problems through the use of effective policies and employee...

March 2012

In this issue: 2 - Chapter News – ACCA Ohio New Benefit for Members

3 - Chapter Board & Associate Members

4 - Coming Events / President’s Letter

5 - Business Help - 2012 ACCA/PHCC Ohio Convention and Expo

6 – Business Help – Hard Hitting Customer Retention Tools

7 – Business Help – Four Things That Drive Your Customers Crazy

8 - Business Help – 7 Keys to Better Prospecting (And Great Selling)

9 - Business Help – ACCA National & Ohio News

THANK YOU to our

Sponsors!

Thursday, March 15 Holiday Inn, Independence

7:45 a.m. Registration 8:15 a.m. Breakfast

8:45 a.m. Program

Perils of the Digital Age

Speaker: Jennifer Corso, Petronzio Schneier Co., LPA

E-mail, the Internet, cell phones - these are crucial tools for every business,

but can also create serious employment problems if not managed correctly.

Productivity can suffer due to internet surfing, excessive personal emails or

personal phone calls/texting. Sexual harassment or discrimination lawsuits

can arise from inappropriate emails. Costly workplace accidents can occur

when employees are on their cell phones or texting while operating

machinery or driving. And business reputations can be damaged by errant

employee blogging. Learn how to protect your business against these

problems through the use of effective policies and employee training, and let

technology once again be your friend.

Please invite a prospective member to join you for our breakfast

membership meeting for free. Attend and have an opportunity to acquire

one (1) CEU credit.

To Contact Greater Cleveland ACCA

Phone: 330-671-2191

Fax: 330-752-2616

Email: [email protected]

http://www.ohioconvention-phccacco.org/

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ACCA Benefit Highlight

HomeWords

Customer Retention Newsletter

Customer Retention is dependent on regular, routine contact. All it takes is a small, regular investment in a well-designed "Retention Marketing" program. One of the most effective ways to communicate with your customers is through the ACCA HomeWords newsletter program. HomeWords is filled with informative, entertaining, and sales-building articles that customers read and enjoy. It is "season specific" and contains specially created “ads” for you to choose from, along with your company logos and contact information. And it’s only available to ACCA Members. Visit www.acca.org/members/homewords.

Retention Time

Send your newsletters to your active customer base this month.

Pay attention to allergy season and get ready to push your IAQ services.

Make sure your final call to non-closed Winter sales has gone out.

Cancellation Rights of Consumers - Certain consumer laws require sellers to provide cancellation rights to consumers who enter into contracts for specific goods or services.

Tom McGuire, Senior Assistant Attorney General Consumer Protection Section – Cleveland Office spoke to our largest membership meeting on Cancellation Rights of Consumers.

Rule Breaking 101 “You need to run an ad for 3-4 months before you really see any results.” FALSE: The problem with this bad advice is the implication that all ad goals are the same. No one can tell you how many times an ad should run. It’s a matter of knowing the ad’s goals and your balanced marketing mix.

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Aprilaire – Jim Blind

[email protected]

Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc. - Colleen Weston

216-831-6068 [email protected]

Bitboyz – Jeff Dennis


Famous Enterprises - Mike Scott


Federated Insurance – Nick Lower


Ferguson Heating – Kurt Davis


Honeywell – Jeff Holben


Kuno Creative – Chris Knipper

[email protected]

Lennox Industries - Dennis Kall


Productive Air Duct Cleaning - George Grozan


Rapid Recovery – Rick Boettcher


Refrigeration Sales Corp. – Jack Tobik


Residential Energy Services Co., LLC

George Trappe


Robertson Heating Supply – Dale Hochevar


Webb Supply Co. – Tony Valentino


Blue indicates Premium Sponsors

GREATER CLEVELAND ACCA

2012 Officers:

President –- Brian Stack 888-850-9994 Vice President – Mike Aerni 216-676-9045 Sec/Treasurer – Kris Guzik 216-676-9045

Board of Directors / Committee Chairs:

Associate Membership Co-Chair Kurt Davis 330-463-1280 Golf Outing Co-Chair Al DiLauro 440-232-1861 Associate Membership Representative Chris Klefsaas 440-328-3050 Heat & Plumb the Country Chairs Keith Raymond 440-244-5584 Don Van Horn 440-398-9415

ACCA Ohio Board Trustees

representing Greater Cleveland ACCA: Kris Guzik, Energy Management Specialists Brian Stack, Stack Heating & Cooling

Chapter Manager: Michael Mennett P. O. Box 13223 Fairlawn, OH 44334

P – 330-671-2191 / F – 330-752-2616

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Thank you for your support!!

