Plumbing, HVAC contractor finds opportunity in inclement weather

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, all indications point to another will be a colder-than-normal winter. 

“Winter will bring a frosty bite and next summer will be its mirror opposite, so get ready for a one-two punch,” said Janice Stillman, editor of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. “Be prepared—there’s plenty in the forecast to cause all sorts of mayhem: blizzards, droughts and hurricanes!”

But how can one turn in what seems like non-motivating news into a positive sales impact for the industry? One such company, Gold Medal Service, East Brunswick, N.J., an HVAC, electrical and plumbing service company, is turning the cold weather into cold hard cash, or an opportunity at least.

Started in 1994, Mike Agugliaro, with partner and friend, Rob Zadotti, have grown Gold Medal to include more than 120 employees and technicians solving plumbing, heating, cooling, electric, drain, waterproofing and sewer issues for homeowners across the state of New Jersey.

According to Agugliaro, last year’s Polar Vortex created a new awareness in homeowners that the environment is changing and they need to think differently about the systems they are putting in their homes. For many homeowners, they are beginning to value efficiency and effectiveness over the dollar amount.

“A lot of older homes couldn’t handle the intense temperatures, so it provided us the opportunity to put in all new HVAC systems that are more efficient for homeowners, heat homes better, save them money, and ultimately increase our overall sales,” said Agugliaro.

Safety first

At Gold Medal, employee safety is just as important as customer safety; it’s important to ensure that all employees are safe and prepared for severe weather. Making sure vehicles are equipped to handle the severe conditions, and techs are properly attired to work in them, are important safety steps.

“You have to be ready for heavy call volumes and implement systems and procedures for days when bad weather comes in,” said Agugliaro.

This includes ordering for an uptick in HVAC and plumbing sales, which includes having enough inventory, so that a customer’s issue is fixed quickly and efficiently.

“If you can’t do it right away, the customer will find someone who can, and that’s a valuable sale you don’t want to lose,” said Agugliaro.

Agugliaro stresses the importance of emphasizing efficiency with employees, but even more important, said Agugliaro, is getting the job done right. When a customer calls with an HVAC, plumbing or electrical issue due to weather conditions, Gold Medal helps them solve the problem over the phone, because it could be a simple issue like changing a filter. If it is an emergency situation, Gold Medal keeps the customer up to date on a realistic time frame of how quickly a tech will be able to get to them.

“It’s important to effectively manage your time, and your techs. Don’t overcommit. With severe weather comes delays, so it’s necessary to plan for that,” said Agugliaro.

Be proactive

Offering preventive services, tips on how to keep mechanical systems in the house running safe, and check-ups on current systems can prevent a costly repair later. It also gives your techs the opportunity to offer the customer additional services or a higher quality system. Also, when techs are already out checking on another issue, be sure to remind them about offering to check that furnace in the basement, or the water heater in the garage, to make sure that everything is in working order before severe weather and the holidays hit.

Moreover, other weather conditions can create business opportunities, as well.

“It’s a great time to offer customers other services that could keep their homes dry/warm/cool continuously throughout the year,” said Agugliaro. “Customers today want to know options on how to create better safety and comfort in their homes.”

For example, one could be offering waterproofing when large snow amounts happen or hurricane season is lingering. It is a great opportunity to “serve” the customer.