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. |