1. Value must exceed price.
2. Consumers must want your solutions to their problems.
3. They must be able to afford it.
Unstable energy prices can make owning a new comfort system more affordable than ever before.
The majority of your customers’ energy bill goes for heating and cooling their homes. One way to determine what it’s costing them now is to take their mid-spring and mid-fall gas and electric bills, add them together and divide by two. This is now the estimated “base load” (the cost to dry clothes, provide hot water, lights, etc.).
Anything above this amount for gas typically goes for heating. Most usage above the electric “base load” electric bills goes for air conditioning.
If it cost $688 per year to run the air conditioning equipment per year, find the rated efficiency in a resource like Preston’s Guide. If the existing unit is 6 SEER (when new and properly installed) and it is replaced with a 14 SEER unit, the customer would save about $393 per year.
6 SEER ÷ 14 SEER = .43 X $688 = $295
$688-$295 = $393 Savings
If they don’t have past bills, customers can request a 12- to 24-month “utility history” from their utility company. Requirements vary, but customers can usually request the history be e-mailed or faxed directly to you. In some areas, the annual usage appears at the bottom of each bill.
(Natural gas)$269 ÷ $395(Therms) = $0.68 per therm
(Electricity) $247 ÷ $2860 (KWh billed)= $0.086 per KWh
Because energy savings charts use therms for natural gas calculations and some utilities don’t, use these factors to convert your customer’s bill to therms.
1 therm equals: 100,000 Btu’s, 100 cubic feet (1CCF)
10 therms equals:1 MCF, 1 million Btu’s (MMBtu)
Don’t forget to let them know these are estimates and can vary widely based on usage, time of year, and rate structure.
0.65 ÷ .50 = 1.30 (30% rate increase)
On the Estimated Annual Heating Savings line of your energy chart, multiply the savings by 1.30 to reflect the increase.
(Current Heating Cost): $750-$500 (Heating Cost after new furnace)= $250
Estimated Annual Heating Savings: $250 X 1.30 = $325 savings at new rate
To show how energy savings help pay for their comfort system investment, divide estimated annual savings by 12 months for annualized monthly savings, then subtract the estimate monthly savings from the finance cost.
$393 (Estimated cooling savings) + $325 (Estimated heating savings) = (Estimated annual savings of) $718 ÷ 12 = $59.83 (Estimated monthly savings)
139 (Monthly investment to finance $6,000) – $59 (Estimated monthly savings) = $80 (Estimated out-of-pocket per-month).
Make sure to tell prospective customers that rates and savings could go up or down sharply in the future.
If you installed a new comfort system for $6,000 that saved your customer $718 the first year, s/he would realize a 12% return on her investment (ROI).
$718 ÷ $6,000 = 12% First year ROI
Most investments are taxable. For the new system investment to be compared to a taxable investment, assume the homeowner’s tax rate is 36% [100% - 36% = .64]. In this case, the homeowner would have to get an 18% return on a taxable investment to equal the first year’s savings from new equipment.
12% ÷ .64 = 18% Equivalent Taxable ROI
Again, it’s impossible to promise certain savings or specific return on investment.
Their decision affects everything from how comfortably their children sleep at night to their energy bills for the next 20 years. To help customers make the right decision, ask the right questions. Answers to questions like these can help you and your customers both determine what they truly value.
If history is a guide, unstable energy prices will bring out a hoard of folks trying to offer high efficiency equipment at unbelievably low prices. Find out how to truly set yourself apart from the crowd and eliminate the competition in my next article, “Problems Are Not Solved by Equipment Alone.”
Steve Howard can be reached at 800 515-0034 or Steve@NoPressureSelling.com (e-mail).
Publication date: 05/07/2001