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Southwest HVAC News Guest Column

Building your Business with Dehumidification
Contributed by Joe Hvalacek
Ultra-Aire Business Development Manager

There are many ways to build your contracting business, increase sales and grow profit – yes, even in this economy. Some are more profitable than others. Some may be easier to implement than others. Some are more expensive, while others are more cost effective. So, what is the right growth path for your business? One way to make sure your company is on the right path to growth and success is to evaluate your current product offering. 

Of course, this evaluation must begin with your current and prospective customers’ needs in mind. Do your current products offer real solutions to achieve high customer satisfaction and minimize callbacks? Controlling high indoor humidity with a dedicated whole house dehumidifier is the solution your customers are looking for to prevent mold growth, property and structure damage, and eliminate odors while creating a superior level of living comfort year round. Whole house dehumidification is a real opportunity in Florida that will allow you to stand out from your competition. Let’s evaluate why this opportunity is one that your company cannot afford to ignore.

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Whole House Dehumidifiers Help You: 

•Differentiate your business: Sell real solutions not offered by all competitors; position yourself as industry leader by creating that competitive edge with the right product (less price pressure). •Establish yourself as the expert: Homeowners are looking for a solution provider for their humidity and comfort problems.

•Offer professional, energy efficient products: Choose whole house dehumidifiers with superior energy-efficiency and reliability, that aren’t readily available on the Internet. This will allow you to charge more, while protecting your reputation as a solution provider, not a “price gouger.” 

•Gain more business by offering whole home comfort solutions: Ask for referrals from satisfied customers – again you can justify a higher price point and increase profits if you are a true solution provider. Many of the products your company offers today are probably under significant price pressures. Why wouldn’t they be? All of your competitors offer the same basic solutions. All too often, this allows your customers to shop for price alone, rather than to consider the entire value proposition of your product offering and what its long-range benefits mean to their family. Let’s face it; most homeowners have been led to believe that air-conditioning alone can handle the task of dehumidification and solve their humidity issues. The majority of today’s thermostats include a dehumidification function that sacrifices living comfort with some added dehumidification effect from the A/C’s evaporator. Do your customers really desire the inefficiency of overcooling their home simply to remove a little extra moisture without fully addressing the real problem? Unlike the standard components that make up a typical new system proposal or add-on solution, whole house dehumidification is not exactly a household term. You have an opportunity to be one of a handful of contractors in any given market to embrace the “whole house” solution and market it to your customers. Let your competition continue to fight over the “applesto- apples” system replacements and add-ons, while you educate your customers on the more complete solution. The result will be significantly higher margins on the whole house dehumidifier vs. a typical air conditioner, air handler or furnace, air cleaner or UV light everyone else is proposing. This will also lead to an overall increased profit margin for your complete system, positioning your company as an industry leader and resulting in higher customer satisfaction. Expanded selling opportunities 

•Tighter energy-efficient homes: These homes actually trap moisture, odors, and VOC’s, creating an unhealthy, uncomfortable environment. 

•Homeowners today are more aware of IAQ: People are aware of the issues and the dangers of mold, allergens, etc. 

•Rise in respiratory ailments: Incidences of asthma and allergies have increased dramatically in the last several years. 

•People spend more time in their homes: Hence they breathe more, cook more, add more plants, pets, etc., all of which contribute to creating more moisture in a tighter home. Over the years, several major changes have occurred in home construction and how they are heated and cooled. Unfortunately with many of these improvements, major issues have developed that now need to be resolved in order to achieve the truly comfortable, efficient and healthy homes that the homeowners envisioned they were building. 

Your customers will seek out the contractor that understands and can solve moisture problems occurring in both older and newer homes. Be that contractor – look for a supplier-partner that truly understands these vital issues and will provide not only the right product solution, but also the education and training needed for success, true customer satisfaction and business growth. Choose a partner that will stand by you 

•Go with the leader, the experts, someone you trust. 

•Many manufacturers either offer dehumidifiers as a sideline or as a product to fill out or complete their line, where other manufacturers have made dehumidifiers their core business for many years. Most simply re-brand someone else’s product and provide very little support. 

•Ensure that you are installing a quality product that the manufacturer stands behind. 

•While not technically difficult, mis-applied products that don’t solve the problem result in callbacks, costing you money. Install the right product and solve the problem. While the basic installation and operation of whole home dehumidifiers are quite simple, by aligning your business with expert dehumidification manufacturers you will benefit from their years of experience resulting in a long-term, profitable partnership for you, your company and your customers! 

Joe Hlavacek is the Business Development Manager for Ultra-Aire, a leading manufacturer of whole house ventilating dehumidifiers that provide effective humidity control, air filtration and fresh air ventilation. Justin can provide your company with extensive training and support to help build your business. For more information on Ultra-Aire’s complete line of products, visit www.Ultra-Aire. com or call Joe Hlavacek at 608-209-5587.


 



 

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