mailto:[email protected]















COMING EVENTS 2008 Coming Events

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March 15 – Perils of the Digital Age Jennifer Corso, Petronzio Schneier Co., LPA April 12 – Distracted Driving Federated Insurance May – Preventing Customer Problems Rick Blank, Ferguson Heating and Cooling June, July, & August – No Meetings July 23 – ACCA Joint Golf Outing with ACCA Akron/Canton at the Rosemont Country Club, Fairlawn September 15 – Heat & Plumb the Country Fall Schedule Coming Soon… 2012 ACCA Annual Conference & Indoor Expo March 5-8, 2011 Paris Las Vegas Hotel Las Vegas, NV www.accaconference.com ACCAOhio Convention & Expo March 28–31, 2012 Hilton Easton, Columbus ComfortU - Online Learning from ACCA www.acca.org/comfortu

Hello Friends,

Wow, 2012 is flying by. We’re

already tying up the first quarter

of the year and it feels like we’re

just getting started. But, you

know what they say, “Time flies

when you’re having fun!”

And we are. Serving our

members is part of what makes

Greater Cleveland ACCA such a

success. That’s why we’re always

happy to hear from you about

what you like, what you don’t

like, and what you need for your

chapter to be even better.

We know you feel the same way

about your business. There is

always more you can learn and

more you can do to become even

more successful.

We hope you consider your ACCA

membership a vital part of the

growth process. And remember,

that’s what the Greater Cleveland

ACCA is here for!

Brian Stack

ACCA Greater Cleveland 2012 President

http://www.accaconference.com/

Registration is now OPEN! Education - Networking - Information - 2012 EXPO

Visit www.ohioconvention-phccacco.org to download the registration form.

March 28-31, 2012 / Columbus Hilton at Easton Thank You 2012 Convention Sponsors…

Platinum

www.jacksonsystems.com www.ohiopowertool.com www.federatedinsurance.com www.ColumbiaGasOhio.com

Gold

www.rhs1.com www.pickrelbros.com

Convention Bag Ice Cream Social Lanyards Carr Supply Williams Training Agency Federated Insurance www.carrsupply.com www.williamstrainingagency.com www.federatedinsurance.com

TV Giveaway Clarion Bathware 2J Supply Keeping Score Webb Supply www.clarionbathware.com www.2-jsupply.com www.keepingscorecpa.com www.webbsupply.com

“The Price is Right - Understanding Overhead,” Mike Bohinc

The sad truth is that many small business owners are so busy running their companies that they just take a guess when setting their selling price. They may try to figure out what their customers are “willing to pay” or worse, call competitors and set their price by what others charge.

If you are charging customers less than your costs to do the job, it doesn’t matter how hard you work or how many hours you put in. It’s just matter of time before your cash flow will come to an end.

This session is a must for anyone who has not done the math to determine their own correct selling price. It’s also aimed at business owners who must compete against companies that are undercharging for their services and is a great session for opening the eyes of technicians who may not understand all the costs that go into running a successful business (somebody does have to pay for the trucks, gas, insurance, and uniforms).

FREE SOFTWARE for Every Attendee – a $249 value! The seminar will include a review of

the Overhead & Profit Calculator, a software tool designed to make the process of finding a proper selling price easy for contractors. Every attendee will receive a free copy of the software, courtesy of Kohler and the PHCC Educational Foundation.

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http://www.jacksonsystems.com/

