No Matter the Uniform, Practice Makes Perfect
Successful HVAC companies share a lot in common with the top NFL teams
As fall creeps closer and the autumn season turns down the country’s ambient thermostat, men (and many women) across the country turn their attention to America’s most popular sport: football.
Earlier this year, more than 111 million people tuned in to watch Super Bowl LI, which is heralded by many to be the greatest comeback in sports history. My condolences to those of you residing in Atlanta.
Some of the greatest football teams of all time were known for their unique game plans. The 49er’s had Bill Walsh’s West Coast attack and the Redskin’s racked up rushing yards behind the famed Hogs offensive line. And while all great teams utilize different strategies, they often possess similar winning characteristics, such as phenomenal leadership, winning cultures, well-prepared game plans, clutch performances, and, of course, a heavy dose of luck.
A successful HVAC contracting team can largely be defined in the same vein.
LEGENDARY LEADERS
The NFL has sported its fair share of great owners.
The Rooney family purchased the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1933. The Rooney’s have won six Super Bowl championships.
Jerry Jones, owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, purchased the team for $140 million in 1989. Today, the team is worth $4 billion.
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The HVAC contracting industry boasts its fair share of great leadership, as well.
Take Mike Agugliaro for example.
Agugliaro, and business partner Rob Zadotti, formed Gold Medal Service in East Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1994. The electrical contracting company, which formed with two trucks, four employees, and less than $1 million in revenue, now includes more than 100 trucks, 125 employees, and $32 million in annual revenue.
Agugliaro, who was honored as one of The NEWS’ “Best Contractor to Work For” in 2015, credits his success to many factors, including a caring culture.
“Our core values are key,” he said. “No. 1 is safety first. In this industry and the trades, safety is very important. No. 2 is delivering ‘wow’ through service. It’s just not giving OK service — it’s about delivering wow-level service. No. 3 is having the highest level of integrity. You want to work with people you can trust and respect. The fourth and last one is the biggest one, and it’s that Gold Medal is a great place to work. It’s all for one and one for all. When you come to our company, it’s clear what our core values are — we eat, live, and breathe them.”
Ryan Snow, president of Orem, Utah-based Western Heating & Air Conditioning, grew up in a small, rural area in Utah, where the big economic force is coal mining. At a young age, his brother pursued a career in heating and air conditioning. A couple of years later, Ryan Snow followed his brother’s lead and entered the HVAC industry.
After moving up the ranks of a large national company, he opted to start his own company due to the professional safety and security it afforded.
In 2007, along with his wife, Angie Snow, and two other employees, Ryan Snow opened Western Heating & Air Conditioning.
Today, Western employs 20 individuals with 15 vehicles in its fleet. The company’s revenue reached $3.6 million in 2016 and continues to grow.
“We’re looking at about a 30 percent annual growth rate,” said Angie Snow, who serves as the company’s vice president. “It’s been awesome. Some of it comes from branding, but a lot of it comes from our culture. We’ve set up a very positive culture and work environment here. We try to take really good care of our employees, so they can take care of our customers. We all just pull our weight and work hard. And, of course — work hard and play hard.”
SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS
Football players live football 24/7. From film study to hours in the weight room to conditioning drills to study halls focused on the playbook, they completely immerse themselves in their craft.
HVACR employees aren’t afforded an offseason. They don’t have the luxury to study their opponents on film or position coaches to diagnose individual strengths and weaknesses. And, while service managers and senior technicians may help fix issues that arise, these corrections are almost always made on the fly.
If HVAC owners want to strengthen the performance of their teams, they must rely on training sessions, seminars, and conferences, where they can immerse themselves in the latest equipment, tactics, and guidance necessary to catapult themselves from average to market-leading.
Such an opportunity lies just around the corner.
Service World Expo is the bold, new, must-attend, conference, trade show, and networking event for residential contractors involved in plumbing, HVAC, or electrical service who want to ignite growth and performance in their companies. Being held Sept 7-8 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, the event will encompass game-changing seminars, entertainment events, and a product showcase.
But, don’t take my word for it. Ask Agugliaro and the Snows yourself, as not only will they be in attendance at this year’s Service World Expo event, they’ll be presenting.
For more information, visit www.serviceworldexpo.com, email info@serviceworldexpo.com, or call 844-742-3970.
Publication date: 8/14/2017
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