Start the Comfort Conversation with your Customers

Did you know the average person in America spends 21 hours a day inside? Whether they are sleeping, working, out running errands in other indoor spaces, or just relaxing on a Sunday, that’s a lot of time spent indoors! As an HVAC professional, you know the importance people place on their comfort, but starting the conversation isn’t always easy. Why not use that statistic and these tips to start the conversation with your customer/potential customers about their comfort needs?

Tip 1: Establish yourself as a comfort expert by first asking questions about their needs, then explain what you do, and inform them of all the information at your fingertips due to your experience in the field.

When the average end-user thinks about comfort, they are probably only thinking about the temperature in their home or commercial building, but the truth is that there is so much more that makes a comfortable environment — humidity, air quality, noise, odors, and lighting.

Tip 2: Explain all the factors that affect their comfort level. Thermal comfort is king among all the categories and is affected by air temperature, radiant heat, air circulation, humidity levels, and personal factors like metabolic rate and clothing.

Tip 3: Discuss the topic of health with your customer and how it is related to their comfort needs. Look for talking points you can bring up — are there pets in the home? Do they have dehumidifiers? Are there signs of allergy or asthma issues in the home?

Tip 4: Telling a customer they need to completely replace their system or install one for the first time to meet their comfort needs might scare them off. Offer alternative solutions like installing ceiling fans or a programmable thermostat before mentioning system upgrades to ease them into the solution that is best for them.

Tip 5: Discuss efficiency standards with the customer, carefully explaining minimum EER and IEER requirements. Be sure to remind them that while higher efficiency systems might cost more money up front, they come with added benefits and savings in the long run.

Tip 6: Bring it all together. After gathering information from the customer about their needs, present them with options based on what they’re looking for (single-stage, two-stage, variable speed, mini-split systems, etc.). Direct them to sources of third party information so they can confirm what you’ve told them, thus further establishing your credibility.

Now you’re ready to talk comfort with your customers!