http://www.ohiopowertool.com/

http://www.federatedinsurance.com/

http://www.columbiagasohio.com/

http://www.rhs1.com/

http://www.pickrelbros.com/

http://www.carrsupply.com/

http://www.williamstrainingagency.com/

http://www.federatedinsurance.com/

http://www.clarionbathware.com/

http://www.2-jsupply.com/

http://www.keepingscorecpa.com/

http://www.webbsupply/

_______________________________________

Hard Hitting Customer Retention Tools

By Adams Hudson

Contractors have this costly habit of servicing a customer once and then thinking “they’ll stay” as customers. Well, they do stay. Customers “stay” in the customer files, rarely to ever hear from the contractor again. If they do, it’s generally to be sold something. That’s not a relationship; that’s an obligation. Here are a few customer retention rules that every contractor should follow for a more profitable business: 1. Contact them 4 times a year or you may as well send them your competitor’s business card. At least send them a newsletter, news card, customer survey or thank you card. You may also send a maintenance agreement letter, pre-season or post-season special, customer discount only postcard, free or discount service offer, or “happy calls” following a service. Set up a customer hotline. Help your customers feel more “inside”, connected, or have some input for complaints, suggestions, questions, et cetera. It strengthens the relationship. Without a relationship, they leave you. 2. Send meaningful news. You get news of recalls, updated warranties, system modifications or you may have just purchased a new “super tool,” but whom do you tell? Include your customers in this information loop and they’ll include you in their buying loop. (How’s that for fairness?) Why leave the initiative of calling you to pure chance? Make some of your own luck for a change. 3. Conduct customer surveys annually. All you’re doing is increasing the flow of knowledge AND getting free marketing research. Simply ask, “Are your energy bills getting higher? Have you noticed an increase in repairs? Decrease in comfort? Have you heard of a product or service you’d like us to add? How could we improve our service to you?” At the end, you offer a discount on the next service for sending it in (or a small gift certificate). Increase the reward if they’ll put 2 or more referrals on the bottom. You won’t believe how much value this will give you and your customers. 4. Remember, educated customers buy and refer more. Your job is to make sure they stay educated about you. Invest in a good, regular customer newsletter that keeps your name and your services in your customers’ minds all year long. In time, your customers become “unswitchable”. You’ll get more referrals, greater loyalty, and more sales.

Adams Hudson is ACCA’s National Marketing Partner. You can request his free marketing ezine and free marketing reports by emailing [email protected].

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Four Things That Drive Your Customers Crazy Have you wondered why the most irritated people in the world always call you? Actually, it could have less to do with you than it does with the kind of contracting business you’re in. (Plus, there’s actually good news in the call, which we’ll cover in a moment.) Let’s get simple here: HVAC contractors get irritable phone calls because the customer on the other end is usually: a) very hot or b) very cold. Usually, an untimely breakdown has happened within the heating and cooling system, and the caller’s panic button is on full alert. From this point, the service you provide can either soothe – or increase – these feelings of panic and irritation. That’s why a better understanding of common complaints from customers about contractors can help you a lot. Here are the top reasons customers do not like or recommend contractors to others. 1. Not scheduling the appointment fast enough – The fact is, if you can’t provide quick relief, your customer will provide a quick hang up. Sure, you may have real scheduling issues in the middle of a busy season. But you’ve got to explain the scheduling to your customer and offer assurance that you’ll get there as soon as you can. Give a specific time, and keep it. 2. Not showing up on time or at all – Chances are, you’ve got a customer who just left work in the middle of a busy day to sit in his hot or cold house and wait for you to get there. Your time is valuable, and so is your customer’s. It takes about 2 minutes to confirm the appointment and/or reschedule if you’re running behind. No one expects you to be 100% punctual, but this technique is a dramatic improvement beyond the currently low expectations. Be a standout, be prompt and be quick. This brings to mind another no-no… 3. Not finishing on time – Your customer hasn’t got all day to wait on you to finish, so don’t dawdle. Don’t waste time by being too chatty. Get your work done, go over the invoice with your customer, offer options and upsells to maximize your and the customer’s time. Customers want the problem solved and at that moment, they are most likely to be receptive to avoiding the problem in the future. And make sure you avoid the careless habit of… 4. Not cleaning up – Ideally, when you leave, your customer won’t even be able to tell that you were there – except for the comfortable environment. Cleaning the equipment and the surrounding work area is an essential part of good service. Don’t let your customer down by leaving the place a wreck. Besides, telling your customer the importance of keeping the equipment clean is an open door to discussing the importance of regular tune-ups and maintenance agreements. (See another opportunity that many waste!) Remember, your customers are calling you because they’ve got a problem. Your job is to solve those problems – not add to them. Fix the system and the customer in order to become the contractor who gains all the customers from the others who didn’t read this article!

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7 Keys to Better Prospecting (And Great Selling)

Great salespeople are constantly assembling and working an ever-changing prospect list. They can pull – in an instant – a list of “maybe’s” to mail or re-contact. However, sometimes it’s best to do that in an instant, more personal, way: The phone call.

A great salesperson knows how to turn any phone call into a “Customer Service” call, and his list of prospects will help him with each of the following areas:

1. Follow-up leads – Those he’s spoken with recently or in the past season. These are definitely warm.

2. Names for the database – Those in neighborhoods or groups that are similar to the

majority of your customers or those you want to develop.

3. Appointments for new leads – Tighter than above group. This is exact addresses to whom an offer is made for a ‘free’ inspection, audit, IAQ review, etc.

4. New equipment sales – Either new homes or retrofit, based on age of home or number of repeat service calls. Major sales source here.

