< Previous20 DECEMBER 2020HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY company growth. For example, when we look at whether techs are conducting static pressure tests on every call, we are finding they are slipping because we stopped getting together to talk about it. After all, there weren’t any meet- ings and training sessions due to the COVID situation. At Getzschman, internal virtual training has not been fully implement- ed. At the beginning of the shutdowns, we simply didn’t have the technology or skills to set these types of sessions up. Because there is no end to this pandemic in sight, we are seriously looking into a virtual approach today and suggest that if training is import- ant to you, you need to develop virtual capabilities as well. The good news is that NCI and oth- er organizations have developed virtu- al training and that certainly helps. A lot. But we still believe that live, face- to-face meetings work better because it gives our guys the ability to inter- act with each other and the instructors more fully. Plus, there is the hands- on component which is so important when teaching technicians how to trou- bleshoot, take static pressure readings, install testing ports, and so on. But for now, and in the near future, those types of meetings just aren’t go- ing to happen as regularly. SEVEN KEY TIPS TO SUCCESSFUL TRAINING PROGRAMS People often say, ‘Training your people is just a waste of money be- cause they will just leave you for a competitor anyway.’ We don’t agree. You can spend money on training and while you have those employees, they will do the right things for you and your customers. We don’t have a lot of turnover, possibly BECAUSE of the training we provide. Here are seven tips that we’ve found work in our company: Commitment to Training and the Process – That commitment must extend beyond classes you hold internally to those you need that are held in other locations. This includes So for us, training is a process that must be maintained and nurtured continuously. Furthermore, we use our training programs to determine a technician’s capabilities. This helps us note his or her strengths and weaknesses and en- ables us to plan for the training neces- sary for them to grow. It is up to them to want to ‘climb the ladder.’ We pro- vide the ‘rungs.’ The truth is, the more advanced a tech becomes, the more valuable he or she becomes. TRAINING AND THE COVID PANDEMIC We have made training a vital component of our culture. With the onslaught of the pandemic, however, our training regimen was seriously interrupted because the shutdowns and social distancing rules make it very difficult to get the teams togeth- er. In the spring, we missed many weeks of regular training and ob- viously missed NCI classes as well. We have noticed the impact of that on our operating efficiencies and in TRAINING National Comfort Institute Trainer David Richardson (right-front) leads a class on combustion and carbon monoxide safety for the Getzschman technical team in an offsite hall.DECEMBER 2020 21HVACTODAY.COM training, though in a more negative way. It’s still a learning experience. Belong to a third-party train- ing organization like NCI – This includes any national organization in this industry that can teach you better ways to operate your company, how to price your services, as well as manage people, time, and money. This helps to legitimize your efforts and reinforce it with your people and customers. Redundancy – You can’t just train once. Repetition reinforces – This goes back to commitment. You must commit to repeat training be- cause that reinforces it with the tech- nicians. For example, we spend time on basic electrical diagrams for fur- naces. This is the basis for nearly every furnace manufactured. This teaches the secrets of operation and what each component contributes to the overall comfort system. The challenge comes from young- er people who graduate from tech schools but don’t understand con- trol voltage and low voltage. It’s rare to find someone with a strong control voltage background. So we teach it. Regularly. A Maintenance Program is re- quired for success – Getzschman has 3,000 maintenance agreements. This helps us not only through slow periods in terms of work, but also helps us manage our maintenance and service techs in terms of conducting performance testing and diagnostics on every call. Process Back-Up – Back-end sup- training provided by manufacturer reps and equipment suppliers, as well as third parties like trade associations and membership groups like NCI. That commitment must include the willingness to attend such classes, even if they run much of the day. Many con- tractors won’t make that commitment because it’s inconvenient or takes the tech out of the field for a day. But you have to look at this as an in- vestment for the future of your com- pany, as well as for the benefit of your customers and the techs themselves. One of the biggest dangers is the ra- tionalization that if something goes wrong, you can always go back and fix it. That is self-deception. Call-backs are expensive, eat into productivi- ty and profits, and in the end, is still 22 DECEMBER 2020HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY systems we have in-house just for that purpose. He teaches the techs how to trou- bleshoot, how to do CO (carbon mon- oxide) readings, take static pressure readings, and so on. So we invested in taking one of our top techs out of the field and putting him in this position to be a resource and guide for all the other techs. Warranties and Guarantees – Any business must have warranties and satisfaction guarantees. We don’t squabble over anything with our cus- tomers. If a customer disagrees or is unhappy about something we’ve done; we take care of them – no mat- ter the cost. Community Involvement – Though not directly tied