hvactoday.comJULY 2024 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM If You Don’t Measure, You’re Just Guessing! ™ Business Performance in Today’s Market ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • Contractor Spotlight: Service 1st Pros • Business Performance: Why In-House Training is Essential • The Power of High Performance is in the Proof • Design Helps Attain Historic EfficiencyJULY 2024 VOLUME 8 NUMBER 7 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY TM TECHNICAL: High-Performance HVAC Design Helps Attain Historic Efficiency Adam Mufich, formerly of A-Team HVAC, helped to redesign an HVAC system to meet strict customer specifications in a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. DEPARTMENTS JULY 2024 3HVACTODAY.COM Today’s Word .........................................................................................4 2024 NCI Summit Sponsor Highlights ..................................... 5, 9 Contractor Spotlight: Service 1st Pros .........................................6 NCI Update .........................................................................................23 HVAC Smart Mart ...............................................................................24 Ad Index ................................................................................................25 One More Thing ................................................................................26 TRAINING: Why We Consider In-House Training to be Essential In-house training is the basis for Lakeside Service’s career building program. General Manager John Boylan explains how it works. MANAGEMENT: The Power of High Per- formance is in the Proof Contractor David Small demonstrates the power of proof when it comes to the High-Performance HVAC™ approach. 1013 184 JULY 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY skills and stay updated with industry advance- ments. This could include in-house training, online courses, workshops, and seminars. — Support Certification: Encourage and sup- port employees in obtaining relevant certi- fications, such as NCI (National Comfort In- stitute) certification or NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certification. Covering the costs of certification can be a great incentive. 4. Implement Mentorship and Coaching Programs — Pair Employees with Men- tors: Establish mentorship programs as Alana Ward of Baggett Services does. This is where experienced employees can guide and support newer or less experienced staff. This helps in knowledge transfer and provides ca- reer guidance. — Regular Coaching Sessions: Schedule reg- ular coaching sessions to provide person- alized feedback and career advice. This helps employees understand their progress and ar- eas for improvement. 5. Create Individual Development Plans — Personalized Career Planning: Work with each employee to create an individual development plan (IDP) that outlines their career goals and the steps they need to take to achieve them. Regularly review and update these plans to reflect progress and changes in career aspirations. — Set SMART Goals: We talked about SMART goals (which are Specific, Measurable, Achiev- able, Relevant, and Time-bound) during the HVAC Summit some years ago. T oday’s word is career. Many HVAC contractors I speak to talk about the importance of creating career paths in their companies as a strategic initiative to not only enhance employee satisfaction, but to help retain them. Here are 10 practical tips I’ve learned from var- ious HVAC Industry professionals to help estab- lish effective career paths for their employees: 1. Assess Current Workforce and Roles — Evaluate Skills and Competencies: John Boylan of Lakeside Service says he conducts a thorough assessment of the current skills and competencies of his workforce to un- derstand the strengths and areas for improve- ment among employees. — Identify Key Roles: Boylan identifies all key roles within the company, from entry-level po- sitions to senior management. That includes understanding the responsibilities and skills required for each role. 2. Define Clear Career Progression Paths —Outline Career Ladders: In a recent col- umn, NCI’s Dominick Guarino discussed the need to develop clear and detailed career lad- ders that show the progression from entry-lev- el positions to higher roles. This should in- clude both technical and managerial paths to cater to different career aspirations. — Set Milestones: Guarino says you should define specific milestones and criteria for ad- vancement. This could include years of expe- rience, completion of training programs, at- tainment of certifications, or demonstrated competencies. 