The salient point of this podcast episode revolves around the imperative of maintaining integrity in the HVAC sales process, particularly when dealing with high-end clients. We delineate the importance of adhering to ethical standards and refraining from cutting corners, regardless of the circumstances or the perceived pressures of competition. As we explore the nuances of servicing affluent clientele, we emphasize the necessity of ensuring top-notch quality and delivering exceptional value, even if it necessitates additional effort or resources. Our discussion underscores that a commitment to integrity not only enhances one's reputation but also cultivates lasting client relationships built on trust and reliability. Ultimately, we advocate for a sales approach that prioritizes the well-being of the client, thereby fostering a culture of excellence within the HVAC industry.

There are two types of people in sales, those who overcharge, and those who don’t. Sales is a very interactive type of business where you gain the trust of a client, and this is best done with integrity. In this episode, Sam Wakefield reminds everyone about the importance of integrity, not just in business, but as a person. Being in service, he emphasizes the importance of doing everything you can to get things right the first time around, not cutting corners even if they can outspend you. Learn how you can differentiate yourself from competitors and imprint quality service on your clients without lowering your prices.

The discourse presented in this episode of the 'Close It Now' podcast delves deeply into the significance of integrity within the HVAC sales profession. It is imperative to understand that the essence of sales transcends mere transactions; it encompasses the cultivation of trust and a reputation for reliability among clients. The host, Sam Wakefield, elucidates the necessity for HVAC professionals to adhere to ethical practices, particularly when dealing with high-end clientele, who often possess the financial means to demand excellence. Throughout the discussion, Wakefield emphasizes the importance of performing tasks diligently, irrespective of whether they are visible to the client or not. He asserts that the commitment to quality service is paramount, as it not only reflects one's professional standards but also influences the long-term success of one's business. A strong focus is placed on the idea that clients appreciate the value of thoroughness and integrity, which, in turn, fosters a loyal customer base that will advocate for one's services in the future.

Welcome to Close it now, an H Vac sales training podcast with Sam Wakefield.

Here we'll build your reputation in residential H Vac sales to be the expert influencer in your market.

You'll get insight into the top minds in the industry as they share their skills and hacks to help you on your journey.

This podcast isn't just about selling more.

It's about understanding your customers needs and building efficiencies behind the scenes so you can sell more but work less while being top of mind when people think H vac.

Now let's get started with your host of the Close it now podcast.

This is Sam Wakefield.

Hey, all right, Sam Wakefield here with Close It Now.

How are you doing?

When I'm recording this, it's coming up on display for you guys and girls.

How is your year going?

And if you're hearing this any other time, how is your year going?

When you are, message me, let me know, let me know what time of the year it is.

What date did you listen to this podcast and what part of the world are you in?

I know we have listeners all around the globe, so shoot me a message at Sam, Close it now dot net.

That's S A M at Close it now dot net.

I would love to hear from you.

And how is your life going?

How is your sales career in H vac?

Are you getting value from this podcast?

I would love to hear your feedback.

Also, drop me a line.

What is a big question?

What is if I were to put together a training course for a sales system, what is the biggest question you have?

What is the one thing that I must not leave out of process or just in general, what is your very biggest question about selling air conditioners and heaters, selling comfort, selling a humidity control, selling indoor air quality control, overcoming objections, you name it, the sky's the limit.

What is your biggest question?

Email me that samloseitnow.net I want to hear from you because as I build courses and record podcasts, I want to help you accomplish overcome the struggles that you're having so you can next level your sales career.

So today we are talking about something that's really important.

Of course, every podcast is really important, right?

But this topic is a little bit different than an actual sales process or procedure.

What we're talking about today kind of stays with the theme of integrity that I've really been focusing on lately.

Because you know, in our industry we know what we do to a T. You know, we're to the you know, super, super detailed level.

However, we also know that most other people don't know to the level that we do.

So there comes a time that we have a decision to make.

The things that we do a lot of times are easy to do, but they're easy not to do as well.

So this involves integrity topic today because this really, really focuses on when we have those white glove clients.

Of course we have to always, always, always do the right thing, even when no one is looking.

That means going the extra mile, you know, taking the extra steps.

If you're doing an install and you're the in the far corner of an attic or a crawl space and no one else can see you, do you still take the same measures and maybe tie things on the way that you know you should or do you cut corners?

So this is what we're talking about doing what's right even when no one's looking.

So with that, and this is really, really, really focused on when you start to have those clients that are, you know, what would be considered the A level client.

You all know who we're talking about, the big house.

They drive a Tesla or a Ferrari or something like that.

A very, extremely high end client.

In short, don't cut corners, go the extra mile.

Do what it takes to get it right the first time.

And with that I also mean don't be scared to charge enough to ensure that you have enough cover to do it right the first time.

And in no way am I talking about overcharging this client.

I'm talking about if you know that a project at a house like this is going to take multiple return trips, allow some for that.

It's okay.

People at this level a hundred percent want it done right the first time, even if it's a few trips, then always rather you'd get it right the first time, even if it takes a little bit longer and cost a little more than have to go back to fix things that are not working from the get go.

And so don't ever, ever, ever cut corners, especially if they can outspend you.