into training, it is tied into our culture. You need to give back. That involvement is import- ant to your success. At the end of the day, training is one of the most valuable things we can do for our people. If someone DOES leave, they are going out into the in- dustry knowing how to do things right, and that is good for the entire indus- try. So, it’s a win-win. port systems are also key. We have a service coordinator who manages that process – from sales to record-keep- ing and more. Many contracting companies use a top tech for this function. We are among them, though we hate to take a top tech out of the field. However, there are many benefits to having someone as a resource for younger techs who may need help while in the field. This top tech is who they call when something is causing them issues. The top tech service coordinator is also the guardian of the reminder – reminding the field teams what they must or must not do on every job. The service coordinator can and does lead in-house training on the four working TRAINING Ron and Scott Getzschman are the owners of Getzschman Heating LLC., Fremont, NE. Their award-winning contracting firm has been recognized by national and local asso- ciations and trade groups for achievements in training, sales, and community service. Getzschman employs 60 people and serves HVAC residential, commercial, service, and new construction markets. To reach them, go to ncilink.com/ContactMe.DECEMBER 2020 23HVACTODAY.COM PHOTO OF THE MONTH “Tremendous Prioritized Airflow” — Nate Miller, Campbell and Co., Yakima, WA Prioritizing airflow for this three-level home was key on this job. The original system simply didn’t work. We relocated the system and used round throats and heels on the 90s, and priority placement on the square to rounds. The system is now cooling this house to perfection. Nate Miller from Campbell and Company is the December 2020 winner of our Photo-of-the-Month contest, as voted on by the subscribers to High-Performance HVAC Today magazine and visitors to the website ( hvactoday.com ). He will receive a $25 gift card. You can too – submissions are always welcome. If you’d like to submit a photo for consideration in our Photo-of-the-Month contest, go to ncilink.com/POMSubmit and fill out the information as requested. PHOTO-OF-THE-YEAR VOTING BEGINS DECEMBER 11, 2020 This is a run-off of all the Photo-of-the-Month winners of 2020. The winner, voted on by you, will receive a FREE registration to NCI’s 2021 Summit in Branson, MO. Learn more at gotosummit.com . AFTER BEFORE24 DECEMBER 2020HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY Residential System Performance Training and Certification Now Live Online For the first time, the HVAC Industry has training that ad- dresses the vital importance of measuring delivered Btus of the total HVAC system at the equipment and into the condi- tioned space. By taking the certification exam after completing the class, you can earn NCI’s Residential System Performance Specialist certification. You get 16 hours of live online training over a four-day period – typically two days per week. This online course features numerous hands-on demonstra- tions that include how to use the test instruments, where to lo- cate the proper testing locations, and then conduct live testing and interpretation of readings. Go to ncilink.com/LORezSysCert to learn more and sign up for the next class. If you have questions, be sure to call your Customer Care Rep at 800-633-7058. December 2020 PowerPack It’s here! The Power- Pack provides you with some additional tools to help you conduct and market your High-Per- formance HVAC capabil- ities. Be sure to download and share them with your team. This month we feature the following: ● How to Perform a ComfortMaxx Air™ Test (Online Training) ● Master HVAC Pressure Diagnostics with Static Pressure Budgets (Webinar) ● ComfortMaxx™ Field Data Collection Report for Residential Package Systems (Download) ● ComfortMaxx Field Data Collection Report for Residential Split Systems (Download). Go to ncilink.com/PwrPak for access today. If you have any questions, or if you are unable to access any of the tools in this program, please contact us at 800-633-7058. NCI MEMBER UPDATE Welcome New Members Membership in an organization like National Comfort Insti- tute (NCI) is a step toward becoming a Performance-Based Contracting™ firm. It is a commitment that has an extraordinary impact on your business and your team. So, it is our pleasure to recognize and welcome those new members who joined our ranks since April 2020. Please join us in welcoming 23 newcomers! They include: ■ Above and Beyond Heating, Edmond, OK ■ Accurate Energy Ratings, Fullerton, CA ■ AC Volt Electrical, Inc., Highland, CA ■ All Valley Air, Palm Desert, CA ■ Aquarius Home Services, Little Canada, MN ■ Balancing Technologies, Inc., West Boylston, MA ■ BLR Heating and Air, Woods Cross, UT ■ Centrair Heating & AC, Edina, MN ■ E.D. Miller Service, Dallas, TX ■ Farris Electric, Durant, OK ■ Frymire Home Services, Dallas, TX ■ Gault Heating, Hubbard, OH ■ Green Earth Industry, Ventura, CA ■ Hayden’s Armadillo Air, La Porte, TX ■ HendrixAir Inc., Nahunta, GA ■ Max Comfort AC, Houston, TX ■ Pioneer Air, Las Vegas, NV ■ PJ Mac HVAC Service and Repair, Drexell, Hill, PA ■ Service Genius Corp., Chatsworth, CA ■ SuperTech HVAC Services, Timonium, MD ■ The Duct Cleaning Pros, Lincoln, CA ■ Titanium Mechanical, Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada ■ Top Tech Mechanical Services, Kennesaw, GA ■ Worley Home Services, Yorktown, VA. We are pleased you all opted to join our family and look forward to hearing from you, and possibly meeting you in Sep- tember 2021 at our annual High-Performance Summit. The Summit will be held in Branson, MO (COVID-willing). Check out GoToSummit.com for more information. If anyone has