Having the Talk: Approaching the “Replace or Repair” Conversation with HVAC Customers
People get attached to all sorts of things — photos, family heirlooms, trusted appliances, and, yes, sometimes even HVAC systems. At some point in every homeowner’s life, there come moments where they have to decide whether to repair or replace their HVAC. It’s up to you to help guide them to their best possible decision. We here at McCall’s are here to help.
Assessing with Certainty
Every HVAC dealer has their own benchmarks by which they recommend repair or replacement. The National Association of Home Builders’ Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components claims that air conditioners last between 10-15 years, heat pumps last 16, thermostats stretch to 35 years, and residential furnaces average 15-20. Others recommend repairing an individual unit no more than twice in its lifetime or repairing for over half the cost of a total replacement.
Know your repair vs. replacement guidelines so you can offer them to the client with utmost authority.
Keeping the Client in Mind
No one customer is the same as another, so it’s important to keep each individual’s history, needs, and input in mind when discussing the benefits of replacement and repair. How much use do they get out of their HVAC system? How financially comfortable do they feel with either a repair or replacement? Are they looking for a short-term or long-term investment?
Give them plenty of room to ask questions so you can best tailor your advice to them as an individual.
Frame the Conversation
Client resistance will most likely arise if they really need a replacement, but don’t want to get one. If you think a replacement is particularly crucial, frame the suggestion as a long-term investment: it’ll save money, stress, time, and energy.
In Conclusion
If you need more advice, reach out to us. We would be more than happy to use our decades of expertise to help guide both you and your clients in their HVAC experience. Contact us here.