< Previous20 NOVEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY them as their partner,” he adds. Training is also an opportunity for vital commu- nication between distributors and contractor cus- tomers. In Grand Rapids, MI, Behler-Young CEO Doug Young says, “there is no doubt that the supply chain issues are still challenging. This challenge means that open, honest communica- tions from my team to our contractor customers are a must. “When you’re a 97-year-old company, training becomes a core part of how you operate. Whether it’s technical, product, sales method, or business training, we try to offer contractors help. That is why we partner with organizations like National Comfort Institute to help bring world-class tech- nical training to our contractors.” THE VALUE TO CONTRACTORS AND DISTRIBUTORS ALIKE During economic slowdowns, many companies tend to tighten their belts, which often means training falls under the category of “optional ex- pense.” But from a distribution standpoint, the opposite is true. They see training as an invest- ment, no matter the economic situation. “At RE Michel, we want to be a complete part- ner to our customers, says Tracy Johnson. Tra- cy works with Chad McAllister in the corporate sales department and adds, “To us, training is one of the most important services we provide to a contractor. If we can be a resource to them for all their needs, it will only make our industry the best it can be.” Broadfield says that the more knowledge the dealer brings to the home when providing service or replacement, the better the consumer experi- ence they provide. “This creates more confidence in having the contractor work on their home. S upply chain and economic pressures are forcing contractors across the HVAC Industry to face some harsh realities – things take much longer and cost much more. This can put a strain on every channel within the HVAC supply chain. These issues are why it is so important for con- tractors to develop strong partnerships with their distributors. Together they can withstand almost anything the world throws at them. Alone, things can be so much more difficult. WHY TRAINING? Distributors see great value in training contrac- tors because they want their partners to be pre- pared to deal with anything the market throws at them. Chad McAllister, vice president of sales for R.E. Michel Co., LLC, Baltimore, MD, says, “We focus a lot of effort in training our contractor customers because we see a direct im- pact on callback and warranty claim reductions, as well as how it helps them increase billable hours.” McAllister adds that training benefits the mar- ketplace because properly installed equipment “equates to less energy usage, more comfortable homes, and facilitates word-of-mouth sales that is the core of contractor referrals.” In St. Louis, MO, Air Management Sup- ply Branch Manager Craig Broadfield agrees with McAllister and adds, “Being more than just a distributor by partnering in the growth of the dealer is how we like to do business! “This is important to Air Management. We want our dealers to have every opportunity to grow and better serve their homeowners. We believe if they continue to strive for something more and be- come better, it allows us to continue to grow with Great Distributors See Value in Training By Mike Weil MANAGEMENTNOVEMBER 2022 21HVACTODAY.COM McAllister sees this as targeting train- ing programs by individual markets. “For example,” he explains, “If we hold a steam humidification class in the Florida panhandle, we will like- ly have a low turnout. However, if we hold that same class anywhere in Maryland or the north, we will likely have a packed classroom. You must know your market and contractor needs and bring quality and relative training to that base.” From Craig Broadfield’s perspec- tive, “The key to a successful training program is determined by the amount of participation from your contractors. “A true partnership works better if both sides feel the information being conveyed and received is useful to- ward each party’s goals. At Air Man- agement, we try to make our train- ing irresistible by using our training funds for classes we host with groups like National Comfort Institute and never charging our dealers/partners for training we provide otherwise,” Broadfield says. If done right, Broadfield adds that training also builds loyalty. “Our goal is to provide a high level of hospitality and a comfortable and flexible space so everyone can feel at home. We feel that if contractors feel comfortable here, they will continue to join us.” Tracy Johnson says that RE Mi- chel’s internal training programs most certainly build loyalty among their employees. “If we consistently bring knowledge and training to our cus- tomers, loyalty will also follow.” Another aspect of making training irresistible is making the contractors part of the planning process. While it’s the job of the contractor management team to identify the skill gaps within their organization, it is equally essen- tial for distributor partners to learn about those gaps and create training programs around them. “RE Michel reviews our training programs annually,” says Johnson. “We make changes and additions based on our customers’ feedback and HVAC Industry direction.” The same