3. Provide Training and Development Opportunities —Offer Ongoing Train- ing: Implement continuous training programs to help employees acquire new Are Career Paths the Answer to the Technician Shortage? TODAY’S WORD By Mike Weil Mike Weil is editor- in-chief and director of communications and publications at National Comfort Institute, Inc. Contact him at ncilink. com/ContactMe. If you’d like to find out what the final five tips are, read the rest of my column on the High-Per- formance HVAC Today website at ncilink. com/CareerPaths.HVACTODAY.COMJULY 2024 5HVACTODAY.COM a premium mid-efficiency inverter at an affordable rate. A compact, space-saving solution for homes with limited installation options, the new inverter-driven, variable-speed, communicating Daikin FIT is up to 53% lighter and 40% smaller than a tradition- al cube-style unit – requiring just 4 inch- es of clearance. Also, High-Performance HVAC™ Con- tractors will love the connectivity offered by the Daikin ONE smart thermostats that continually monitor and control all components of the Daikin FIT system to operate at peak performance. See the Daikin FIT inverter compressor and Daikin ONE smart thermostat at Na- tional Comfort Institute’s High-Perfor- mance HVAC™ Summit in Asheville, NC this September 10-13. Daikin to Showcase Condensing Units At this year’s NCI Summit, Daikin Com- fort Technologies North America, Inc. (Daikin) is turning HVAC on its side by showcasing the Daikin FIT side discharge condensing units for ducted applications. Daikin FIT is available as a heat pump as well as its unique offering with gas heat and dual fuel furnace connectivity. The Daikin FIT whole house inverter systems meld the best features and per- formance of ductless style side discharge systems with the ability to connect to traditional ducted systems. This brings your homeowner custom- ers the advantages of Daikin technolo- gy, including high-performing inverter compressors with cabinet designs that are smaller, lighter, and quieter than tra- ditional unitary outdoor units. SUMMIT SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS The performance of Daikin’s inverter compressor — compared to tradition- al unitary compressors — requires less condenser coil surface area. That, in turn, allows for much smaller cabinet sizes with a side discharge fan design — elim- inating the need for typical large, wrap- around style condenser coils. In a market saturated with expensive high-tiered inverters, the system provides sion was to create a company based on core values, a code of conduct, and a desire to do what I truly believe the industry can do and still make mon- ey doing it. “That thing is to provide what we call WOW service. That means we exceed customers’ expectations using a process much different than most companies do.” He explains that while learning the trade, he noticed how other HVAC companies focused their energy on bringing in dollars, not caring how they were doing that. “While earning a profit is certainly important,” Meacham says, “you must also ensure the system is performing well and providing customers with comfortable, safe, and energy-efficient environments.” AND THEN THERE WAS HIGH PERFORMANCE In the middle of his learning years, around the age of 25 or 26, Meacham met Rob Falke and Jim Davis from Na- tional Comfort Institute (NCI). He attributes this encounter to his first ex- posure to airflow testing and how that changed everything for him. “When I met David Richardson of NCI, that’s when I under- stood that a high-per- formance approach was the real deal. The result was that I at- tended NCI classes many times over the years and brought trainers like David to our headquarters. “When Richardson came to our compa- ny, he was phenom- enal. He helped us all understand that while we must make money, it’s more vi- tal we are a properly trained team that can leave customers with something tangible, like a well- equipped system that delivers the ef- ficiency we promised.” In just a few years, the Service 1st A uburn, GA, was first settled between 1775 and 1781. It incorporated in 1892 and sits around 42 miles north- east of Atlanta and 27 miles west of Athens. It became an important rail- road town after the Civil War, and today, it is an active community of around 53,000 people with around 18,000 total homes. This city is a perfect environment for HVAC contractors. In 2018, a young man named Josh Meacham was build- ing his skills working for one of those con- tracting firms, start- ing when he was 19 and working his way up from technician to service manager to operations manager in the 11 years he was there. Before that, he worked at a differ- ent company while attending a technical school. But in 2018, Mea- cham decided it was time to be on his own, so he left that compa- ny and started Ser- vice 1st Pros. “My wife and I started the company with me in the truck and her answer- ing phones,” Meacham says. “When we started Service 1st Pros, our vi- 6 JULY 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHT By Mike Weil Service 1st Pros: High Performance from the Start Josh Meacham and his wife, Hillary (center foreground) with other team members.JULY 2024 7HVACTODAY.COM improve our technicians’ lives.” CULTURE IS KING When asked about his training phi- losophy, Josh Meacham said, “Cul- ture Is King. You Get What You