In the heat of summer, when AC units are pumping the hardest, many people find themselves desperate for your services to stay comfortable in their homes. But most HVAC companies can’t fill the overwhelming service requests due to a lack of trained & reliable service technicians. It’s common in today’s environment to see companies advertise 24/7 service calls and have to turn the job down because they don’t have the workforce to meet the demand. Sound familiar?
Technician shortage is an industry-old challenge that all HVAC contracting businesses face at some point. BUT how your company handles this staffing shortage can help you join the ranks of the growing elite.
Cracking the code on staffing issues will help you run a more effective business that generates greater profit.
Are you facing these challenges?
If you can’t handle all your service calls and/or your crew is working at 150%, you’re likely facing many challenges.
- Compromised quality of work. The extra pressure (and all that comes with it) of having more work than your technicians can handle will lead to a compromised quality of work. Rushing through jobs and pushing speed may adversely affect your customers’ satisfaction, your employee morale, and your company’s bottom line.
- Technician burnout. Your employees may come for the money, but they’ll stay for the culture and job satisfaction. It’s far more challenging to cultivate a strong work culture and give the attention needed to your employees when everyone is stretched so thin.
- Your average revenue per ticket is lower than it should be. Lower than average tickets are likely a sign that your technicians are rushing through work without a full and proper home inspection. In addition, it may be an indicator that you’re not being strategic about dispatch – namely, about your high-value tickets (replacements and repair) vs. lower value tickets (maintenance) and how they’re run.
If any of these resonate with you and your business, read on for what some actionable steps you can take.
Solutions to Your Staffing Problem
1. Better qualify your leads.
How do you do this, you may ask? Improve your lead intake and dispatch processes. Be selective, ask the right questions, focus more on replacement jobs and other high-value services. It’s common for the most successful HVAC companies to ask “value” questions during the lead intake process in order to qualify and book the highest value service requests.
2. Recruit technicians.
The average HVAC technician salary across the U.S. is between $40,000 – $50,000 annually. With so many folks make a good living as a technician, why is it difficult to find and recruit them? It’s because we have a shortage. The HVAC Workforce Development Foundation estimates the deficit at 70,000, and the U.S. will need 115,000 HVAC technicians by the year 2022.
This challenge isn’t impossible. It just means you have to think about recruitment through the lens of a strategic growth plan.
Recruit with Facebook Advertising.
Facebook ads for recruiting are beneficial in the home services space. Businesses can create targeted advertisements designed to “convert” potential applicants to apply for open positions.
Recruitment campaigns on Facebook have many advantages: (1) you can efficiently and effectively reach a large number of potential applicants; (2) you are in control of the budget (3), and you’re able to test different ads and messages to understand better what catches the attention of your ideal employees. In the world of digital, there is no better way to target potential technicians.
Offer Internships to Trade Schools.
Trade schools are full of young new talent ready to start their careers. Offering internships is a fantastic way to meet and provide on the job training to folks eager to learn the trade. After all, don’t most people go to school to get a job?
Consider Outsourcing Your Lead Intake and Recruitment
You need to talk to your applicants in both swamped times and lull times. “Your recruitment should be thought of as another sales channel in your growing business,” says Contracting Business.
How do you do this if you’re finding yourself too busy to manage the current lead volume?
We recommend outsourcing to an agency that specializes in Home Services. Your marketing partner can help you get your lead intake and dispatch processes in shape and run cost-effective recruiting ads on social media. Outsourcing lets you get back to managing the day to day responsibilities of your business and take advantage of lead volume to grow your business.
Solving your staffing problem is an essential piece of the puzzle for taking your company to the next level so you can take advantage of the demand when it arises.
Do you need help recruiting technicians? Let’s chat!