holds true for the team at Air Management. Craig Broadfield says that “dealer input is always at the forefront of our planning process. Be- tween their input, plus the content and the PEU credit hours needed for licensing, we try to find a good mix of topics to present so that contractors want to join and don’t view the train- ing as a waste of their time.” PARTNERING FOR THE FUTURE The idea of partnering with distribu- tors is not new. But it is vital because partnerships benefit both parties and help both be more successful. Training does the same thing. As Craig Bradfield says, “If contractors continue to learn and grow, they will continue to strive for and achieve success. As their part- ner, we share the rewards of their suc- cess through their continued business.” Partnerships are the heartbeat of the marketplace. HVAC distributors who value providing training to their contractor customers see this as a vital part of what they bring to the table. That gives the marketplace more com- petition based on competence versus just price. “I feel training has more value than some may realize,” Broadfield contin- ues. “Whether you pay for a class or attend for free, the important part is that the information you take away from training is something you can build on!” When the pandemic shut the U.S. down, the probability that training would also fall by the wayside was huge. However, many distributors and other industry training organi- zations turned to technology to keep their teams and contractor customers up to speed. Doug Young says Behler-Young al- ready had some capabilities in con- ducting webinars and online training. “We pushed forward with streaming technology,” he explains, “so our con- tractor customers don’t have to at- tend in person. They go online, and we stream it to their office or home, and they can participate. “We’re using technology to help us advance the education of our custom- ers as well as our internal staff. Tech- nology plays a significant role in all as- pects of our business. In fact, that may be an understatement,” Young says. “IRRESISTIBLE” TRAINING In the training world, they use a phrase to describe how to attract peo- ple to seminars and classes. They say you must create “irresistible” training. Interestingly, this can mean many dif- ferent things to different people. Chad 22 NOVEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYWith these five different breakout ses- sions there will be 20 slots to choose from! To get the most from these ses- sions we recommend you bring at least three people this year. Be sure to ask about our special 3-Pack offer! Visit the Summit Week Website at GoToSummit.com to reserve your seats for what is shaping up to be the best Summit ever. Registration is open now, so be sure to sign up and take advantage of the Summit Early Bird Registrations . JOIN HIGH-PERFORMANCE TALK TODAY Last month we announced NCI’s new High-Performance Talk Forum. This forum is the only forum dedicated spe- cifically to the High-Performance HVAC contracting method. Here contrac- tors can talk to their peers about every- thing from specific testing issues to tips on how to implement some aspects of the performance approach into their businesses. If you are unfamiliar with online for- ums, in a nutshell, they are internet spac- es designed and built around discus- sion, usually through active participation. This is done by posting questions, responding to questions, and sharing ex- periences. Though many of these discus- sions don’t take place in real-time, they can be arranged by topics, sorted by date, and archived, enabling discussions to occur over days, months, or even years. Forums are incredible resources show- ing what your peers are doing, what is happening in the industry, and what technologies are coming down the pike. High-Performance-Talk is such a forum. So, join the digital discussion about all things high performance. Registration is free, so it should be simple to sign up today. Why not give it a try? Go to highperformancetalk. com and check it out. To post on the site, you must register. That is easy to do. Just click here and fill out the basic form. We look forward to seeing you online at HighPerformanceTalk.com today. GET YOUR NCI SWAG ON! Ever want an NCI hat, shirt or bumper sticker? Now you can show off your en- thusiasm for National Comfort Institute via our storefront on Cafepress.com . All orders are fulfilled and handled by them. No NCI Bucks can be earned or spent on NCI swag. Check out the store and let us know if there are other products that you’d like to see available there. SERVICE: HIGH PERFORMANCE STARTS HERE! The 2023 High-Performance HVAC conference focuses on the critical steps to building a solid high-performance maintenance program, fix systems right the first time, and generate leads for profitable equipment replacement and air upgrades. From April 16-20, 2023 contractors from across the entire HVAC Industry are invited to join us in Branson, MO and learn to deliver highly performing sys- tems on every service and maintenance visit, as well as on every installation. This conference’s breakout sessions will include: Profitable System Upgrade Leads through Testing and Diagnostics on Service Calls Keep Customers Safe and Generate Leads with CO Safety and Combustion Testing Increase Sales Success by Properly Managing Service-Generated Leads Build Lifetime Customers with High- Performance Maintenance Agree- ments Deliver High Performance with Hands-on Diagnostics in Low-Perfor- mance Town. NCI UPDATE NOVEMBER 2022 23HVACTODAY.COMHVAC SMART MART 24 NOVEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAYNOVEMBER 2022 25HVACTODAY.COM Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc. | www.ArzelZoning.com ...................................................... 