Revolutionizing HVAC Maintenance through Technology w/ Brian Feenie and Ben Reed
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Release Date: 11/08/2023
Systems That Outlast You: Building a Trades Business for Generations
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Most companies do not last. A huge share of the biggest names in the world vanish within a few decades. The Smith & Oby Company has been running since 1898. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Josh Crouch sit down with Jake Wattenbarger, president of Smith & Oby, a Foundral brand, a Cleveland mechanical contractor that has stayed relevant for 125 years by reading the market before it forces the issue, and by building systems and a culture that outlast any one person. Jake spent nearly a decade as an Army logistics officer before the trades, and it shows....
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How to Beat Private Equity Without Selling | Zach Cooper-Vastola
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Private equity is buying up home service companies and quietly gutting the good ones, and most owners think their only options are to sell or get outspent. There is a third one. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Josh Crouch sit down with Zach Cooper-Vastola, co-founder of Hickory, who has bought and built home service companies across the tri-state to roughly 350 people and 80 million dollars in revenue, without ever running them from an ivory tower. Zach breaks down how he keeps technicians from walking out the door after an acquisition, why he...
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How Home Service Pros Hit 20% Net Margin | Profitability Partners
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Most home service businesses keep just 5 to 12% net profit, and most owners have no idea that is where they are. The best run HVAC, plumbing, and electrical shops keep 20%, and the gap almost always comes down to a few fixable mistakes. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Josh Crouch sit down with Matthew Mooney and Raymond Gong of Profitability Partners, a fractional CFO firm that spent years on the private equity side of the table and now helps owners find the profit already hiding in their business. They break down the real gross profit benchmarks for every...
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How AI Is Changing HVAC (Without Replacing Techs) | Chris Plunkett
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
AI is not coming for your techs. It is coming for the busywork, the missed calls, and the guesswork that quietly eats your margin. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett sits down with Chris Plunkett, a Tucson HVAC owner who has been in the trade since he was eight years old, to talk about what using AI in an HVAC business actually looks like day to day. They get into how Chris turned home inspections from a loss leader into one of his highest paying jobs, why his AI voice agent books calls so well that customers swear they were talking to a person, and the simple pay...
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Stop Missing Calls: The Real Reason Home Service Leads Disappear
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Most home service companies do not have a lead problem. They have a missed-call problem. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Chris Nelson, Senior Manager of Vertical Marketing at CallRail, to talk about why home service leads disappear, how missed calls turn into lost revenue, and what contractors can do to better understand what is happening inside their call flow. This conversation is not just about answering the phone faster. It is about understanding where your leads come from, how they move through your business, and where good...
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How to Grow Your Business with Sales Process and Technique
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Most contractors want more leads, more booked calls, and more revenue. But if your sales process is inconsistent, more leads will only expose the problem faster. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Josh Martin, Director of Revenue Strategy at 3Four Labs, to talk about how service businesses can grow by building a stronger sales framework, improving technician coaching, and using AI-powered tools the right way. Josh explains why AI and automation are only useful when your company already knows what “good” looks like. If your...
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The Moneyball for Home Services: How You Can Catch the Jobs You’re Missing
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Most contractors think they need more leads. But what if the real problem is that you’re already missing the jobs you paid to generate? In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Shaun Ritchey from Breezy to talk about Moneyball for home services and how contractors can use AI, better data, and smarter systems to uncover the jobs hiding inside their existing business. Just like Moneyball changed baseball by finding overlooked value in the data, this conversation shows how contractors can find overlooked revenue in missed calls, slow follow-up,...
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The Guide to Branding and Networking for Service Business Owners
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Most service business owners are chasing the next lead source. Google Ads. Facebook Ads. AI. SEO. Automation. But sometimes the fastest way to grow is still the most old-school strategy in the book: getting out into your community, shaking hands, building trust, and making sure people remember your brand. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Chuck Worley, owner of Worley’s Home Services, to talk about branding, networking, reputation, and the real-world grind behind building a service business people know, trust, and refer. Chuck shares...
