Simple promotions can keep customers coming back to your company year after year. Email is a low-cost and easy way to foster loyalty in your HVAC customers. A well done email campaign delivers convenient service, timely information and savings to your customers. How do you plan a successful email campaign?

At a minimum, you should send short semi-annual emails right before the spring and fall seasons. Your objective is to encourage current customers to schedule seasonal service. Even if your office makes phone calls to schedule service, an email can help get your customers in the HVAC mood.

An early email reminder gives your regular customers the opportunity to be first in line, rather than having to wait weeks for an opening in your schedule (or find someone who can respond more quickly). Include a phone number or a link to sign up on your website for an appointment.

Add value to this reminder email by including a second piece of information – something that could save your customers money, help them choose new equipment or answer a maintenance question. Keep the content short and specific. If you don’t want to write content, it’s fine to point customers to something you think is handy – give a link to an article or video on another site you trust. Or, for example, my electric utility has great 5-minute videos on topics such as weather stripping a door and sealing leaky electrical outlets. Including a link to a public utility site like this is easy and free. Alternately, grab your camera and make your won. “Man on the street” videos are a great way to communicate new things, build recognition and show customers who you really are.

Here are a few ideas for additional content:

• Help them save money – explain your HVAC specials, alert them to rebates from manufacturers, or spell out state and federal tax credits.
• Help them control energy costs – discuss what they can do to ensure their equipment lives a full life and performs at peak levels.
• Explain a seasonal maintenance task – for example, coil cleaning, water heater maintenance, sealing leaky ductwork – or give them a link to a good YouTube video on the subject.
• Lay out their options for a new heating or cooling system. It’s something consumers rarely consider before their existing system wears out. Even if they’re not yet interested, they’ll know who to call when they’re ready.
• Discuss a new trend or technology in HVAC – or even easier, post a link to an article.
• Offer a coupon or discount for posting a review on your site or encourage your customers to review your service on Angie’s List.

A simple, well timed email campaign serves your customers by making it easy for them to maintain their heating and cooling equipment. It also educates them and ensures that you’re the one they think of first when they need service. Next month we’ll discuss how to make sure your emails get read.

It takes only seconds for a disgruntled consumer to risk your HVAC company’s reputation. Unfortunately, some companies act like ostriches. Stick their head in the ground and pretend it doesn’t exist.  However, if your business is sound, you don’t have to fear complaints. In fact, embrace them and you will be a better service provider. Here’s why:

Make sure you have an avenue for complaints. Allow an area of your web site for complaints or make sure that with every job you d, your business card is left there (or the owners card) so people know there is someone real who wants to help. If you don’t allow an avenue for complaints, they will find their way to places you can’t control.

Negative feedback may actually be less common than you think. Often, customers who feel wronged don’t address their complaints; they just take their business elsewhere. But, you want to know why a customer leaves you for a competitor. Negative feedback helps you strengthen your service and retain customers.

Complaint resolution can reassure potential customers. They can see ahead of time how you react to and solve a difficult service situation. It can put their minds to rest, knowing that if there’s a problem you’ll make things right.

You can manage negative comments on your own turf. People are already commenting on your HVAC business, whether you know it or not.  When the criticism appears on your site, it’s easier for you to monitor it and respond.

Criticism provides authenticity. Without it, your comments forum could seem like a sham.

Here are some tips for responding positively to negative reviews:

• Monitor comments regularly.
• Don’t auto post every comment. Spam will find its way to your site, and you’ll receive comments that are just plain odd. Make sure you read them all.
• Address complaints promptly. Act quickly to make the situation right for your customer and contain the damage to your reputation.
• Keep a respectful tone in every response. If a comment angers you, cool down before responding. Look past the customer’s language and consider whether he may have a point, despite his tone.
• If you’re in the wrong, apologize. It’s no fun to admit to screwing up a job, but deep down we all know we do it on occasion.
• Avoid finger-pointing and excuses. It just sounds (and is) juvenile. Address the problem, state the facts, and make things right for the customer.
• Ask satisfied customers to post positive reviews. Keep the forum genuine, but there’s nothing wrong with ensuring your praises are sung as well.
• Realize that even with stellar service you’ll have customers that God himself could not please.
• Don;t be afraid to fire your customers. Yes, I said it. If there are customers who are stopping you from providing excellent services to other customers, fire them.

I’m interested in your experience with customer reviews. How do you handle negative feedback? Has it ever changed your business for the better?