Because what happens, and I can raise my.

I've seen the situation too many times where a company was hired, they came in either the comfort consultant was maybe scared to charge the right amount for the sake of not getting the job.

So then they cut some corners and then what happened?

Well, the project didn't go as planned, of course, because step one from the very beginning was out of integrity.

Something happened, something was damaged and sure enough, that client, because they keep an Attorney on retainer turns around and sues the contracting company and puts them out of business.

Now, of course, that's why we have business insurance.

However, I just want you to be aware, this happens.

Doing what I do and working with so many companies, I see this happen, sadly, more often than it should, because people aren't.

They just don't take the right steps to do it right the first time.

And it's not that hard.

And I know that most of you who listen to my podcast are not that company, thankfully, because I'm attracting a tribe.

You guys are the tribe of doing it right.

You're the tribe of accomplishing things over and above.

You give more value than you take so that everything grows and blossoms and it flourishes.

And that is amazing, and I love it.

But I just want to make sure that.

And the reason this is coming up, because I've seen it happen recently in my town, there's a big company that was Undercutter Project, and sure enough, this exact same thing happened.

It's a company that, you know, no one would expect to have those kinds of issues.

However, they did, and they went away for this very reason.

So I want you to be very cautious to always do the right thing, no matter what, no matter who's looking, especially if they can outspend you.

And it's just so easy to do the right thing and walk in.

Integrity, because integrity, that.

That's what we do.

We serve the client, we serve people with in a way that.

So it's like Zig Ziglar always said, if you don't know who that is, look him up.

One of the world's greatest motivational speakers and trainers, Zig Ziglar, he always said, when this was his very famous catch line, was if you help enough people accomplish what they want or get what they want, you can have anything you want.

If you help enough people get what they want, you can have anything you want.

So what that tells me, though, is your focus can't be on yourself.

Your focus has to be on helping others.

Your focus has to be on serving the client in a way that's far and above anybody else.

Because this is the other common theme is our industry is so boring when it comes to the sales process, when it comes to all of the things, what can we do to do business differently?

Be thinking about that.

Don't just have maybe a little bit better offer than the next guy.

Have something so completely different and breathtaking to the client that they think, oh, my gosh, I've never experienced it.

Anything like this, especially when it comes to heating and air plumbing or electrical or whatever service company you have, have your client of the mindset when, when they've interacted with you, they feel like a million bucks.

Because people don't care how much they know until they know how much you care.

They want to know how it's all about how you make them feel.

They'll always forget what you tell them.

They always forget everything else, but they will never forget how you make them feel.

Feel.

And they want to feel like you.

They literally want to feel like they're your only client.

If you treat each client like they are your only client and that you would just do everything for them now and again.

Just to, you know, obviously be clear, that does not mean, you know, give in to the whims of clients who are unreasonable or, you know, have unreasonable expectations, but just treat people awesome, be awesome and treat people awesome.

And the rest takes care of itself.

Don't cut corners, walk in honesty, walk in integrity.

And it's sad.

For one, it kind of hurts my heart that I have to that I feel inspired to record this kind of a podcast because, you know, going online and jumping into all the different Facebook groups that are out there, you know, it just is so sad how many people would just as easily take advantage of the client or, you know, not walk in honesty and integrity, you know, and at the same time, I know some of you are thinking that this has, this conversation has to do with price, and it does not.

I am in no way saying that you need to lower prices.

You should get a very fair wage for what you're doing.

You need to charge what it's worth.

And by that I'm saying that it's okay to be more expensive as long as you provide more value.

The company I work with, we're one of the most expensive in town and we're proud of it.

Because there's not another company that provides the same kind of service, the same kind of back end service, and my back end service, obviously it's after the sale, what happens.

You know, we've got quality control, we've got, you know, a true person who answers the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Now, you might be a small company, you might not have that, and that's okay.

But how can you provide the next level of service that supports what you're charging?

It's perfectly awesome.

You should be getting killer margins on your projects because, you know, you're not out there killing somebody.

You know, you're not cutting corners.

You're providing an awesome service.

So right now, I give you permission to raise your prices.

It is okay.

In fact, I can almost guarantee you, 99% of you out there listening to this, you know in your heart of hearts that you are not charging enough for your repairs and for your installs.

Raise your prices right now.

You need to do it.

But that's it that my passion is.

And the other reason for that is for the clients.

People who invest more, expect more.

And as they expect more, they also appreciate more.

It's just like if you go to a training course.

I mean, I've been to, I've paid literally thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars to go to sales training courses and personal growth seminars and all these different types of things.

But I know of people who were given tickets who didn't even bother to show up to the same event that I was paying thousands of dollars for because they didn't appreciate it, because it cost them nothing.

And so that absolutely carries over into what we do in this industry.

You have to charge so people will, they'll appreciate the value that you're bringing.

And just ask.

You ask the client.

And we're not dumb.

We know this.

It's not a race to the bottom.

Every single person will tell you that the cheapest person doesn't bring the same kind of value.

But the cool part is knowing that when you can educate the client and show them and say, Listen, we're not $2,000 higher.

We' $3,000 higher.

