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Lead Coordination & Prioritizing Leads - June 2022

Contracting business success depends on a steady current of leads, but not all leads are created equal. Naturally, high-profit and high-intent jobs are better for the company. Without a strategy to organize leads, valuable opportunities may get buried under an influx of time wasters. In June 2022’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about how they prioritize and coordinate leads in order to maximize their operations.

7 Page Document

Consolidation in Home Services - May 2022

Consolidation refers to the acquisition of smaller companies by a larger company in order to increase market share and profitability. As contractors across the country are selling their companies to private equity firms and mega-contractor organizations, what will the industry look like for the smaller companies? In May 2022’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about their thoughts on consolidation in the home services industry to share insights with the industry.

7 Page Document

Preparing for the Summer Busy Season - April 2022

Each of the HVAC industry’s seasonal shifts presents its own unique advantages and challenges, with the summer busy season bringing high profits along with high demands on resources. Contractors that are well prepared stand to maximize these demand opportunities and set their businesses up for success year-round. In April 2022’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about how they prepare for the summer rush to share helpful insights with the industry.

7 Page Document

Financing - March 2022

HVAC, plumbing, electrical and other home services aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re need-to-haves. With the average American family having just $5,000 of savings, financing is an important tool for homeowners’ comfort and contractors’ bottom lines. In March 2022’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about how they offer financing to share strategies that can help contractors better serve their customers.

7 Page Document

Supply Chain Issues - February 2022

Over the past two years, supply chain issues have created delays in equipment shipments, employee shortages, and project stalls for contractors across North America and beyond. In February 2022’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about how they have overcome supply chain issues so we can share strategies to help the industry get back on track.

7 Page Document

Scaling Your Business - January 2022

Expanding into new markets, hiring bigger crews, offering new products and services – all strategies to serve new customers and grow your contracting business. However, it can be difficult to know which areas to focus on with the responsibilities of day-to-day operations looming overhead. In January 2022’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about how they identify and capitalize on growth opportunities to help you identify best practices and strategies for scaling your business.

7 Page Document

2021 Annual Research Report

Contractor University surveys its contractor network every month on a specific focus area to gain insight on how contractors are evolving their business practices to achieve maximum success. At the conclusion of each month, Contractor University publishes a summary of the survey results and makes findings available exclusively for Contractor University members. These monthly survey reports are a quick and easy way for contractors to see what is working and what isn’t working for their peers within the industry. Enclosed in this annual report are all of the individual Snapshot Survey research reports that were provided to Contractor University members in 2021. The Snapshot Survey Program is just one of the benefits that Contractor University members have access to.

76 Page Document

Market Research and Intelligence - December 2021

Today’s highly competitive home services landscape requires business owners to stay on the cutting edge of products, buying preferences, and customer service to differentiate their brands and become the preferred vendors in their marketplaces. It takes continuous effort to understand your business, your market, your customers and your competitors in order to position your company as the number-one choice. In December 2021’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about how they approach market research and intelligence to help you learn best practices for keeping your finger on the pulse of the industry.

7 Page Document

Artificial Intelligence and Smart HVAC Products - November 2021

Technological advancements in the HVAC industry have resulted in smart controls, occupancy sensors that can learn homeowner behaviors, and remote monitoring apps that make home comfort easy and better than ever before. In November 2021’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about their companies’ approaches to offering Artificial Intelligence (AI) and smart HVAC products in order to help you strategize your product mix.

7 Page Document

Managing Underperforming Employees - October 2021

Underperforming employees can be a cancer within your contracting business, lowering revenue and setting bad examples for the rest of your company. In October 2021’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about how their companies manage underperforming employees to discover and share best practices for creating high-performing teams that are aligned with company goals.

7 Page Document

Sales Compensation - September 2021

A well-designed sales compensation structure can be the best mechanism for creating a high-performing sales team; rewarding personal performance while incentivizing behaviors that align with the financial goals of the business. In September 2021’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about their company’s sales compensation structure to discover and share best practices for rewarding salespeople for a job well done.

