A 2013 Merchant Warehouse study found that 90 percent of Yelp users rely on positive online reviews to make purchasing decisions. What’s more, the average small business with a Yelp account earns $8,000 more in annual revenue than a business without a Yelp profile.
Despite the benefit, 87 percent of small businesses ignore this medium—and miss opportunities to engage new customers. Positive customer reviews and a strong Yelp profile are particularly advantageous to HVAC companies because working in private homes requires an extra level of trust.
Earning exceptional customer reviews boils down to delighting customers with superior service worthy of a five-star rating. We reviewed ten of the highest-rated HVAC companies on Yelp to find out what kind of service earns five stars. Here’s what we found:
1. Advertise, but Don’t Ask for Reviews
First, it’s important to acknowledge Yelp’s policy on asking for reviews. The company cautions that while it’s good practice to tell customers you’re on Yelp, it’s not okay to ask customers for reviews or offer any cash, gifts or prizes in exchange for a review. Yelp explains the difference:
Write a review about me on Yelp! [BAD]
Hey, check us out on Yelp! [GOOD]
Yelp’s Darnell Holloway, senior manager of local business outreach, says, “Consumers appreciate useful, reliable and unbiased content, and we’ve found that the most successful businesses on Yelp are those that take a hands-off approach and allow their reviews to build organically.”
The key to success: Never ask for a review, but do let customers know you have a Yelp listing. Place a review badge on your website (available here when you have a business profile), put a “Find us on Yelp” sign on your work vehicles and tell customers to “Check us out on Yelp!” when you can.
2. Stay in Constant Contact with Customers
A customer’s furnace squeals every time the heat kicks on. A quick online search reveals several HVAC businesses in their area. When they pick up the phone to call one of these companies, the one that answers the phone first will most likely get their business—and, potentially, their five-star review. In other words: Top-rated HVAC companies are responsive to customer calls and proactive with subsequent communications.
Ariel S. called Cool Connections in Plano, Texas over Labor Day weekend. She wasn’t expecting a call back due to the holiday, but the company did return her call. She was very pleased with their responsiveness and gave them a five-star rating and review.
Joseph H. gave Clearthumb of San Francisco, Calif. five stars and a rave review for their overall customer service. He liked that the company called him one hour before the appointment, and again 30 minutes later before arriving right on time.
The key to success: Stay in contact with your customer. Make sure someone is available to answer their initial call. If you can’t answer the phone immediately, respond to messages as soon as possible. Always call when you’re en route to an appointment, when you’re running late and a few days after the appointment to make sure your customer is satisfied with the work.
3. Schedule Same-Day Service
When a customer’s air conditioner is blowing hot air on a 100-degree day, their biggest concern is getting the cold air flowing again—ASAP. Top-rated HVAC companies understand this urgency, and make it their number-one priority to answer distress calls quickly.
Many five-star Yelp reviews report that an HVAC technician arrived within hours of receiving the reviewer’s call. In these reviews, people often mention that they called other HVAC companies first, but either their calls weren’t returned or the earliest available appointments were days away. The more quickly you can get out to diagnose a failure, the more satisfied your customer will be—and the more likely they are to leave a five-star review.
Noelle B. contacted Reliable Air Conditioning in Miami, Fla. at 6:30 p.m. about an air conditioning unit blowing hot air. Three hours later, a technician arrived and fixed it. Pleased with Reliable’s rapid response, Noelle gave the HVAC company a five-star review.
The key to success: Strive to schedule same-day service, especially for customers whose heating and cooling units aren’t working at all. Next-day service is still acceptable, but beyond that, the likelihood for a five-star rating drops.
4. Explain Everything to Establish Trust
People hire HVAC companies that are trustworthy. Most customers have little or no knowledge of HVAC systems, so they count on you to help them make an informed decision. Earn their trust by taking the time to explain everything—so that customers understand exactly what’s wrong and how you plan to fix it—and to answer any questions they may have.
If you can, show customers exactly what’s damaged or broken. The better you can explain the need for a repair, the more customers trust your expertise and are comfortable approving the work. Shane Bryant, who owns Smart Air Service in Austin, Texas, says, “HVAC is a challenging field because customers aren’t experts. Thus, it’s important to be fair. Use your knowledge to help, not to take advantage of a customer.”
