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in real time . Installers can raise and approve quotes , buy stock and schedule deliveries , all while standing in front of the customer .
It may seem far-fetched but it ’ s not . Companies like snap-it ( https :// www . snap-it . app ) are transforming plumbing in the UK , reducing time and effort to order and collect parts for plumbers . It won ’ t be long before HVAC businesses will be able to focus on the jobs rather than spending hours driving and queuing for parts .
STEP 4 : PLATFORM-LED PARTNERSHIPS Technology platforms allow different companies to plug in products and services from one place . They aren ’ t new . Uber is a platform connecting cars , scooters , couriers , drivers and restaurants to end users . They don ’ t always own the service but they connect it to people who get value from it .
Imagine this for HVAC installation . Imagine installers tapping into lead generation , marketing , customer relationship management , job management and learning tools . Imagine seamless transactions between installers , suppliers and customers . Imagine access to working capital and invoice finance to grow your business . Imagine offering ‘ buy now , pay later ’ options .
This vision of the future is not science fiction . The technology to achieve it exists today . Advancing the industry requires closer collaboration across manufacturers , suppliers and installers . We need to stop operating in isolation and ask , not only : ‘ How do we take bigger slices of the pie ?’ But also , ‘ How do we make it bigger for everyone ?’
At ServCraft we ’ re not imagining the future . We ’ re building it . RACA
“ As more HVAC installers adopt technology , there ’ s a growing opportunity to connect them with suppliers .”
Charles Freedman is the CEO of ServCraft ( www . servcraft . co . za ), a South African-designed and built job management software provider for HVAC installation and other field service businesses .
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RACA Journal I April 2023 www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za