The gradual temperature drop that we are experiencing everyday, is hinting us to brace ourselves for what is coming in the following months. As we do that, let us also ask a few questions about the HVAC contractor we are going to hire for the Preventive Maintenance and winter breakdown calls.
So, let us begin with the following questions:
How long has your HVAC contractor been in Business?
It is always a good metric to know how many years has your contractor been serving their clients, how many different kinds of industries they cater to, and what expertise they have in the commercial and industrial HVAC sector. Commercial HVAC equipment, unlike the residential furnaces, have sophisticated controls and specific troubleshooting and maintenance standards. The air-cooled and water-cooled chillers, industrial boilers, process cooling equipment, process gas ovens, heat pumps, roof top packaged units, precision air conditioning for server rooms need an experienced pair of hands to be worked upon.
The Technology Web
You may not look at your HVAC contractor as a tech company but in today’s world it is almost a necessity to have web notifications of all tasks, services, reminders, pending approvals at a touch of a button. A customer online portal ensures that you don’t always have to unlock your phone and dial a number for a breakdown issue. You may be in an important meeting and still do the same online.
What is the Organisational Structure?
A properly organised operations and business team, with adequate number of field technicians can ensure proper prioritization of the services offered. Make sure you have more options from the same HVAC contractor in case of multiple breakdowns at different locations. Your valuable business can be at stake if it is dependent on a one-man show and they get too busy on another job.
Contractor Referrals
Your contractor can also play an important role in growing your organisation by supporting your building facility’s operations and making sure things get attended to and fix as soon as they come up. Just like before hiring a new employee, ask for referrals from your HVAC contractor and talk to them about the service experience.