Bumble B. says the technician from Associated Heating of San Francisco was very knowledgable and did an excellent job describing what work needed to be performed on a furnace. Bumble was very pleased with the level of service the company provided and shared this five-star review:
Jeff G. praised Absolute Heating and Air Conditioning in San Diego, Calif. for thoroughly explaining to him the issue with his air conditioning unit and the options for repairing it. He gave the company five stars and wrote a positive review:
The key to success: Before making any repairs, explain your diagnosis, what you can do to fix it, how much the repairs will cost and how long it will take. Then be sure to get the customer’s approval to move forward with the repair.
5. Diagnose Failures Over the Phone When Possible
In some cases, experienced HVAC technicians can identify a problem over the phone and know right away if it’s something a customer can fix themselves. Providing a free fix via telephone is certainly not expected, but it saves your customer money and hours of wait time. If the opportunity presents itself, it’s one of the easiest ways to earn a five-star review.
In Alex G.’s Yelp review, he describes his experience with Cool Touch of Peoria, Ariz. The HVAC company could have charged him $100 to diagnose the problem in person, but instead, they spent 15 minutes troubleshooting the problem over the phone. When the Cool Touch technician learned the customer’s product was still under warranty, he recommended that Alex contact the manufacturer directly—potentially saving him hundreds of dollars in repair costs. Because of Cool Touch’s honesty and willingness to help, the company earned a five-star review from Alex, plus his future business.
When Linda Y.’s heater broke, she had the necessary part to repair it, but found her unit still wasn’t working after she installed it. She called Air Flow Pros Heating & Air Conditioning in San Francisco, Calif. for help, and happily discovered that they were able to successfully walk her through the proper installation process over the phone. In return, she thanked them with a great review and five-star rating.
The key to success: No one expects HVAC companies to diagnose an issue over the phone or walk a customer through a simple fix. Doing so shows your company’s willingness to go above and beyond, without expecting anything in return—so make a point to help when you know it’s possible.
6. Clean Up After Yourself
It may seem like a no-brainer, but many companies miss the mark on this one. Put simply, customers don’t want to clean up after you. Leaving a mess behind or failing to remove your shoes when coming inside shows that you’re careless and disrespectful of a customer’s home—which means that no matter how good a repair job you do, your visit is going to leave a bad taste in their mouth. Show customers you care about every aspect of the work you do by taking the proper steps to keep their place clean and tidy up after yourself.
Squeaks L. commended an Associated Heating of San Francisco technician for using shoe covers in their “no-shoe house” and staying diligent about keeping the area clean. Squeaks gave the company five stars for the technician’s mindfulness.
Teresa W. gave Cool Connections of Plano, Texas a five-star rating and pointed out that the technician used shoe covers.
The key to success: Leave a customer’s home the way you found it. Take trash out with you, clean up dirt and spills and use shoe covers.
7. Deliver Above and Beyond Customer Expectations
Completing a repair job or installation on time for a fair price will satisfy a customer, but to delight them, customers expect much more. Five-star-rated HVAC companies go the extra mile to educate customers and alert them to other potential HVAC problems that could turn into bigger, more expensive problems if left unchecked.
Dino O. appreciated that Air Control of Washington, D.C. discovered issues beyond what the technician was called in to fix.
Air Control’s technician could have simply completed what he was asked to do, but instead he diligently searched for and identified other potential problems. As a result, he created an extremely positive and memorable customer experience that resulted in a five-star review.
In Austin, Texas, Olivia G.’s air conditioner stopped working during a period of record high temperatures. While Mr. Cool couldn’t complete the repair right away, he wanted Olivia and her baby to be comfortable while they waited, so he set up a window air conditioning unit to provide temporary relief. He then repaired the permanent unit as soon as he was able to. Olivia was grateful:
Before starting his HVAC business, Bryant (of Smart Air) had a career in hospitality working at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. He applied the customer service knowledge he gained in hospitality to his HVAC business—and to date, has earned 38 five-star reviews on his company’s Yelp profile.
“Delivering above and beyond really means doing what you say you’re going to do, anticipating a customer’s needs and following through,” Bryant says. “My technicians and I never forget that we provide an essential service. Some situations, like an air conditioner breaking during summer in Texas, are extreme; even deadly.”
The key to success: Go above and beyond for customers, and when possible, think and act outside the box. If you can’t resolve a customer’s issue quickly, look for alternative solutions to help them while they wait.
If you are already doing things right in your HVAC business, it’s likely you’ve got a Yelp profile with great reviews and are reaping the benefits of a five-star rating. If not, make sure your customer service is up to par by following these seven tips—then get the word out that you’re on Yelp.
Reviews from Yelp. Ratings mentioned in this article were current as of 01/01/2014.
Image created by Yelp Inc.