7 Page Document

Work-Life Balance - August 2021

The home service industry is no doubt a demanding field. With customers’ comfort and safety frequently hanging in the balance, contracting business owners can often struggle with keeping their personal and professional life balanced. In August 2021’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about their views on work-life balance to shine a light on the industry and uncover what challenges contractors are facing.

7 Page Document

Employee Development - July 2021

Employee development not only creates happier and more loyal employees, it can save contracting business owners immeasurable resources by cutting down on turnover and encouraging internal promotions. In July's Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home service professionals to share their company's philosophy on Employee Development to help contractors incorporate best practices into their business.

3 Page Document

Commoditization vs. Customer Service - June 2021

As home services companies spring up in marketplaces across the country, contractors are finding it increasingly difficult to differentiate on service alone. In response, the industry is battling the threat of commoditization by creating exceptional customer service brands. In June 2021’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about their approach to overcoming commoditization to help you identify and adopt a philosophy that benefits your contracting business.

3 Page Document

Tech Selling Vs. Lead Turnover: Philosophy & Strategy - May 2021

With the right mindset and training, your technicians have the ability to be a substantial source of lead generation. But because they aren’t seasoned salespeople, contractors have different philosophies on how techs should handle leads.

3 Page Document

Busy Season Marketing Promotions - April 2021

The home services industry is undoubtedly stricken by seasonal shifts in business. The most successful contractors utilize marketing campaigns that not only increase opportunities during shoulder seasons, but look to maximize opportunities during the busy seasons as well.

3 Page Document

The Interview Process - March 2021

As the growth of the home services industry outpaces the development of qualified workers, finding experienced employees is becoming increasingly challenging. Hiring remains one of the highest costs for contracting business owners, so an effective hiring process is vital for finding the right candidates to fill positions long term.

3 Page Document

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) - February 2021

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has become a popular focus area for home services professionals as people spend more time indoors and technological advancements make environmental sanitization products more accessible. In February 2021’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services professionals about how they position IAQ products and services to uncover best practices you can use to grow your IAQ offering.

3 Page Document

KPIs: The General Manager’s Dashboard - January 2021

Systematically tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) is vital to the success of any company because performance measuring allows leaders to make informed decisions about what’s working and what needs to be changed. In January 2021’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of contracting business owners about their processes for tracking KPIs to uncover best practices you can use to improve your company’s operations.

3 Page Document

2020 Annual Research Report

In this Annual Report, you will find a compiled summary of all the data we collected in 2020.

72 Page Document

Dispatching - December 2020

Your home services business is only as good as your dispatchers, who have to simultaneously guide technicians, coordinate with management, and update customers, all while maintaining a strict schedule.

3 Page Document

Employee Retention - November 2020

One of the biggest expenses associated with running a home services business will always be attracting the right talent. When contractors find the perfect employee, it is in their best financial interest to find ways to retain them.

3 Page Document

Digital Payments - October 2020

As we continue to adjust to a socially distanced world, home services professionals across the country have begun to adapt the way payments are made and received on behalf of their companies.

3 Page Document

Slow Season Marketing Promotions - September 2020

As predictably as the sun rises and sets, mild-weather slow seasons bring about a drop in demand service calls. That presents a big challenge for home services contractors. Seasonal downturns in business can be devastating to the bottom lines of companies that don’t have a proper plan in place.

3 Page Document

Pre-Call and Post-Call Sales Strategy - August 2020

The framework of a successful sales call goes deeper than the face-to-face interaction with the customer. Closing deals based on trust depends on investing time before and after the call to set expectations and maximize every opportunity. In August 2020’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our nationwide network of home services professionals about how they approach their pre-call and post-call sales strategies to uncover best practices that you can use to enhance your sales results.

