How to Weather Shoulder Season

The craziness of winter is over and summer is just a few short months away. In such a seasonal business where we see so many ups and downs, it can sometimes get frustrating to stay energized and keep the business going during the slower months. We know that hotter summers and colder winters give HVAC professionals more opportunity to sell their services – especially with the emergency and on the spot calls.

What are some things that HVAC professionals can do to help bring in revenue during the shoulder seasons?

Here are a few tips:

Use your time wisely During the downtime, take time to review your current business. Look for ways to be more efficient and improve your processes. Also work with your team on additional training and teambuilding. This will pay off during the crunch months when things get busy.

Engage your customer base The in-between season timeframe offers a great opportunity to suggest annual maintenance and check ups to your customers and recommend new products and services that will make their home more comfortable. Look for ways to upsell smart thermostats, indoor air quality solutions, humidifiers and dehumidifiers and other HVAC improvements.

Staff accordingly Look at what projects are in the works and staff your business strategically. Try not to hire people for work that isn’t secured. Hire for the business that you have but also keep a pipeline of potential candidates in case new projects come in. This will help keep expenses in check.

Get creative Look for interesting ways to incent customers to work with you during the off-season. Donations to local charities or special discounts on services can be used to encourage customers to make the upgrade they’ve been talking about.  For instance, price a new furnace lower right before the summer months and higher as you head into winter. You may get homeowners to bite on these larger projects during the slower season. This will help keep everyone busy and a steady stream of money coming in the door.