If you measure airflow and HVAC system performance, it’s only a matter of time before word gets out about the services you offer. Don’t be surprised when an unhappy homeowner calls you in to test and diagnose issues in their home on a newer installation by another company. They’re looking for answers their current HVAC company can’t provide and heard you might be able to help.
With multiple parties involved, it can be a delicate balancing act dealing with this type of situation. If you don’t handle it correctly, you may find yourself in a defensive position, warding off attacks on your reputation, motives, and credibility. To prevent this from happening, here are three principles that can keep things professional and avoid confrontation.
Take the High Road
The first principle is to follow the golden rule. It might sound cliché, but take the high road and treat others involved like you would want to be treated in the same situation. Put yourself in the other company’s shoes. Imagine how you would feel if another HVAC company, maybe a competitor, was working with a customer on an HVAC system you installed and pointing out everything wrong with it. I’m sure you would be ready for a throwdown in the front yard. I know I probably would.
You can minimize this scenario by finding what is right with the installation first. Focus on the good traits of the installing company’s work instead of immediately going after everything they did wrong. This approach is opposite to what many in our industry suggest. They don’t think twice about throwing another HVAC company under the bus and then parking it on top of them. I’m encouraging you to try a different approach. Belittling a competitor is never a sound strategy!
We all make mistakes and would appreciate some grace shown to us when those mistakes come to light. So, try to be kind, humble, and considerate to those whose work you’re testing. Assume the best intentions — most HVAC contractors who don’t test simply don’t know. It doesn’t make them bad at their job. They may be doing the best they can with what they know and have. If you assume the worst about the installing company and start assigning negative motives to them, you’ll unknowingly reflect this attitude in your words and actions. Instead, take the high road.
Focus on Facts
Another principle that helps is to focus on the facts and leave out any opinions. Position yourself as the homeowner’s guide and a problem solver. Do not set yourself up as a heroic expert. Use the situation as an educational opportunity for the homeowner so they can understand their HVAC system better than the installing company. You need to handle this approach the right way because it’s easy to lose a customer in the test results if you use language they don’t understand.
No factual conversation with a homeowner should start with static pressure, enthalpy, Pascals, Btu, or airflow. Instead, translate these readings to simplified explanations anyone can understand. Stay as high-level as possible and leave out the details unless they’re necessary. In this case, less information is more.
Use easy-to-understand and relatable comparisons like total external static pressure (TESP) to blood pressure or airflow in cubic feet per minute (cfm) to boxes of air delivered filled with comfort into a room. While these analogies are not completely accurate for the technical purist, they get the point across to a paying customer who doesn’t care about the technicalities.
Also, don’t apologize for the test results. You didn’t install the system. You’re only reporting the facts from your measurements and relaying them to the customer. No medical professional apologizes to a patient who is overweight, with high cholesterol, and has high blood pressure.
Instead, they focus on the facts and the next steps to help the patient improve their condition. Follow this model and list the HVAC-related problems, potential consequences if left untreated, and the recommended solutions. It will help you avoid getting drawn into unnecessary disputes that pull you and your customer away from fixing their issues.
Prepare for Pushback
Even if you do everything right, some parties will still become defensive if you point out any fault in their work. They will do whatever it takes to defend their position and discredit yours. So, the last principle is to prepare for pushback.
If you find yourself in this uncomfortable situation, make sure you use manufacturer equipment specifications, industry standards, and design numbers to your advantage. They’re the basis of justifying your test results and the targets you’re aiming for. Otherwise, your measurements are just random, meaningless numbers. Every measurement must have a corresponding value and tolerance you can compare to a credible source.
The installing contractor isn’t the only person you should expect pushback from. If the home is newer, you may also have to deal with the homebuilder. They may be the ones who chose the installing company for the home and feel you’ve challenged their decision on who does their work in front of the homeowner.
Most homeowners don’t know that many builders choose their contractors based on the cheapest price, not the highest quality work and delivered results. Besides any HVAC installation issues, there are also possible construction issues such as air leakage and insulation issues that contribute to comfort or IAQ problems. Those could fall on the homebuilder’s shoulders to make it right.
Finally, the ones you would least expect pushback from are the distributor and/or manufacturer. They may get drawn into some situations. Hopefully, they will have your back and side with the facts. However, some will try to defend their contractor, especially if they move a lot of equipment.
Some distributors and manufacturers may try to discredit you as trying to sell extra work that isn’t needed or even downplay their own specifications, saying they don’t matter that much. I hope you don’t encounter this scenario, but if you do, stand firm and do the right thing. Remember, the homeowner hired you to solve their problems. You’re doing this for them.
The Discomfort of Solving Comfort Problems
Some will avoid putting themselves in this position because of fear. I get it. I’ve felt this discomfort many times. Most of us don’t like getting dragged into any confrontation. Not knowing how to handle the engagement piece of test results has led to many professionals giving up to avoid a potential fight.
Be confident and know where to draw the lines. If you’re right, don’t back down, but do it with a humble spirit. I can’t stress enough to position the situation as a win for all parties involved, as best as you can. Hopefully, the pushback scenarios I described above never play out and everyone does what’s best for the customer. I’ve seen some huge problematic jobs solved quickly when all parties work together.
These three principles have helped me and countless others minimize casualties. It might not be easy, but you’ll be able to lay your head down at night knowing you did the right thing. In the end, most homeowners just want their problems solved with as little drama as possible. Be sure you’re part of the solution and not part of the problem.