3 Page Document

HVAC Competency Training for Non-Technical Employees - July 2020

When a homeowner experiences an HVAC issue, only a skilled technician can repair or replace their system. However, a technician is rarely the first person at your company that customers interact with. That means your non-technical staff must have a basic understanding of HVAC systems to properly communicate with customers and connect them with appropriate solutions. In July 2020’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of contractors about how they train their non-technical employees on HVAC basics to give you insights and best practices that can help your staff become more effective HVAC communicators.

3 Page Document

Coming Out of Crisis - June 2020

As the world adapts to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, contractors everywhere have modified their operations to prioritize the health and wellness of their employees, customers, and communities. New systems have emerged that have created safer, streamlined, and more cost-effective ways of offering home comfort services.

3 Page Document

Working Remotely - May 2020

Virtually overnight, working remotely has become mainstream. Companies across the country are encouraging employees to work from home to prioritize the safety of their workforces and communities during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In May 2020's Snapshot Survey, we asked our nationwide network of home services professionals about their companies’ approaches to working remotely to understand common useful strategies and uncover industry best practices.

3 Page Document

Crisis Management - April 2020

Emergencies happen. Sometimes we can anticipate them and sometimes, like in the case of COVID-19, we are totally blindsided. Without a crisis management plan in place, it can be difficult to quickly and effectively steer away from disaster and ensure the best outcome for your business, your employees, and your customers. In April 2020’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our nationwide network of home services professionals about their crisis management practices to understand common industry strategies that you can incorporate into your business.

3 Page Document

Warranties and Guarantees - March 2020

Without warranties and guarantees, even the most reputable and trustworthy contractor can fall short of making their customers feel safe. Not only do these two fail-safes communicate you believe in the quality of your work, they can help dramatically increase your conversions and revenue, regardless of the product or service you are selling. In March 2020’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of home services companies about how they utilize warranties and guarantees to help build trust with customers and improve sales.

3 Page Document

Role-Play - February 2020

You know the age-old saying: Practice makes perfect. Role-play can be a useful technique for practicing a variety of business skills and preparing yourself and your team for the challenging situations you'll encounter while providing services to customers. In February 2020's Snapshot Survey, we asked our nationwide network of home services professionals about how they utilize role-play exercises to help you understand how to use role-play to your advantage.

3 Page Document

Departmentalization - January 2020

Departmentalization allows companies to segment their business operations into specialized groups with the goal of increasing the efficiency of management and maintaining accountability for employees. In January 2020’s Snapshot Survey, we asked our network of American and Canadian home services companies about how their departmentalization efforts have affected the overall performance of their businesses to help you make informed decisions for your company.

3 Page Document

2019 Annual Research Report

77 Page Document

Philanthropy and Cause Marketing - December 2019

As society moves toward more conscious social, environmental, and economic responsibility, consumers have come to expect a certain amount of philanthropy from the brands they do business with. Corporate philanthropy not only benefits the community but can positively impact your company and its employees as well. In December 2019’s Snapshot Survey, we asked contractors about their philanthropic activities to help you decide how to incorporate philanthropy into your business model.

3 Page Document

Marketing to Millennials - November 2019

Marketers must reach their target audience in a way they understand. Millennials (ages 23 – 38) are now the largest generation in the marketplace and are less likely to engage with traditional forms of marketing communication, such as print or radio. Because they represent 45% of all new U.S. mortgages, contractors who wish to remain relevant should find ways to communicate with this younger generation.

3 Page Document

Long-Term Business Goals - October 2019

Whether you're just starting your contracting journey or you're looking to take your business to the next level, it’s helpful to have a calculated long-term travel plan. Long-term business goals serve as a roadmap that outlines your pitstops, tells you when to refuel, and helps you cross the finish line. In October 2019’s Snapshot Survey, we asked home services professionals about their long-term business goals to give you the tools to create or strengthen your continued plans for success.

3 Page Document

Competitive Landscape - September 2019

Even though there isn’t a guidebook to contracting, there are plenty of models to help you grow your business and differentiate yourself in the marketplace. Your competitors are invaluable examples of how to succeed and more importantly, how not to fail.

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