Staying the Same Means You Are Losing Ground
Is your organization changing? If not, it should be. Former NFL coach Jon Gruden perhaps said it best when talking about teams and players: “You never stay the same. You either get better or you get worse.”
The same can be said about the HVAC industry. Is your business getting better? If the answer is no, the organization is getting worse. It’s as simple as that.
Here at The NEWS, we are always trying to be better. Most of the time, improvement is accomplished by adding new products — sometimes at a dizzying speed. While an HVAC contractor might be adding plumbing or home-performance contracting, in the media business, we add items like digital editions, apps, and eBooks. Probably a little easier than your gig.
Of course, the other way to improve is simply do what you’re currently doing but do it better. This is hopefully what The NEWS is starting to do this week. In case you have not noticed, our publication has undergone a significant redesign. We put a lot of time and effort into making the product even better for our readers.
Like any company change, we did not want to change so much that we strayed from our core goals. So, this magazine is still a quick, easy read to get up-to-speed on everything involving the HVAC industry. From new products to legislation affecting the industry to business management advice, we have you covered. That is what you have come to expect from us, and we will continue to deliver.
Some of the items you might not notice — a change in color here and a switch of font there. But, more significantly, we have cleared out the back editorial page for contractors to provide their insights. Great contractors like Butch Welsch and others have been writing for us for years, but now they have a dedicated page where, each week, you can gain advice and read opinions from your peers. We have found that, as often as we write about a subject, it means more when other contractors who are “on the ground” speak to it. The NEWS is also expanding the Hydronics Zone column to include more authors. Speaking of hydronics, this is another potential way for contractors to improve their businesses and bottom lines.
We will also have a more visual section letting readers know what we are covering at achrnews.com. Our website is undergoing a redesign, as well, and should be completely mobile optimized by the time this issue reaches your hands.
Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS
We hope you enjoy the new look and content and, as always, appreciate any feedback. You can email me your thoughts at kylegargaro@achrnews.com.
In the meantime, take a look at your business and what you are doing now. How long has it been since you added a service? It does not need to be something as drastic as plumbing or electrical — although it could be. Perhaps you want to dive into ductless, zoning, or simply offer generators. Remember, if you are staying the same, you are getting worse when compared to your competition and will probably be losing market share.
Of course, the other part of the equation is that perhaps you just tweak a part of your business. When is the last time you looked at all your marketing materials? Do they look fresh or stale? Sometimes, it can be difficult to see the forest from the trees, so, perhaps, bringing in some folks that are not usually part of the process would be beneficial. Look at everything in your business, from how you answer the phones to the process for social media. Because you have done it that way in the past is not a good enough reason to continue doing it in the future.
Get better each and every day and watch your company prosper.
For more on expanding services, visit http://bit.ly/AddingInsulation
Publication date: 6/8/2015
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