HVAC contractors often view what they do as a mechanical process. They visit a site to either repair or replace equipment. But for residential HVAC contractors, what they really do is perform a series of interpersonal actions. The coronavirus pandemic suddenly made that process much more complicated. The industry responded quickly, however, and moved ahead with contactless payments in a way it had avoided for years before.
Tom Howard, vice president of customer experience for ServiceTitan, also co-owns Lee’s Air Conditioning, Heating & Building Performance in Fresno, California. Until this spring, it seemed cutting edge to have his customers sign a tablet rather than a piece of paper. The pandemic changed the process for a simple transaction into a potential health threat: A tech would hand the device to customer, and that customer would then rub her exposed finger on a surface numerous other people had touched.