5 Baker Distributing Company | www.BakerDist.com ........................................................... 24 Duct Saddles | www.DuctSaddles.com ....................................................................................... 9 Evergreen Telemetry | www.EvergreenTelemetry.com ...................................................... 19 Goodman Manufacturing | www.GoodmanMfg.com ....................................................... 27 Lazco Corp. | www.LazcoCorp.com ............................................................................................ 25 R.E. Michel Company | www.REMichel.com .......................................................................... 22 Sauermann | www.sauermanngroup.com .............................................................................. 2 Southern California Edison | www.on.sce.com/hvac.com ............................................... 14 The New Flat Rate | www.TheNewFlatRate.com ................................................................ 24 To Your Success | www.ToYourSuccess.com .......................................................................... 24 Advertiser Index AD INDEX HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM Publisher Dominick Guarino Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher Mike Weil Art Director Judy Marquardt Online Development Director Brian Roseman Circulation Manager Andrea Begany-Garsed Advertiser 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. Go to ncilink.com/ContactMe with your comments and questions.training facility. This includes a dedicated room that can fit at least 20-25 students, along with a good selection of both gas and electric live-fire equipment. They should also have at least one ac- cessible working air distribution system. Of course, a great training facility is only as good as the education that takes place in it. Your distributor should offer ongoing classes for own- ers, managers, customer service reps, and field personnel. This can include training in business management, operations, sales, customer ser- vice, and technical skills focused on improving best installation practices, service, and mainte- nance. Certification training and testing are an important part of a good program. From a High-Performance perspective, NCI recommends training that begins with system di- agnostic basics and moves up through each of the steps involved in delivering high-performance HVAC systems. These classes should be offered on a quarterly rotation so you don’t have to tie up every installer or ser- vice tech at the same time. A WINNING COMBINATION Your distributor needs contrac- tors like you to help grow their busi- ness. If they don’t already provide the level of training described in this article, don’t be shy about ask- ing for it. Solid, consistent training is a win- win-win for you, your customers, and your distributor. Customers will get better instal- lations and service. As a result, you can profit- ably grow your company, and in turn become a bigger and more valuable customer for your distributor. S ome distributors call it dealer development, others simply refer to it as a commitment to help train their customers’ employees. Whatever the term they use, distributors who provide high quality education on a regular ba- sis are true partners that can help you grow your contracting business. Is your wholesaler known for providing more than the occasional product demo “training” ac- companied by a slice of pizza? Do they have good technical support within their organization? Are they dedicated to bringing you cutting edge HVAC training, both in terms of technical knowl- edge and skills and classes to help you grow your business and become more profitable? If the an- swers are yes, they are a great training partner. THE RIGHT DISTRIBUTOR A distributor who is truly committed to helping their customers grow will have a well-equipped 26 NOVEMBER 2022HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY ONE MORE THING... By Dom Guarino Partner with Distributors Who Help You Grow! 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. TRAINING PATHS BY ROLE SalesServiceInstallation Expert Craftsman Novice Airflow Testing & Diagnostics Duct System Optimization Refrigerant Side Performance Duct System Optimization Performance-Based Selling CO Safety & Combustion Performance CO Safety & Combustion Performance Residential System Performance Residential System Performance Residential System Performance This “Training Paths by Role” matrix shows how to build a high-performance team step-by-step. In addition, NCI provides both Residential and Commercial Air Balancing Certifications so you can both test balance your installa- tions and renovations.NOVEMBER 2022 27HVACTODAY.COMNext >