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Milwaukee, Wis. – As consumer trust continues to soar during the COVID-19 pandemic, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) businesses are in a prime position for growth, according to Reportlinker. In a recent Better Business Bureau (BBB) report, the number of customer inquiries into HVAC businesses has spiked 14% from January to May 2020, versus the same period in 2019.
The $104 billion industry is typically more resistant to economic downturns than other type of home improvement projects. With trust on the mind for many consumers, HVAC businesses have an opportunity to leverage customer service and care, in order to better serve its customers.
According to BBB customer data, 41% of positive reviews on HVAC businesses ranked “friendliness” of employees higher than skills, speed, and affordability. Understanding what customers expect can help businesses build trust, which is key to repeat business and ongoing referrals.
What Customers Like Most
- Friendliness of employees
- Communication with customers
- Skill and knowledge of the project
- Speed of work
BBB Accredited Businesses fare the best when it comes to customer service, with a 100% complaint resolution rate. While the HVAC industry constitutes the second-highest number of BBB Accredited Businesses, consumers turned to BBB.org nearly 1.8 million times in 2020 to research HVAC companies. That’s more than 11-thousand inquiries a day!
Home improvement projects can get expensive as consumers spend an average of $500 for HVAC services. And with more people turning to BBB to find businesses they can trust, BBB Accredited HVAC companies differentiate themselves through a set of standards.
Build Trust
Establish and maintain a positive track record in the marketplace.
Advertise Honestly
Adhere to established standards of advertising and selling.
Tell the Truth
Honestly represent products and services, including clear and adequate disclosures of all material terms.
Be Transparent
Openly identify the nature, location, and ownership of the business, and clearly disclose all policies, guarantees and procedures that bear on a customer’s decision to buy.
Honor Promises
Abide by all written agreements and verbal representations.
Be Responsive
Address marketplace disputes quickly, professionally, and in good faith.
Safeguard Privacy
Protect any data collected against mishandling and fraud, collect personal information only as needed, and respect the preferences of consumers regarding the use of their information.
Embody Integrity
Approach all business dealings, marketplace transactions and commitments with integrity.
BBB Standards for Trust are the cornerstone of business ethics and excellence that consumers have relied on for more than 100 years. Businesses looking to gain a competitive edge may consider joining BBB to assure current and future customers of their quality, service, and commitment to building trust.
And while knowing your customer is only the first step, reputable HVAC businesses must distance themselves from bad actors who continually threaten the industry with shoddy work, deceptive practices, and overcharging.
What customers complain about the most
- Slowness and Unresponsiveness
- Pricing
- Dishonesty
- Rudeness
- Mistakes and Shoddiness
- Ineptitude
Data further shows that when it comes to dishonesty, customers are less likely to be forgiving than when an HVAC business makes a mistake or is inept.
At the end of the day– having a good reputation is good business and is something customers demand. By building a reputation as a trustworthy, transparent company – HVAC businesses can uniquely position itself as an industry leader especially with the BBB Accreditation Seal next to its name.
To start your journey as a trustworthy and reputable business, visit our BBB Accreditation page to see how BBB can help your business grow.
Find HVAC contractors near you. For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2019, people turned to BBB more than 183 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.8 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. There are local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada and Mexico, including BBB Serving Wisconsin which was founded in 1939 and serves the state of Wisconsin.