We're $3,000 different.

And if you would allow me, I'd love to show you how.

And then when you go through all of the details and the different ways that you are different than the guy that's, you know, charging 3,000 less, that is when you're able to one influence, but educate the client into realizing that, you know.

And then once you do that, here's the cool trick.

It's not even a trick, it's just a cool technique.

You say, you're, for example, your client says, okay, we're going to be in the house 10 years.

And then you say, okay, well, great.

So, you know, you're telling me that our nearest competitor, and you say that it seems like the same equipment, the same project is what they're giving you for $3,000 less.

I would love to be able to explain to you how we're not $3,000 higher.

We are $3,000 different.

And at the end of the day, once you go through that explanation and then you say, Mr. And Ms.

Homeowner, you said you're going to be in the house for 10 years, right?

Yes.

Okay, so that's easy math here.

So you're telling me that for $6.25 a week you are willing to go with a company that may be cutting corners?

By all means, it looks like they're cutting corners here.

Here's how we're different.

They might not even be pulling a permit.

They literally are skipping the steps that it would take to make sure that your family doesn't suffocate at night because of a gas leak or a furnace or electrical fire.

That's the reason we pull permits.

That's the reason we take the steps we do.

If you break out 10 years and you divide that across $3,000 at 10 years, by how many weeks, that is at $6.25 a week.

So you're telling me for a one Starbucks coffee a week you're willing to go with a subpar installation and ask them that if they seem really focused on that lower number, break it down by the week and help them understand that the difference is quality, the difference is safety, the difference is savings.

The difference is a properly installed system is going to save.

Even the same equipment installed improperly will not be nearly as efficient.

Because always, always, always we know that there's no such thing as an apples to apples.

That's a load of bull crap.

That is a way of consumers mind of trying to justify their decision for a lower price.

We know that if we can educate properly and then take that number and break it down to a week type and if you want to go even further, go to go to a day that's literally less than a dollar a day that they could have the best install without cutting any corners.

Guaranteed it's going to be done right the first time.

And just break it down like that to the client and you will be amazed how many times they will say, you know what, you're right.

I mean me and my team, we walk away with, you know, projects that are thousands higher than our nearest competitors all the time by this kind of conversation.

Now on the backside of it, this ties back into how we started this podcast, this episode of, you know, we have to, if we make these promises like this, we got to deliver.

You have to, you know, obviously be confident that your team can give that level of install and that level of service.

But as long as you are, absolutely use this technique in the conversation to close the deal.

Because remember, you can't help them if they don't buy from you.

That is the only way to serve people is if they choose to use your service and use your product and move forward with you.

If they don't move forward with you, you can't help them.

So the reason so many people are so resistant to sales is they're thinking about themselves and what people think about them.

Their focus is wrong.

Your focus has to be on how you can help the client, and that's by doing it right the first time.

So that is my message today.

Absolutely.

One, use that type of a conversation.

That kind of conversation is powerful.

Just be blunt with them, break it down, educate and let them decide.

And at the end of the day, if they sell you, you know what, Noah, I'm not going to go with you.

I'm going to go with somebody else.

You know, then you can absolutely end up with what happened to me this last year.

I had a client that I went to, I had this conversation with, they still chose the cheaper company.

It wasn't six months later I was on the same street across the street at the neighbor's house for a two system estimate.

The neighbor tells me, yeah, man, you know, my neighbor across the street, he had you out.

And they asked for me specifically had you out to give an estimate for their project.

But they ended up going with somebody else and asked him.

I was like, well, why didn't they refer them to you?

He said, they were so disappointed in the other project, they wish they had gone with you.

So when I asked him who he used, he told me who he used.

But he also said, absolutely, do not call that company, Call this guy, call Sam.

Because I wish I would have gone with them instead.

Because what I ended up with was nothing but a nightmare and a headache.

Use their company and I'm sure that you'll get a much better project.

And so sure enough, I got a, you know, a two system project out of the referral from somebody that I didn't even sell a system to.

They went with, I lost that project.

They went with somebody else.

That to me was ultimate form of a compliment to somebody who didn't choose me, referred me over the company they did use.

And that is the level of service that you have to provide every single time you're in a home.

Don't let yourself get lazy in your rock star presentation.

Don't take the shortcuts in the presentation.

Don't take the shortcuts in the installs, because it will always come back to haunt you if you do.

So that is the message.

You guys go, be safe.

Out there.

Join the Facebook group.

Go to CloseItNow.net that'll link you right to the Facebook group.

Read about the coaching programs.

We have some killer coaching programs.

If you are ready to up level your game, Jump on board.

Shoot me a message.

Jump on board.

The coaching programs, they're always rolling and oh my gosh, we have people literally having like crazy number differences.

So shoot me a message.

Let's get on a call.

I'd love to talk to you.

I'd love to hear from you.

What's your biggest question about the sales process?

Selling heating and air?

A track?

Anything?

Is it the numbers?

What is it?

What's your biggest question?

Let me know and go out there and change the world one heat stroke at a time.

Save the world one frostbite at a time.

I will talk to you guys soon.

Thanks for listening to Close it now with Sam Wakefield.

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