questions about their membership or the Sum- mit event, please call our Customer Care line at 800-633-7058.DECEMBER 2020 25HVACTODAY.COM HVAC SMART MART Advertiser Index HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYHVAC TODAY TM AD INDEX To Subscribe to High-Performance HVAC Today: ONLINE: Visit HVACToday.com/subscribe for a FREE digital subscription. PRINT: 1 year/$72; single copy $7. Canada: 1 year/$92; single copy $9. Payable in advance with U.S. funds. Prepaid subscriptions may be sent to: High-Performance HVAC Today, PO Box 147, Avon Lake, OH 44012. Phone: 440-949-1850; toll free 800-633-7058; or visit HVACToday.com/subscribe to order online. Publisher Dominick Guarino Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher Mike Weil Art Director Connie Conklin Online Development Director Brian Roseman Circulation Manager Andrea Begany-Garsed Go to ncilink.com/ContactMe with your comments and questions. Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc. | www.ArzelZoning.com .................................................... 14 Baker Distributing Company | www.BakerDist.com ............................................................. 5 Duct Saddles | www.DuctSaddles.com ..................................................................................... 18 Goodman Manufacturing | www.GoodmanMfg.com ........................................................ 2 Lazco Corp. | www.LazcoCorp.com ............................................................................................ 22 Online-Access, Inc. | www.hvacwebsites.com ...................................................................... 13 R.E. Michel Company | www.REMichel.com .......................................................................... 17 The New Flat Rate | www.TheNewFlatRate.com ................................................................ 25 To Your Success | www.ToYourSuccess.com .......................................................................... 25 United Refrigeration Inc. | www.uri.com ................................................................................. 2326 DECEMBER 2020HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY mance and evaluate systems with more speed and precision. Take some time this year to learn about ASHRAE’s just-released Standard 221, which is the newest “Test Method to Field-Measure and Score the Cooling and Heating Performance of an Installed Unitary HVAC System.” In 2021 and beyond, ASHRAE 221 will make its way into both residential and commercial HVAC as the gold standard for installed system verification. THE PANDEMIC While vaccines will likely become widely avail- able in the first quarter of the year, 2021 will still be heavily impacted by COVID-19. What can you do to help your customers? While there are some new devices that can help mitigate the spread of the virus, the biggest chal- lenge with indoor environments is getting enough air changes to prevent buildup and spread in the first place. Dilution is the key. Start by learning everything you can about ventilation. Learn how to properly bring fresh air in while exhausting stale air at the same time in a balanced way. Beware of black boxes and silver bullets that seem too good to be true – they usually don’t live up to the hype. CHANGING CUSTOMER NEEDS Customers will continue to travel less, vaca- tion less, and stay home more. Reports are show- ing that consumers are spending money on their homes that would have been used on vacations, trips, eating out, outside entertainment, etc. You have a unique opportunity to help make their cocoons more liveable. Many have changed the purpose of different rooms in their homes to make things work with their new lifestyles. C ongratulations! You’ve survived 2020, the year everyone, I think, wants to put behind them. For some it was a year of deep per- sonal loss, for some a year of financial loss, and for most just a really tough year to get through mentally, physically, and emotionally. But as we always do, we must soldier on and put 2020 in our rear-view mirror. This means looking ahead at the challenges and opportunities we will face in 2021 and beyond. So let’s break down some of these for our industry. NEW TECHNOLOGY The next few years show great promise from technology innovations. Refrigerants like R-32 promise to gain widespread acceptance over the next five years. This refrigerant has a third of the GWP (Global Warming Potential) and less required refrigerant pound-for-pound compared to typical HVAC systems with 410A and other blends. It also has a low flammability rating. Of course, there will be challenges, including re- training and retooling your technicians to work with this new refrigerant. We will likely see other new refrigerants on the horizon as phaseouts continue. Systems with inverter technology will continue to gain market share. They just make a lot of sense as they allow condensing sections to efficiently and ef- fectively adapt to the constantly changing load in our homes and buildings. Smart technology is becoming both more so- phisticated and user-friendly at the same time. In- tegration with smart home technology and oth- er appliances is becoming increasingly smoother. Consumers will not just become more used to high- er-tech on their HVAC systems - they will expect it. Test instruments used in our industry are be- coming smarter and easier to use with our mobile devices. It’s getting easier to get good data in the format we need. Steadily improving HVAC system performance verification software will allow you to verify perfor- Dominick Guarino is publisher of High-Performance HVAC Today magazine and CEO of National Comfort Institute, Inc. He can be reached at ncilink.com/contactme ONE MORE THING... By Dominick Guarino Challenges and Opportunities for 2021 And Beyond CLICK HERE to continue reading onlineNext >