As professionals in the HVAC industry, every technician in our teams is a often cool-headed person, but nothing gets them hot under the collar more than news of a customer getting scammed. The dirty tactics false companies employ make the entire industry look bad, and destroy the trust people have in honest technicians.
The only way to stop such scams from spreading around is for customers to recognise the different ways of how HVAC scams work. There are several red flags customers can watch out for in classic HVAC scams. With this knowledge, they can act as their first line of defence against losing hundred or even thousands of dollars. These will also help ensure that customers only get high-quality HVAC maintenance services.
When Everything is Special
The first buzzwords that should make customers pay attention are ‘special rate’ and ‘more affordable’. These are just things they say to get in the door, it doesn’t take much for a savvy salesman to charge people more without them realising it until it’s too late. But is there really a more affordable rate available?
Fortunately, bargains, sales, and special offers are easy to verify. Legitimate HVAC companies have websites that list their products, services, special offers. Finding out about special rates is as easy as clicking a mouse. But the best protection against this tactic is to always get a written estimate. Making the technician write down what they think the service is worth puts them on the spot about their competence, as well as giving customers something to compare other services to.
One Hit Wonder
Scammers know that they can only fool a customer once, so they’ll try to milk a customer for all they’re worth on that one time. Customers should be wary when a supposed technician tells them they’ll need to replace several parts in their HVAC. Air conditioners aren’t built in a cascade; when a unit fails, it’s usually just one component that needs immediate replacing – three at the most. Any more than that, and the customer should try looking for a second opinion.
Air conditioner manufacturers use some of the most advanced pieces of equipment to put together each unit. There aren’t many features that distinguish one brand from another, which means the contest for customers is fierce, and their name is their only currency. Multiple component failures is a death sentence for a brand, and thus a highly unlikely scenario under normal circumstances.
These are just a couple of things customers can look out for when looking at the services of an HVAC technician. But if you want people who are tried and true anywhere in New South Wales, give us a call. Our teams are friendly, and professional about their work, which aims to bring the best service the industry has to offer.