Don’t be left behind in the world of digital data

As the digital transformation phenomenon sweeps across all industries, don’t be the HVAC team that gets left behind. Technological advancements have been bringing increased efficiency, accuracy, and streamlined operations to HVAC businesses everywhere, and at the core of it all is digital data capture. Whether you’re switching to digital forms, implementing automated customer intake processes, or simply preparing your organization for the groundwork of a digital transformation, getting all employees on board with the changes is key. As with any change, adjusting to new means of tracking critical client, project, and equipment data can be tough, but you can get your team on board with the idea using just a few simple methods.

Understanding the Benefits of Digital Data Capture for HVAC Teams

One of the best ways to ensure the adoption of your new data capture strategy is to help everyone understand the benefits to the business as a whole. From reducing errors and saving time to better planning for the future, digital data capture can benefit every aspect of your business.

Better Customer Service and Retention

With digital data, you’ll be better prepared to automate your customer contact and retention services. This means the ability to proactively schedule preventative maintenance appointments, regular check-ins, and other routine maintenance checks without requiring manual processes to do so. Imagine if your office staff were no longer tasked with the process of recording individual customer calendar reminders and sending personalized emails about scheduled appointments. What other, more productive, tasks could they be focused on if those pre-scheduled maintenance visits could be automated?

Improved Accuracy and Minimized Errors

Digital data capture gives your team the ability to minimize errors upon first data capture, and completely eliminates manual entry errors during data transcription. By utilizing mobile forms for your data capture, your on-site field technicians can accurately record detailed client information during their scheduled visit, and then automatically populate that form detail into invoices, customer records, and even audit trails without risking missing or inaccurate data.

Clearly Communicate About Processes and Concerns

It’s no secret that employees of any level have an easier time accepting change when they are included in detailed discussions about the process and its reasoning. When it’s time to transition away from paper-and-pen data capture methods for your HVAC team, the best thing you can do is make sure everyone is well aware of the changes and help them understand the obstacles that brought about this new solution.

Really Listen to Employee Concerns

Just as your employees want to be informed about the changes coming their way, they may also be more amicable to the changes if they feel their concerns are heard by leadership. When presenting the new technologies to your team, make sure that you take the time to ask for questions and actively listen to any challenges that arise. Even something as small as a reluctance to embrace eSignatures can really be rooted in a fear of technology or change as a whole. Oftentimes these fears can be assuaged with genuine empathy and understanding of where that fear is coming from.

Explain All Aspects of the Change

Implementing new technologies isn’t the time to rush through anything or skim over any details. Make sure that your entire team is well-informed on the processes of the technology and what all it should do. In the case of digital forms, look for a solution that can ease the learning curve by maintaining the exact formatting of your existing paper forms, but now available on a mobile device. Letting your team know that you expect some initial hiccups, and that there will be training and support available for them can also take the sting out of the change.

Make the Benefits Clear and Engaging

While you may have already covered what the benefits to digital data capture are, helping your team see the benefits on an individual level can make a huge difference in the ease of adoption. In some cases, this doesn’t mean illustrating time saved or better data provided for the organization, but showing how much easier and more engaging it can be on an individual level.

Use Devices Your Team Already Enjoys

If your organization is typical, many of your team members already utilize smartphones and tablets in their personal lives. This is a perfect opportunity to present them with devices they’re already familiar with. Depending on your local ordinances and company policies, you may even be able to let your team use their own devices, lowering the barrier to entry for implementation of your digital data capture.

Emphasize Personal Benefits

Illustrating the benefits to the company as a whole is great, but it’s much easier to build a positive rapport with your team if you can show them what’s really in it for them. Make it clear how much easier their jobs will be once they learn the new technologies and devices. This can be everything from taking less time filling out paperwork to ensuring accurate paychecks with their new digital timesheet. Benefits like these may not seem like a substantial change for the organization as a whole, but it shows your team that you care about their ability to do their jobs quickly, safely, and efficiently as well.

Embracing digital data capture within your HVAC business isn’t just a technical shift. It requires a transparent conversation and a bit of a cultural change within your organization but also holds the power to elevate your operations while also streamlining the workload of your entire team. Keep in mind that change requires patience, and by working openly and communicating clearly with your team, you can minimize any bumps in the road to a full digital transformation.

About GoFormz

GoFormz is a digital forms solution that helps bring your data into a single, actionable place. We believe that everyone should be able to fill out their forms online and deliver products and services that redefine how people and businesses collect and process information. GoFormz is ready to bring your HVAC processes to the digital realm with digital forms that look exactly like your current paper forms, but without the mess, hassle, and frustration that comes with them. Complete with a mobile forms app with online and offline accessibility, your teams in the office and on-site can always have up-to-date information as soon as they need it.