5 Criteria to Find the Right Answering Service for Your HVAC Business

HVAC companies keep homes comfortable. Your entire job is to make sure that the major systems of the home are functioning at peak capacity and efficiency, delivering the heat or cool air, or even hot water, that homeowners need. And if you’re like most HVAC business owners, you’re also still a hands-on kind of person. As much as you like owning the business, you still enjoy going out and taking on jobs firsthand to deliver better solutions for your customers. 

While you’re installing or fixing those HVAC systems, how many other calls are you missing? Are other clients waiting for some kind of emergency assistance? Do you have a slew of new leads from a recent marketing campaign that are all being sent to voicemail? 

With the assistance of a professional answering service, you’ll never have to worry about your calls again. Answering services can provide 24/7 support for all kinds of needs, from lead intake to existing client calls and everything in between. Plus, when you choose the best ones, they’ll help you customize a solution that works for you. 

But what goes into choosing the best answering service? Here’s what you need to know. 

1. 24/7 availability

In the heating and cooling world, things can (and usually do) go wrong at the absolute worst times. The middle of the night. During a long holiday weekend. Right in the middle of Christmas dinner. You can never tell when people are going to need assistance with their HVAC systems. And today’s consumer wants services that are available on their time, including for emergency needs. 

Even if you’re not available, having an answering service with a live person picking up the phone can build a lot of credibility with your customers and reassure them that you are truly concerned about helping them with all of their HVAC needs, no matter how big or small those may be. And, of course, if you need to be looped in with those after-hours calls, your answering service will reach out right away.  

2. Professional experience

It takes a special type of company to handle operating as an answering service for another business. This includes plenty of professional experience in delivering all types of answering service solutions, big and small. Consider how long they’ve been working in the industry, what type of clients they’ve worked with in the past, and so forth. 

One of the best ways to get a read on this is to find reviews and testimonials from others who have worked with the answering service. You can find these on their own website, as well as through Google and other third-party sites. Just make sure that you take all reviews with a grain of salt and make sure that you’re getting them from a reputable source.

3. Available features

Answering services can do just about anything related to admin and communications. Of course, they don’t all offer the same features and solutions. You will need to take the time to look around and see what you can find. Even if you’re not entirely sure of what you want, it helps to know what you can get when you work with a professional answering service. Then, after you’ve done your homework, you’ll have a better idea of how to move forward. 

You should be able to pick and choose from the features they have to offer and not be locked into limited plans or services (we’ll talk more about customization below). And obviously, the more features you can get for your money, the better.

4. Scalability 

Whether your HVAC business is in a growth spurt, or you just need someone to keep up with regular growth over time, an answering service is a partner that should be able to grow with you. Otherwise, you’re going to have to continuously change companies or call to find out if you can scale your services in the way that you need. By choosing a company that offers this from the start, you’ll have the peace of mind that you only have to choose once and that you’ll get the service that fits your business’s needs, no matter what those might be. 

5. Customization options 

In addition to scaling your answering service solution, how much can you customize it to suit your needs? Working with a professional company that helps you create a tailored solution for your HVAC business can do a lot more than just signing up with whatever answering service you find and picking a plan at random. Your customers need to feel like whoever is answering the phone is an extension of your business. That’s where having customized answering service plans can make all the difference. 

The benefits of an answering service or virtual receptionist

Ironically, the benefits of answering services are often the same as some of the most important criteria to look for:

• Customization and scalability
• 24/7 availability
• Cost-effective solutions
• Better value-for-money compared to hiring in-house
• Professional experience and answering solutions
• Improved image and reputation

These are just a few of the perks that come from working with an answering service. When you add that to the fact that you’ll never miss an opportunity, you can see why it’s the way to go. 

For all this and more, partner with the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai 

At Smith.ai, we know that your time is valuable, and in business, time is money. When you partner with Smith.ai, you’ll get a comprehensive 24/7 HVAC answering service for local dealers and installers along with assistance for things like lead intake, appointment scheduling, and even live website chat so your customers can reach out in a way that works for them. 

And, of course, it all comes with a customized strategy to manage all the details and ensure that your business never misses a beat. Whether you’re in the middle of tearing a furnace apart or just trying to spend some time with your family on the weekend, our virtual receptionists have you covered. Schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai to learn more. 

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