5. New service sales – Anyone who has ever been in your database plus those in areas to be developed.

6. Duct Cleaning/IAQ sales – As noted on a Tech inspection sheet or if you want to offer the “free IAQ” review to service calls. Super source.

7. Add-on sales – Air cleaners, humidifiers, filtration, fluorescent, fresh air venting, thermostats, duct sealing, etc. Bump up sales volume with “a suggestion.”

Lennox Parts Plus

For all your parts and supplies 216 739 1909

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MMaManagement

A Letter from the Ohio Specialty Contractors Coalition Political Action Committee (Specialty Contractors PAC)

Fellow ACCA and PHCC Contractors:

We are writing today to ask for your support of the Ohio Specialty Contractors Coalition Political Action Committee (Specialty Contractors PAC). We are working very hard to make Residential licensing a reality this year. Our bill is ready and our lobbying team in Columbus has spoken to several potential sponsors. We need to be engaged now rather than later, and begin working to educate elected officials who believe in and support residential licensing and what our industries do.

The Specialty Contractors PAC has established a strong track record since its inception and the Coalition’s plan is to continue to build on that tradition. The leadership and Board of Directors of ACCA Ohio and PHCC Ohio have supported our PAC and recognize that effective political representation and political activity go hand in hand. A strong PAC representing the P-H-C and HVACR industries is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. In today’s political climate we cannot afford to be without a strong voice – we need the contributions so our voice is heard – the stronger our voice, the more influence and access we have.

We’ve all made a contribution and we hope you’ll join us. Any contribution - $25, $50, $100 or more - makes a significant difference in our efforts. Form is attached in email Sincerely,

Tom Tanner Bruce Stebbins ACCA PHCC Mark Swepston Jim Thornton ACCA PHCC

Contractors Remaining Positive in 2012 The Contractor Comfort Index (CCI) shows that contractors are continuing their cautiously optimistic outlook for 2012. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) began measuring contractor attitudes toward short-term economic growth with the CCI in February 2010. For February 2012, the CCI is 57. The CCI also shows that contractors are feeling a little less confident than they were 12 months earlier when the CCI was 60. The CCI is calculated based on a survey of the association's contractor members, who are asked how positive they feel about new business prospects, existing business activity, and expected staffing decisions in the short-term future. Weighted and averaged into one number, a CCI of 50 or above reflects anticipated growth. The CCI is released prior to the start of each month; the next index number will be released during the last week of March.

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ACCA Council Now Largest Hydronics Contracting Association

Formed only five months ago, the ACCA Radiant & Hydronics Council (RHC) has attained a membership of more than 500 contracting businesses, making it the largest hydronics contracting organization in the country. The RHC is a division of ACCA, the nation's leading association of indoor environment and energy service professionals. The RHC is the first ACCA Council representing a specific market segment within the industry. As a “group within a group,” the RHC is led by a group of volunteer leaders and provides special benefits and resources for its member companies. Companies must be ACCA members to participate in the RHC. "The hydronics market segment was in need of, and ready for, a strong contractor-led organization to meet our unique needs," said Dan Foley, of Foley Mechanical and RHC Advisory Committee Chairman. "ACCA's background working for and with contractors to build a better, more professional industry made them the right organization to facilitate the RHC. It's evident that the RHC will continue to grow and flourish under the ACCA umbrella." “We are extremely pleased with the number of contractors we have on board with the RHC,” said Paul T. Stalknecht, ACCA president and CEO. “We knew there was a need for a contractor-led organization that was focused on hydronics when we started the RHC, and the response we’ve seen shows us that we were on the right track. Led by a dedicated and knowledgeable group of hydronics contractors, the RHC is just getting started, with new training materials, products and events underway for 2012." The Hydronics Roundtable, a new two-day conference aimed at hydronics professionals and sponsored by the RHC, will be held October 9 & 10 in Austin, Texas. The conference will feature a variety of learning labs led by leading hydronics contractors. You can learn more about RHC at www.acca.org/hydronics or contact Emily Rogers at [email protected] or 703-824-8858.

April ACCA Greater Cleveland Membership Meeting Distracted Driving

What contributed to half of the commercial vehicle accidents in the United States in 2011? What causes 8,000 crashes every day? What activity results in an average insurance claim of over $140,000? Each of those questions can be answered with the same response: distracted driving. How’s your company’s distracted driving policy? Excellent? Fair? Non-existent? Here is your chance to learn what you can do to help protect your company, employees, and community from the hazards of distracted driving, and help your company comply with state and federal regulations for cell phone and texting bans. Nowadays, having a sound, enforced distracted driving policy in place is something every contractor needs to achieve the goal of workplace safety.

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