Tolerate.” What does this mean? He says that you can lay out a regimen and tell your team what culture you want to have, but it depends on how often you bend the rules and tolerate people who de- cide to interpret the process. In other words, as an owner or man- ager, you need to lay out the goals, vi- sion, and training regimens, and then you need to hold the team accountable. “I believe in training our field ser- vice and installation teams to do what no competitor can: they can test, mea- sure, and discover invisible issues plaguing customer comfort and ener- gy efficiency that no one else can. They can diagnose the problems and offer choices in solutions. “They can be true HVAC profession- als who not only have the knowledge and expertise but dress well, are clean, and excited to do what we do best,” he says. He says he will not tolerate techni- cians on his team who approach their jobs with a stubborn, arrogant, or cocky attitude. “I won’t tolerate that because it leads to rebellion. Rebellion is a cancer that can kill your goals, darken your vision, and drive customers away. These reb- els do not last long at Service 1st Pros.” He adds that they hire people who want to do things correctly and grow. He wants people who want to learn, grow, and improve daily. “Much like doctors,” he says. “If you go to a doctor, you expect them to be sharp, on point, and have the latest and greatest technology to help you. “Our customers want this as well. Whenever a technician walks into their home, the customer doesn’t know them or their abilities, and often they don’t know our company. They trust them to be an industry expert who will deliver solutions to their is- sues and help them in their lives.” CONTINUOUS TRAINING Meacham says that the Service 1st Pro culture centers around contin- uous training. It is required. As an owner, he uses many sources for train- ing but says most of their technical training comes from NCI. “Without NCI constantly teaching us about measuring and testing, we wouldn’t be able to see the invisible Pros team now specializes in duct renovation work. “We also do a lot of combustion test- ing. We believe in airflow. We believe that nothing works unless airflow is correct first.” SERVICE 1ST PROS TODAY Service 1st Pros is a $5 million com- pany serving the residential service and replacement market. They employ 20 teammates, including six service technicians, seven installers, a qual- ity control manager, three office per- sonnel, a warehouse manager, and a full-time parts runner. Meacham says the quality assurance manager is also a trained installer and does any neces- sary warranty work. “We go well beyond installing and servicing boxes: we provide something that will fix problems in customers’ homes, problems they’ve suffered with for too long,” he says. “Our approach is different. My wife and I always knew that our vision was to be one of the few contractors in our area focusing on customer comfort and efficiency. Our vision was to cre- ate a company that was a great place to work. We wanted to create a team by embracing training so we could go to market differently. “Part of that vision includes how we physically appear. At Service 1st Pros, we pride ourselves on having clean, well-wrapped trucks and clean tech- nicians who undergo regular train- ing. Beyond that, our vision is to help Professional looking, well-trained techs are the order of the day at Service 1st Pros.“The rest of them won’t do any- thing,” he says. “I don’t pretend that spending all this money on training brings in more dollars with every cus- tomer. But it brings in two or three high-value projects a week if my guys run the call properly. In that light, we see a difference that usually leads to referrals. “For me, that is the most significant value in a system approach and being partnered with NCI. Also, on the in- stallation side, we see far fewer war- ranty claims because our techs are trained to look for proper airflow, and they make sure customer systems are dialed in correctly. That is huge. “I believe in the NCI training. It is worth the investment.” HIGH PERFORMANCE FROM THE START Six years ago, Meacham started Ser- vice 1st Pros with his team testing, mea- suring, and doing High-Performance HVAC work. And it was not easy. “I’ve invested heavily with NCI and other organizations that provide tech- nical and customer service/sales training and coaching. I learned that without accountability, the system’s performance commitment will waver, and that causes trouble,” he explains. “To do this work requires develop- ing internal processes and procedures and sticking to them. In the begin- ning, I was too lenient, and I let my techs get away with murder. It creat- ed a cancerous culture, and the only fix was to clean house and start over. That was a hard lesson. “I had to rebuild a few years ago, and that’s when I decided no one would dictate or work against what I wanted to do here. issues plaguing customers’ systems. You don’t see what’s in front of you be- cause you don’t