in chart form showing each load. The information can then be imported into the full Right-Suite Universal applica-tion to create more complex room-by-room designs.For more information, visit the Wright-soft website at ncilink.com/RJM.JOB COSTING AND INSTALLATIONSAWIN Service Automation, Inc. pro-vides enterprise level software solutions for managing an HVAC company. One of its modules, SAWIN Pro Enterprise Job Costing and Installation, provides access to the firm’s complete suite of job cost-ing software.The software uses easy-to-use tem-plates that you create for job estimates. Templates allow your team to choose equipment, parts, and materials from inventory and labor amounts, using us-er-defined price sheets and margins. Proposals can be created in the field or in the office and turned into contract jobs if accepted. In addition, they have a mobile installer solution that helps you manage your in-stallation teams by instantly transmitting installation assignments, work orders, and tracks their progress in the field.The mobile solution eliminates re-dundancies including double entry, hand-written payroll slips, and user error.Go to ncilink.com/SJC for more infor-mation and a demonstration online.FIELDAWARE CLOUD-BASED SERVICE MANAGEMENTThis field service platform enables you to integrate it into your existing systems, without having to disrupt ERP, CRM, and/or accounting systems. It can communi-cate with other Web-based products, en-abling bidirectional transfer of data and automating the service chain. This software is designed from the ground up as a mobile solution. Among its features: zEfficient scheduling and dispatch z Real-time visibility into work order details z Easily integrates into existing ERP or CRM systems zFast and easy invoicing.FieldAware also creates what they call “actionable reporting” using dashboard reports customized for your manage-ment needs.In addition, FieldAware employs bar-code scanning to help you instantly find inventory, asset history, order his-tory, and customer history.For more information and a demo, go to ncilink.com/FieldAware.ONLINE RESIDENTIAL HVAC LOADS AND DUCT SIZINGElite Software’s RHVAC Online soft-ware is a web application that runs on all internet devices including iPads, tab-lets, computers, and smart phones. It can do all three code-required ACCA Manual J, D, and S calculations.Digital Service SolutionsNext >