How to Build HVAC Team Collaboration for Greater Efficiencies

You are familiar with the benefits of energy-efficient HVAC systems for homeowners. But how efficient is your team? When peak season hits, collaboration can mean the difference between burnout and HVAC teams that thrive under pressure.

Research shows that 73% of employees who collaborate in the workplace do better work, and 60% are more innovative. Collaboration reduces stress and helps your team stay motivated, which is especially important during the summer months when your team works long days and weekends.

Here are three strategies to help you quickly and easily build a more collaborative environment, so your business runs smoothly, your teams get more done, and your customers notice the difference.

3 Steps to Build HVAC Team Collaboration

1. Develop a positive company culture
2. Improve team communication
3. Implement technology that streamlines operations

Develop a Positive Company Culture

A strong team starts with a strong culture. Employees tend to stay at companies where they feel appreciated and valued. They are also more likely to have a positive outlook, which translates well to homeowners. Our Senior Customer Service Manager, Lauren Scanio, shares her advice to keep teams motivated.

Be approachable and genuinely interested in your team members’ well-being.
Did someone on your team miss work last week because their daughter was sick? Ask how she is doing. Maybe send her some company swag.

Show empathy towards their challenges and provide support when needed.
You may have summer employees who are learning the ropes and don’t have a lot of work experience. Be sure they have the training and support necessary to do their jobs with confidence.

Consistently demonstrate fairness, integrity, and transparency.
Employees will be more driven to succeed if they feel they are valued and treated equally.

Improve HVAC Team Communication

Communication goes hand in hand with a positive company culture. In fact, teams that communicate effectively are 25% more likely to meet project deadlines. Better communication equals more efficiency.

One way to improve communication and HVAC team morale is to encourage multi-generational cooperation. Pairing experienced techs with new ones helps employees learn from each other. Newer employees feel motivated when their coworkers support their personal and professional growth, and veteran techs can learn from a younger generation’s new ways of thinking.

Here are some other suggestions to improve communication and collaboration:

• Host lunches or parties for company bonding. Who doesn’t enjoy free hot dogs or pizza?
• Maintain consistent team huddles and meetings. It’s tempting to cancel when there is a full schedule, but that’s when clear communication is most important.
• Ask employees to brainstorm ideas to solve problems. People out in the field provide a different perspective to office staff, and vice versa, plus employees will appreciate that their experience and opinions are valued.
• Consider adding messaging tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack for company-wide messaging and instant communication between team members.

Implement Technology that Streamlines Operations

Your younger employees were basically born with an iPad in one hand and a smartphone in the other. Take advantage of their comfort with tech and give your HVAC team tools that streamline daily tasks.

Consider providing employees with online training opportunities from a company like Skillcat, which offers self-paced HVAC training and certifications. Employees can upskill in their downtime, making the most of their workdays and reducing time allocated for internal training.

HVAC service software provides centralized information in one place, keeping office staff and techs on the same page while allowing them to work independently. Technicians can open dispatching software on their mobile devices and know exactly where to go and what the project entails without playing phone tag with the office.

And, finally, you should take a look at FTL Finance’s AppTracker, a resource hub to track homeowner loan applications from start to finish. You can create homeowner estimates, manage applications, and view funding history all in one platform.

AppTracker not only helps your team work more efficiently, but it also helps you communicate more effectively with homeowners who are exploring their financial options. The Project Estimator within AppTracker allows your employees to quickly calculate monthly payment options, print or email project proposals, and simplify cost conversations with homeowners.

Why Focus on HVAC Team Collaboration?

Employees who work in a collaborative environment are 50% more effective at completing tasks and becoming more engaged with their work. Just imagine your clients relaxing in their perfectly air-conditioned homes, writing glowing reviews about the timely and professional service they received from your team.

“Very responsive!”

“Great communication. 5 Stars!”

Happy, productive employees mean more jobs completed with fewer errors, and that leads to better reviews, more recommendations, and, ultimately, more business.