Proposals, Reputation Management, Field Support

P3 Sales Launcher (PC HVAC Software, www.hvacbusinesssolutions.com is a stand-alone proposal tool providing HVAC contractors a way to build a display of options for new equipment, repairs, and other services, for customer comparison. 

Usable on a computer, laptop, iPad or Android tablet, it comes with default, regional equipment profiles and is pre-loaded with thousands of makes and models from over 30 brands, providing a way for sales personnel and technicians in the field to offer customers good/better/best options for any combination of equipment, such as complete systems, individual equipment, condenser coil matchup, IAQ solutions, or comparisons between replacing and repairing equipment.

Contractors can toggle the pricing display between the retail price and monthly finance pricing. Various major financing companies are incorporated into the software, enabling the contractor to find the payment plan that best meets the customer’s budget.

Other features include integrated rebates and discounts, the ability to set margins on individual models, installation materials checklist, bulk price updates, customer surveys, and opportunity management.

The solution is also integrated into P3’s HVAC field service software, version 11.0, a complete field service management solution aimed at contractors with 2–12 technicians.

Pricing of P3 Sales Launcher: annual contract or per month, plus per month per technician.

ReviewBuzz (www.getreviewbuzz.com, 888/946-2899) is a cloud-based, employee-centric reputation management platform, specifically built for HVAC contractors, that enables companies to request and manage customer reviews after service is provided.

The solution, which includes a mobile app for employees in the field, features one-click review requests in a variety of ways: automatically via software integration in the office via the desktop app; from the field with personal request cards handed to the customer; or via the mobile app. 

How it works: The service company chooses and prioritizes review sites (e.g. Google, Facebook, BBB, HomeAdvisor) it wants to utilize for its customers and ReviewBuzz automatically will direct customers to the top priority review site the customer is already logged onto. (This, notes ReviewBuzz, provides a better customer experience and increases the chances of getting the review.)

After an appointment is made, ReviewBuzz sends a text or email to “meet the team,” giving the date and time of the appointment, along with the name, photo, bio and review profile of the employee(s) who will arrive on site. In addition, the technician can send a text or email to the customer via the app, letting the customer know he or she is on the way.

After the service is completed, the mobile app enables the employee, by text or email, to invite the customer to submit a review of the service provided, as well as respond to a customer satisfaction survey that also asks if the review can be published. The customer can add free-text comments in the survey. The office team can read customer comments and respond to them. (Technicians do not respond.)

ReviewBuzz pulls in all the online reviews for the company from major review sites (including those not generated by ReviewBuzz), giving the contractor a complete overview of its online reputation. The contractor can respond to any posted review directly, through text, with replies getting posted back to the review site. Management receives an auto-alert on any negative review, enabling a quick response.

Management can sort reviews by employee, location, review site, and all review request sources and technicians can check their own on stats on reviews requested and completed.

The reporting dashboard, customizable for any date range or preset to 30-day, 90-day, or yearly, etc, shows the total number of reviews in that time frame, as well as the number of requests sent out, with an overall review rating in decimals, with green and red indicators of trending of each either with a number or a decimal percentage. The dashboard also shows, as a red alert near the top of the screen, if there is a new negative review.    

The company can set up a leaderboard and a point-centric rewards program for employees (in the office and in the field), with customized number of points earned for various actions, such as sending “meet the team” or on my way” messages, sending a review request, and earning online reviews and customer-completed surveys. Employees can track and redeem their points meeting certain thresholds for a reward (for example, a gift card) via the mobile app. 

Contractors also have the ability, through review widgets, to embed customer reviews directly on their company website.

Pricing: monthly, billed annually, or month by month

Bluon (Bluon, Inc., www.Bluon.com) is a free mobile app and support platform, available at Google Play and The App Store, useful for any HVACR service technician performing commercial or residential service work. A centralized hub of training, support and information, the app offers access to a database of 35K+ units of HVAC equipment by brand, line, and model and to a library of 50,000+ manuals and technical documents. It also includes access to 24/7 support by real technicians for all HVAC service work with, notes Bluon, short wait times and no script reading, as well as retrofit guides for each model number.

Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. She can be reached at [email protected].