Norman, Okla., was site of a Basic Boot Camp held at Johnson Controls Unitary Products headquarters from which 18 York® territory managers (TMs) were graduated.

At the conclusion of the six-day program, organizers recognized the work of Susie Potgieter, territory manager for Refrigerative Supply in British Columbia. Potgieter earned the highest combined quiz and final exam scores among the TMs who attended the boot camp.

The Basic Boot Camp is the first in a series of workshops designed to provide TMs with the information they need to help dealers plan for and achieve business success, officials said. The entry-level program covers a variety of topics, including consultative selling and understanding the HVAC contracting business in the areas of finance, operations, marketing, and human resources.

The TMs also received information about York’s marketing programs and the Liberties™ program, which provides additional business support, such as advertising and marketing materials and online e-business tools. The classroom-style boot camp included a presentation by Gary Elekes, a professional business trainer and faculty member with Johnson Controls-Unitary Products’ Business Training University.

“At a time when contractors face the challenges of running a small business in a highly competitive industry, the support of well-trained, knowledgeable territory managers is critical to their success,” noted Natalie DeRousse, training manager for Johnson Controls-Unitary Products. “Our boot camps equip TMs with the information they need to explain and help implement our dealer-level business and marketing programs, and help ensure the independence of York dealers.”

After completing the camp with a score of at least 85 percent for their final grade and spending the following six months in the field, territory managers are eligible to attend the next level of Unitary Products elite sales training called Special Ops. This training includes one day of program reviews and four days of case-study analysis of HVAC contractors.

For more information about York, visit www.yorkupg.com.

Publication date: 04/20/2009