Order Process
Order Process
Developing An Order Process
Our Order Process allows you to transition the sale into a successful stress-free installation, so no time is wasted. The process heads off any error from being made, finds out what will be needed for the upcoming installation, and keeps the client aware of what is happening in their home.
Develop an order process within your sales team and it enables you to give clients the correct quote and decrease downtime between sales & installation.
A Trades Company starts the order process in the client’s home, and it serves as both a mark of professionalism and dramatization. The Sales Consultant literally phones in that picklist in front of the client, and they will be impressed by this act.
(Don’t worry, we have a write-up dedicated to the picklist process, but for now, let’s dive directly into the order process.)
Take Note: A Trades Company holds each of its sales consultants accountable for making the order process according to the company’s process manuals. They are not alone in the field but supported by the entire company in the office and warehouse, but the process needs to be followed to a capital T.
Let’s look at the different people involved in the order process because each one plays a different role.
The People in the Order Process
Remember a process is made to guide people, so we need to understand who we are leading through this process and the characters involved.
Client: This is our homeowner who agreed to an install
Sales Consultant: Your sales consultant in the home who works to process the order with the client
Sales Coordinator: Receives the picklist phone call and the information needed to process the order
Sales Manager: Receives the phone call when the Sales Coordinator is not available
Now that the introductions are out of the way, let’s move into the actual order process.
Much like the Follow-up Process, the Order Process has a front-end client-facing side and a back-end sales team side, but it all begins with a customer agreeing to purchase based on the quote. The Back-end process will only be lightly touched on with the bulk of that process being covered in the Picklist Process article within the Best Business Practices Pillar section of the website.
Order Process Visualized
1) Quote Client:
After the Sales Consultant has gone through the entire sales process a quote is given to the client.
2) Client Agrees to Quote:
The printed/digital quote is in the client’s hand, and they agree to the terms.
3) Obtained Signed Quote:
Before getting the client’s signature, the sales consultant walks them through the details of the unit/equipment they have purchased for installation. Answers any additional questions the client may have, and kindly ask them to sign it if they haven’t done so already. Depending on your company’s home service software, a quote can also be signed digitally.
4) Obtained Signed Paperwork:
In the region A Trades Company operates, there are several legal documents the client must be aware of and also sign before any HVAC installation can be done. Make sure 2 copies of each document are signed, one for the office and one for the client. All of these documents are located in the Sales Kit section and each one is explained in detail.
The Sales Consultant should explain the following with each document:
- The Consumer Protection Document was put in place to protect consumers from unfair HVAC sales tactics, and by signing this the client confirms they invited A Trades Company into their home.
- 10-Day Waiver, every HVAC sale is fully refundable up to 10 days from the signing date, but the client can waive this period and have the work started before the ten days only if signed.
- Financing Agreement (if applicable), there is a high chance that a client goes with financing and the Sales Consultant needs to present and walk them through the options available. A Trades Company offers eight different choices, and this is explained in its own write-up.
5) Verify Measurements with Pictures:
The Sales Consultant walks through the home again and verifies all the following measurements:
Measure and detail all the ductwork on the Furnace Diagram sheet located inside the Sales Kit.
- Height from floor to ceiling
- Furnace side to side
- Furnace front to back
- Height of the existing furnace
- Size of the plenum opening at the top of the furnace
- Top of furnace to the bottom side of the supply air takeoff
- Side of the furnace
- Return air trunk
- Where required, the measurement between the return air trunk and supply air plenum
*Double Check all above measurements
Take the following pictures of the pre-existing unit and the surrounding workspace.
- Take pictures of the space around the existing system
- Take pictures of the ductwork
- Take a face-on picture of the area that is being worked on
- Take a downward picture of the return air ductwork going into the existing furnace
- Take pictures of where the vents are currently going (the pathways) – if not currently existing where the location will be going
- Take pictures of where the supply is going to go
- Take pictures of where the refrigeration lines are going
- Take pictures of where the evaporating coil is going for the air conditioner
- Take pictures of the outside unit/space where the new unit will be going
- Take pictures of any locations where new venting, air supplies, pumps, etc. will be installed
- If the thermostat will be moving, please take a picture of the locations (existing and future).
- If there is something you are looking to communicate with the Install Team, taking a picture is the best way to communicate it. Be sure to add notes to the pictures.
6) Electrical Panel Review:
Take a picture of the inside of the electrical panel. Determine if there is enough space required for the installation. If everything looks good skip to step (9)
7) Schedule the Electrician:
If there is not enough space, speak with the homeowner and explain there needs to be electrical work done before the unit can be installed and that the easiest way is to use the company’s electrician (or one the client knows) and for us to explain and schedule the work with the electrician with their approval.
- Sales Consultant contacts Sales Manager to obtain the contact info for the current Electrician of choice.
- Sales Consultant contacts the Electrician and together with the client determines a suitable time for a visit.
- Sales Consultant needs to contact the Sales Lead Coordinator to ensure this appointment time is set in their calendar.
8) Electrical Appointment:
Follow the same steps as the sales appointment process (see our Sales Appointment Process) when going back to the client’s home. Make sure to arrive before the Electrician, so you enter the home with them and have a smooth visit.
9) Call in the Picklist:
The Sales Consultant calls in the Picklist with the detailed measurements they have gathered and checked and rechecked. This process is explained in the Picklist Process located in the Best Business Practices Pillar
10) Book Next Available Installation Date:
- Working with the Sales Manager (or whoever created the picklist) the next install date available will be suggested to the Sales Consultant.
- The Sales Consultant will check with the client as to their availability.
- Together they will work back and forth to find a date that works for the client.
- Advise that the client needs to be present during the installation appointment.
11) Debrief With Sales Coordinator
- Immediately following every appointment, the Sales Consultant must debrief the Sales Lead Coordinator on what transpired during the meeting with the client.
- This debrief should happen sitting in the company vehicle immediately following the appointment at a location close to but away from the client’s home.
- This debrief includes the name of the client, the product the sales consultant feels they are likely to move forward with, the dollar value before taxes, the percentage the consultant feels they are likely to move forward and when is the follow-up scheduled.
- The Sales Lead Coordinator will track this information in the Home Service Software system.
12) Debrief With Sales Lead
- Immediately following the debrief with the Sales Lead Coordinator, you must debrief the Sales Manager.
- This debrief should also happen sitting in your vehicle immediately following the appointment at a location close to but away from the client’s home.
13) This debrief will include
3 things you did well & 1 thing you need to work on.The goal of this debrief is to strengthen your existing skills so you are always improving with each subsequent appointment.
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