know how to look. I’m thankful that NCI has good people like David Richardson, who constantly look at ways to help improve what HVAC contractors do in the field so that we can deliver the best level of service. “Honestly, I think what they teach correlates with what I see in the field. We have many “AHA!” moments when solving individual customer sys- tem issues. Without training, I think the company will die. Training is our lifeblood. I’m appreciative of the ser- vices and what NCI offers.” But training goes beyond technical expertise. It also helps Meacham and his team overcome the competitive hurdles they face in their marketplace. He says that 95% of his competitors do not provide high-performance services. “We find almost no test ports in- stalled on equipment, ducts, or flue pipes in homes we have not serviced before,” Meacham says. “Most cus- tomers have no idea what a combus- tion analyzer is. They had never heard of duct pressure. Nobody’s checking this stuff.” He adds that Service 1st Pros is also one of the most expensive HVAC com- panies in their area. Overcoming the price question is 100% their biggest challenge. Meacham says he looks at this issue in this way. His team goes on three dai- ly calls, which totals 15 weekly calls. Of those 15 calls, two customers see value in the High-Performance HVAC™ ap- proach and spend dollars to achieve ul- timate comfort. Six are nervous about the money and will choose a more mid- dle-of-the-road option, which he says is usually an air upgrade. 8 JULY 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHT “Today, most of my techs love this approach. They soak up their training and use what they learn daily. Frankly, if I want to continue growing the com- pany, I need people who are of the same mind, who are young and hun- gry to learn. I need people who em- brace doing things my way, the way NCI teaches. And that means back- ing off hiring technicians from other HVAC contracting companies.” OTHER LESSONS LEARNED Josh Meacham will tell you that his most significant takeaways from start- ing his own company and focusing on the high-performance culture is to first understand your market – from what type of competitors you have to how you price your services. “Know your pricing and stick to it. That is how to sustain and grow your business,” he says. The other lesson is one of leader- ship. Meacham reiterates, “Culture is King, and You Get What You Tolerate.” “As a leader, if you don’t enforce the rules, things WILL go sideways. You need core values. You need systems and processes. You must continuous- ly ensure that your team follows those systems and processes. People can’t improve unless the unsaid is spoken.” For these and many other reasons, the team at High-Performance HVAC Today chose Service 1st Pros as our July Contractor Spot- light. Congratulations to Josh Mea- cham and his entire team.JULY 2024 9HVACTODAY.COM TRUTECH TOOLS: EQUIPPING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS TruTech Tools is partnering with Na- tional Comfort Institute at this year’s High-Performance HVAC Summit . Tru- Tech is a trusted online supplier specializ- ing in tools and resources for profession- als in the HVAC and Building Performance industries. With a core focus of “helping techni- cians create better environments for peo- ple”, they understand the importance of high-performance contractors and offer a comprehensive selection of tools and instruments to help contractors: z HVAC: TruTech’s inventory includes an array of tools like digital and wireless gauges for refrigerant-based systems, combustion analyzers to assess flue gas composition, airflow measurement in- strumentation, maintenance supplies, and more. These tools allow contractors to accurately pinpoint issues and offer real solutions for their clients. z Building Performance : As consum- ers become aware of delivered comfort and whole house performance, looking outside the boxes making up HVAC sys- tems becomes important. TruTech car- ries a full line of tools and instruments to help identify sources of comfort issues in building envelopes and duct systems. Tools like thermal imaging cameras that allow technicians to visualize heat loss and pinpoint areas for improvement. High-performance HVAC contractors are crucial for maintaining comfortable and energy-efficient living and work- ing environments. They not only identify and fix problems, but also prevent them through system optimization and proac- tive maintenance. TruTech Tools is the first distributor to carry The Sixteen air filter system from Dust Free. This system is tested as an as- sembly to achieve MERV 16, is available in two sizes, has long life filters (up to three years), and offers low static pressure drop values. TruTech is here to help contractors looking to excel in today’s environment. Visit them at NCI’s High-Performance HVAC Summit from September 10-13 in Asheville, NC. Register here and r eserve your room here . SUMMIT SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTSNext >