Why NATE certification?
It's good business sense--because customers want it! Consumers need assurance. Most don't know how to differentiate a good technician from a bad one, and certification helps them distinguish between the two. Consumers are afraid they will be taken advantage of--and a contractor having certified technicians help allay these fears.
Certification shows that a technician has taken control of his career. It shows that the technician has attained a verifiable skill level and proficiency. And it shows the technician is a professional. Any technician can say they're knowledgeable --but a NATE certified technician can prove it!
87% of consumers prefer a certified technician to service their HVAC systems, according to a survey by Decision Analyst for Contracting Business magazine. Moreover, of that 87% surveyed, 55% indicated that they have purchases, upgrades, or retro-fits they want to have done but are holding off on because they do not know who to go to that is reliable. That means contractors are losing retail dollars they could capture if they could gain the homeowner's trust. NATE provides consumers a level of assurance that benefits everyone.
Certification brings several benefits to all concerned.
- A certified technician has more self confidence than a non-certified one.
- Certified technicians have proven that they know HVAC/R.
- Certified technicians tend to do the job right the first time.
- Certified technicians have fewer callbacks than non-certified ones.
Certification is important because it indicates professionalism, pride in a job well-done, and a level of technician proficiency. No one can guarantee a technician's performance, but we can guarantee that on the date he or she tested and passed that they knew HVAC/R.
Call-backs represent an expense, because are not income-generating activity --and they hurt not only your bottom line, but also your credibility with the consumer. For consumers they represent lost income, because the consumer is off work waiting for the technician to do the job.
NATE gives contractors:
Marketing Edge
Employing NATE-certified technicians, helps you set your company above the rest. The Consumer Contractor Connection business locator puts you as close as the consumer's telephone! There are 43,000 zip codes nationwide; currently there are 25,000 zip code listings on on the Consumer Contractor Connection web site, meaning a consumer can generally find a contractor reasonably close to home. Having NATE certified technicians and listing every city and zip code your company serves means consumers can find your company when they need help.
Contractors with NATE certified technicians can request a free Contractor Marketing Kit CD from NATE. This contains logos for use on literature, business cards etc..., public service print and audio announcements, a Consumer-Contractor Connection listing form, a sample press release, and information about NATE marketing.
100% Certification Advantage
If 100% of your technicians hold NATE-certification, contact NATE and let us know. We will verify it, and we'll issue you a Certificate of 100% Technician Compliance to hang on your wall, and a send you a press release to forward to your local newspaper. We will amend your Consumer-Contractor Connection listing to identify your business as one where every technician holds a NATE certification. That sets your company above the competition.
Companies with high numbers of NATE certified technicians are
identified as Quality Circle contractors.
Bottom-Line Advantage
NATE-certified technicians meet the highest standards of HVAC industry knowledge, so it is more likely that they will install and service systems right the first time.
This means fewer callbacks. Technicians with few call backs make more income-generating calls.
It's simple math: Fewer callbacks means more profitability.
Management Edge
Whether you hire NATE-certified technicians or get your current employees certified, you'll know you're getting employees who know what they are doing and are serious about their careers. If you employ the best, you can charge amounts commensurate with the skills for their services. Consumers will pay more for a job well-done.
What Do Contractors Say?
John Saucier: “If you’re on the fence about NATE certification, it’s time for you to get off of it and get your technicians certified. Someday, and it will probably be sooner than you think, NATE will reach that critical mass when manufacturers will require it for warranty service. Don’t be left behind by your competitors. Show your customers that your technicians are professionals and meet the only industry-accepted standard of excellence—NATE-certification.”
Eric Kjelsus: “NATE differentiates me from other contractors in the marketplace—an important point when you’re in a market with 1,472 contractors in the Yellow Pages. Certification gives the customer more confidence that the technician knows what he’s doing, and it gives the technician more confidence in his abilities.”
David S. Hutchins of Bay Area Air Conditioning noted “Our service manager said he knew that they (technicians) had improved, and pointed to a 20% decrease in recalls, as the only real number to credit to NATE certifications.”
Stan Zwaduk of Apple Heating said, “Call backs are at an all time low 2%; GM$ per hour up about 10%.”
Contractor Marketing Kit
If you offer a service and don't tell consumers, how are they to know you offer it? Advertising and public relations are marketing. Market your company!
NATE's Contractor Marketing Kit is available to contractors employing NATE-certified technicians. The kit contains an ad slick of NATE logos for use in ads, yellow pages, on brochures etc... plus sample newspaper articles and press releases to highlight that your company employs NATE-certified technicians. It also contains a sample of logos, news releases, and a four-color consumer brochure you can download, customize and take to your printer that gives consumers reasons they want a contractor with NATE certified technicians.
You can add the NATE logo to your telephone listing, your ad in the local paper, your sales literature and letterhead. Tell consumers that you've got the technicians they want!
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