HVAC answering services are on the menu here at Apello. We take immense pride in working with our HVAC clients to provide top-tier customer service that makes for happy customers, improves brand loyalty, and ensures that emergencies are handled in a timely manner.
A good deal of an HVAC contractor’s business rests in emergency service. Furnaces break down on cold winter nights. Air conditioners stop running during the heat of summer. Whether it is residential or commercial, HVAC contractors need to be able to respond quickly. And for that to happen, they need to be dispatched equally quickly. That’s where we come in.
Any answering service offering to answer calls for an HVAC contractor must have the ability to dispatch quickly. From our perspective, there are five keys to doing it well:
1. An Effective Triage System
At the top of the list is an effective triage system. Triage is all about prioritizing calls so that genuine emergencies are handled first. It is performed by asking callers some basic questions, like:
- How serious is the problem?
- How long has the problem been going on?
- Are extreme temperatures affecting you?
- Are there any genuine safety hazards to worry about?
Incidents involving genuine safety hazards, like gas leaks for example, are immediately sent to the top of the list. Incidents that seem like emergencies to customers but are comparatively minor to technicians can be dropped down the list.
2. Clear Dispatch Protocols
Next are the dispatch protocols that determine how emergencies are handled. Such protocols define the criteria for what constitutes an emergency. They provide step-by-step procedures dispatchers are expected to follow. Finally, dispatch protocols define escalation procedures guaranteed to generate a response even if the first person on the response list is unavailable.
3. Technician Tracking
Emergency dispatch is made easier when dispatchers can easily locate technicians in the field. For a small HVAC company with just one technician, GPS tracking allows the dispatcher to know where he is at all times. When multiple technicians are working, tracking allows the dispatcher to send the closest technician when available.
Technician tracking also keeps techs honest. Dispatchers can know where they are at all times. Likewise, management can be fed the information. The end result is more productivity as technicians are kept on task.
4. Direct Communication
GPS tracking is of limited value if dispatchers are unable to communicate directly with technicians. Therefore, effective emergency dispatching requires those direct lines. Dispatchers should be able to connect with on-call technicians via text messaging or a mobile app.
The one downside with direct communication is that technicians can be unnecessarily interrupted. This only slows them down. So with direct lines of communication there should be companion policies governing how, when, and why techs are contacted directly. Dispatchers should know and understand the policies thoroughly.
5. Integrated Software
Finally, the modern HVAC contractor relies on software to manage everything from customer relationship management to tracking job details. Ideally, a live answering service should be able to seamlessly integrate its systems into the contractors.
Full software integration streamlines emergency dispatching by making data available in real time. As the operator is on the call, they are entering information into the system. A technician in the field has access to that information as they need it.
Emergency dispatching is part and parcel with HVAC answering services. If you run an HVAC business and are not getting the service you expect from your live answering service, consider contacting Apello. We have a proven track record of successfully working with HVAC companies to handle their emergency calls.