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Consistent Branding Can Solve Your Hiring and Growth Headaches
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Most contractors think branding is about logos, colors, and marketing. It's not. The strongest brands in the trades do something much more powerful: they attract great employees, create loyal customers, and make growth easier. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Levi Torres, founder of High 5 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric, to discuss how consistent branding became the foundation for one of Colorado's fastest-growing home service companies. What started as a simple idea—a high five at the end of every service call—evolved...
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How AI Actually Solves the Real Call Center Headaches in Home Services
Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service
Most home service companies don't have a lead problem. They have a follow-up problem. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Kevin Wu, founder of Leaping AI, to discuss how AI voice agents and automation are helping home service businesses solve some of their biggest call center challenges. From missed calls and slow follow-up times to after-hours booking and lead nurturing, Kevin shares how AI is being used as a practical tool to support customer service teams, improve speed-to-lead, and create better customer experiences without...
info_outlineAre outdated practices holding back the HVAC industry from reaching its full potential?
In this episode of Service Business Mastery, hosts Tersh Blisset and Joshua Crouch delve deep into the world of HVAC maintenance and how cutting-edge technology is reshaping the customer experience and the growth of HVAC businesses. We have the pleasure of welcoming Ben Reed and Brian Feenie from Measure Quick, a leading software solution for HVAC professionals.
Ben and Brian have a combined experience of over 40 years in the home services and HVAC industries. They are passionate advocates for using technology to drive efficiency and enhance customer interactions. Are you eager to explore how technology can revolutionize the HVAC maintenance industry? If so, this episode of the Service Business Mastery Podcast is a must-listen!
SHOW NOTES
Here's a breakdown of what you can expect in this episode:
- [0:00] - Introduction: Tersh and Joshua set the stage for the episode, highlighting the importance of Measure Quick in the HVAC industry.
- [2:15] - MeasureQuick: The hosts discuss how the Measure Quick app helps junior technicians gather crucial information and data for clients.
- [4:30] - Shoutouts to Podcast Partners: Sera, Upfrog, CompanyCam, Copeland, and Interplay Learning are acknowledged as valuable supporters of the podcast.
- [5:45] - Upcoming SBM Content: The hosts tease future episodes and upcoming guests, including Billy from Billy Go and representatives from Copeland Compressors.
- [7:15] - Guests’ Self Introduction: Brian and Ben from Measure Quick introduce themselves, sharing their extensive experience in the home services and HVAC industries, as well as their passion for using technology to improve the industry.
- [9:30] - HVAC Business Challenges: The hosts and guests delve into the challenges faced by technicians in convincing business owners to invest in Measure Quick and adopt technology solutions.
- [12:15] - The HVAC industry's struggles: misaligned incentives and perspectives are explored, along with the prioritization of homeowners' expenses and the need for thorough maintenance checks.
- [15:45] - Industry Assumptions: The hosts and guests shed light on old habits and assumptions that hinder progress in the industry and emphasize the value of technology in improving maintenance contracts.
- [19:00] -Full Stack HVAC: This concept is introduced as a way to address gaps in business operations and optimize efficiency, with a focus on standardization, customer value, and company valuation.
- [22:00] - Trust: The importance of trust in increasing revenue and conveying value to customers in the absence of face-to-face interactions is discussed, along with the affordability and benefits of using Measure Quick.
- [25:30] - Guest Announcements: Guests Brian and Ben share upcoming announcements and improvements to the Measure Quick app, as well as their openness to feedback from listeners.
- [29:15] - Episode Conclusion: The hosts express their gratitude to the guests and tease future episodes, encouraging listeners to stay tuned for more valuable content.
If you're looking to level up your skilled trades service business, gain insights into home service businesses, or simply expand your knowledge in the field, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to the Service Business Mastery Podcast and unlock the truth about HVAC maintenance!
Resources And People Mentioned:
This episode is kindly sponsored by:
- Sera (visit their website)
- UpFrog (visit their website)
- Copeland (visit their website).
- CompanyCam (visit their website)
- Interplay Learning (visit their website)
Visit www.companycam.com/SBM and use code SBM for a free 2-week trial, 1:1 training and account setup, and 50% off your first two months!
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