Starting and running a successful refrigeration company can be a challenge, but it's well worth it in the long run. When you remain organized and market your company effectively, you can increase your income and even hire staff to do the work for you.
First, you'll need to train as a technician and obtain the correct licenses and insurance. Once your company is set up, you can start advertising, both offline and online. Over time, you'll build up a solid customer base, and your business will grow. Good home service software can help you provide an excellent service, no matter how large your team.
Get the Correct Training and License
You don't have to go to college to become a refrigeration technician, but you have to complete high school and then either attend a trade school or community college or obtain an apprenticeship. Working under more experienced technicians for a few months or years is a good idea because it allows you to gain some experience without having to deal with the pressure of owning a business straight away.
Once you have completed your education and obtained your full license, you can start your own company. The process is slightly different depending on where you live, so you'll have to check with your local government or more experienced refrigeration technicians. In most places, you'll need to get a business license, which has to be renewed regularly.
Get Insurance
Just like licensing, insurance requirements aren't the same in all areas of the country. In some places, insurance is required, but in others, it's up to you whether you'd like to protect yourself. No matter what the law says, it's always a good idea to take out liability insurance, which protects you against lawsuits filed by customers or members of the public, for example if you damaged someone's property or inadvertently caused a personal injury.
In addition to liability insurance, you might consider taking out a policy that protects your property. This is necessary if you have a business vehicle and expensive equipment, which you might find difficult to replace if it got destroyed or stolen. Finally, you'll need workers' compensation insurance once you employ others to work for you. This policy protects you if an employee files a lawsuit because they got injured on the job.
Set Up Relevant Marketing Channels
Unless you're taking over someone else's business, it's unlikely that you'll already have customers. Therefore, marketing will be one of the most important tasks when you first set up your company. You can market yourself offline, for example by handing out flyers in your target area, putting an ad in the local newspaper, or putting up signs around the neighborhood. However, these efforts are often expensive and slow, and they don't always yield good results.
Online marketing is a cheaper, more effective alternative. Set up a well-designed, search engine optimized website and two or three engaging social media profiles. If you're not sure how to get started, home service software can help you. A program like ServiceBox will audit your website, so you can figure out what you still need to work on to attract more customers. Additionally, social media profiles can be coordinated and updated on one convenient platform.
Impress Your Customers with Great Service
If you consistently use multiple marketing channels, you'll get lots of leads and build up a customer base within a few weeks or months. At that time, you'll start working on providing each customer with an excellent service, so they'll be happy to work with you again in the future, and they might even refer their local friends and family members.
Aside from focusing on providing the best refrigeration repair and maintenance possible, you can impress people with great customer service. When you use ServiceBox, you can store all your customers' data and add to it whenever you work on their account. That way, your staff is always updated, and they can provide a personalized experience.
Hire Talented Staff
At the beginning, you might set your company up as a one-person business. However, good marketing can lead to high demand, so you might soon have to hire some additional team members. This is great because it allows you to delegate some of your work and earn money even when you're not on the job.
To preserve the reputation of your company, always vet your staff carefully. Do a thorough background check and ask potential refrigeration technicians to perform some sample jobs for you.
Always Focus on Communication
As your team grows, keeping track of all your employees and their customers can become a challenge. Fortunately, comprehensive home service software helps you stay on top of things. On the ServiceBox platform, you can see everyone's calendar, and you can update it by dragging and dropping new tasks into each employee's schedule.
Because our software comes with a mobile app, every team member can install it on their device and use it when they are out and about serving their customers. That way, changes can be made in real-time. For example, your employees can update a task if they finished it more quickly than expected, so you can assign them something else, or they can let you know if they are running late.
Setting up your own small refrigeration service company is a great way of increasing your income and building wealth. While running a successful business is challenging, there are tools that can help you. With home service software, you can improve your marketing efforts, coordinate the schedules of all your employees, and offer excellent customer service. Contact us at ServiceBox to discuss your plans or to start your free demo now.
