Commercial HVAC maintenance agreement

Why use an HVAC checklist during a home inspection

What’s included in a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement?

Any HVAC business worth its salt knows that developing and contracting a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement is a deal that can help increase your business to the next level. For many HVAC business owners, however, a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement might be something you’ve been forecasting for your business. If so, you probably have many questions.

What’s included in a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement? 

• What’s the best way to outline one? 
• Do all commercial businesses require the same needs? 

What is to follow is a guided overview of a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement, best practices, and a high-level template that you can use for your business in order to either improve your existing HVAC maintenance agreement strategy or implement your first one.

Commercial HVAC maintenance agreement at a glance

A commercial HVAC maintenance agreement is a contractual agreement that outlines continuous HVAC services to a client. The services in question include ventilation, heating, air conditioning and air purification. Furthermore, commercial service agreements include regular maintenance, cover breakdowns, and replacement of pertinent equipment when necessary.

As an HVAC business, you love a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement because it creates stable, recurring work over the course of the contract. 

The client loves a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement because it eases the stresses of dealing with their intricate heating and ventilation systems. In addition, the agreement streamlines their expense forecasts and offers a clear contact whenever something with the ventilation goes awry. 

How to implement a commercial HVAC maintenance agreement.

Step 1: Survey the business’ equipment

One of the most important steps in outlining your commercial HVAC maintenance agreement is a proper survey of the commercial business in question. Every business has different HVAC equipment that is at different points of its lifecycle. Identifying the health of the equipment will help you outline what applicable repairs will be needed once the agreement is purchased and worked on.

It’s important to note that this inspection should be quoted in advance to the business in question. The fee for the inspection can take into account an hourly rate or a flat fee. The inspection cost can be applied to the eventual service agreement if an agreement is reached or charged if the customer chooses not to progress to a contract. 

Step 2: Price out the agreement

After a proper assessment has been made with the overall condition of the equipment a forecast of the agreement is the next step. Here you will:

• Determine how many maintenance calls are required per month/year
• Account for any special environmental circumstances contingent on the business in question (higher lint, dust, sawdust, airborne pollutants, or chemical interference).
• Identify future problems that might arise like difficult access and heavy erosion. 

Determine what types of risks and liability to will be taking on over the life of the agreement. It is always best to forecast any scenarios that could go wrong that way you are protecting yourself and your business rather than falling victim to a one-sided agreement. 

Your customer’s investment with the agreement will be a thorough outline considering your price to repair all anticipated breakdowns in conjunction with your price to perform maintenance during the length of the agreement. 

Step 2.1: Equipment you shouldn’t hold liability

During the initial surveying of the equipment, it is more than likely you will come across some equipment that is beyond repair. In this case, with your proposal, you should pitch replacement of the faulty equipment. Here you should properly illustrate to the business that the replacement cost-benefit outweighs continuing with the suspect equipment. 

Figure the cost of replacing the equipment as well as the forecasted maintenance costs. With working in new equipment, you also have an opportunity to lengthen the timeline of the agreement. When combining replacement with full service over a longer period time you will see your risk diminish and the stability of your agreements rise. A sensible customer would love this too as it reduces their uncertainty and helps them properly budget future expenses. 

Step 3: Propose an agreement to the customer

When the technician that performed the initial survey of the equipment illustrates exemplary workmanship, a lot of the pitch has already taken care of itself. That’s another reason step one is so important. 

The goal of your commercial HVAC maintenance agreement sales proposal is to be simple and direct – it is a comprehensive rating of the current equipment that is going to be covered, any replacements that may be needed and the manner in which everything is covered during the length of the agreement. Make sure the proposal is easy for the potential customer to understand and outline all of the terms and conditions precisely as discussed. If you’re looking for a convenient way to create and manage HVAC sales proposals, consider using Housecall Pro’s HVAC sales proposal software.

Not all potential customers have the need and wherewithal to sign on the dotted line in the moment. If this business needs some time to think it over and consult other members of their business, let them. Of course don’t let a potential deal fall by the wayside. When you make it easy for your potential customer to do business with you, you open up the possibility for future recurring business and referrals within their network. 

Capturing and performing ongoing commercial HVAC maintenance agreements is key to bringing your business to the next level. It allows for better forecasting of future revenue as well as scaling the necessary resources for your business. Use this template and get capture your first agreement this year.