Perennial AirTime Crown Champion Brad Schneider Consistently Sells More than $2 Million in Residential HVAC with a Lifetime Closing Ratio of 83% in the 10,000-Person Community of Fredericksburg, Texas. Brad’s Confidence, Refined Systems & Ability to Adapt to Each Unique Situation Are Just a Few Reasons for His Unprecedented Success.
by Bob Houchin
Brad and Jennifer Schneider joined AirTime 13 years ago. Over that time, they’ve built Schneider 72 Degrees® Air Conditioning & Heating into an impressive business—one that’s been featured on the cover of THE COMPASS. At the heart of the business’ success has been Brad’s ability to consistently sell more than $2 million as a comfort advisor in Schneider’s tiny town of Fredericksburg, Texas, which is about an hour and fifteen minutes from the nearest major metro area of San Antonio.
“Before we joined AirTime, I didn’t track numbers. I didn’t care about them. I didn’t worry about them. That’s obviously all changed,” Brad explained. “I figure I’ve sold over $30 Million in HVAC over the last 11 years or so in our 10,000-person town.”
“My lifetime closing ratio is 83%. December is our toughest month, and for the first time ever, I hit a 100% closing rate on 28 calls in a row. I had to work that really hard, because I had several who didn’t want to make a decision,” Brad continued. “I’ve done those types of numbers with a $14,000-average ticket. I’ve talked with sales trainers, and they don’t believe me until I show them the tickets.”
Spend any time talking to Brad, and it becomes apparent why he’s enjoyed such remarkable success. Confidence exudes from him as he speaks about his profession. “Air conditioning has been in my blood almost my entire life. This year is 31 years I’ve been doing this. I’ve been in roughly 80,000 customers’ homes and businesses over the years. There’s no situation I can be placed into that I’m uncomfortable with,” he shared.
Still, no amount of confidence can persuade people to buy a new HVAC system. It takes an incredible amount of talent and ability to communicate and connect with people, while also gaining their trust. Brad knows how to put people at ease that Schneider 72 Degrees® is their best option for each customer’s home and family.
“People always want to know what the secret sauce is. For me, I have a really strong credibility statement. I know my products. I know how to identify clients’ personality types and how to adapt my presentation to them. I can create four to five different presentations based upon their personality traits. If you ride-along with me for a day or a week, you’re never going to hear the same presentation. I adapt it to my situation. Finally, I always keep learning,” he said.
“I’m going to spend, on average, between 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2½ hours in a customer’s home. In our service area, the industry average is about 11 minutes. I spend that time showing people that I’m going to take care of them,” he stressed. “Bottom line, I love helping people. That’s me in a nutshell. I don’t know if I was born to do this, but I think you could say that.”
What is Brad’s unique approach to every sales call? How does he build rapport? What’s his process? How does he make clients completely at-ease over a major purchasing decision? Let’s learn these answers and more in this issue’s “Learning from the Best.”
What kind of goals do you set for yourself?
Every year, Jennifer sets our company goals. What I do is instead of worrying about setting a dollar amount, I look at how many systems I have to sell each year. Based off our revenue goals, I know how many I need to sell. For example, in 2019, I have a goal to sell 281 systems. For me, it’s easier to track how many systems are left each month that I have to knock out, so we can hit our goal. That’s how I track it versus worrying about a dollar amount.
What are your thoughts on training even after all the success you’ve had?
Over the years, I’ve been through lots of training. Training never stops. I’m always training. I’ve used Learning Alliance many times—it’s a great group. I love their Total Access program. They have some really good videos, and they’re not all just for technicians. Those videos are for comfort advisors, too. There’s a lot of good content in there, and it is content that’s been gathered over the years.
Training doesn’t get repetitive to you?
The biggest thing I see is people don’t want to keep progressing. They think they’re good enough. “I don’t need any more information.” The way I look at it, you look at the best guys in sports, and every year, they go back to spring training. I don’t care if it’s football, hockey, basketball. You have to go back every year and get that jumpstart. It gets you going.
Are you responsible for training your team?
Yes, I do participate in our weekly trainings. In our company, I am the main trainer that works with all our technicians. They keep coming to me every day because they say I’m good at handling objections. I tell them it comes down to practice and role-play. We have eight technicians. The technicians come to me one or two times each, per day, and they’ll say, “I ran into this at this call, or I ran into that at this call.” Then, I’ll role-play with them through that situation. Personally, I probably role-play through 20 objections a day. So, no matter what happens, I’m prepared for it. There’s nothing that’s going to catch me off-guard.
Do you do ride-alongs?
I love doing ride-alongs with our technicians when I’m not on a call. That’s the best training I can advise for anyone. Showing technicians processes, steps, and procedures is key. Role-playing in the classroom is sort of scripted. But we don’t know what’s going to take place on a call [when you’re doing ride-alongs]. That’s been the best training for my guys, and it’s helped me sharpen my game.
When going on an appointment, do you do much research on the clients and their homes?
I do. When I get the call, one of the first things I do is pull it up on the map. I want to see the area. And I want to see what homes I’ve been in close to that home. At that point, I know where I’m going. Of course, covering the same area for 31 years, I’ve been in a lot of these homes previously. I might have taken care of that home three previous homeowners ago. So, I’m able to give the current homeowners some history of the house in some cases. But I’ll say this, the worst thing you can do is go into a call with a mindset that this is a bad neighborhood and you’re not going to sell anything. That’s the worst thing you can do.
How do you begin building rapport once you meet the homeowner?
Building rapport is key. People think of building rapport at the beginning of the call—but it never stops, even if you’re going to a client’s home you’ve been to three or four times before. On the comfort advisor side, I see plenty of clients I’ve never met. I try to identify their personality traits based upon the DiSC® profile of both homeowners. I’m really observant of what I see around me. What’s their lifestyle? What do they do?
I’m going to share with my homeowners how many years I’ve been doing this—31 years. How many homes I’ve been in? A little over 80,000. I share that because I realized that I needed to get the homeowners’ level of anxiety reduced because they are stressed. They’re unsure of the unknown. I have to let them know there’s nothing I’ll come across that I haven’t seen or can’t take care of.
But I love asking a particular question, and it breaks the ice and gets us on the same page. I always ask it because you have to have a little fun on a call. I normally ask it as they’re leading me to the outdoor unit, the thermostat, or the access hole in the attic. I’ll say, “John, what do you do for fun that gets you into or out of trouble nowadays?” You’re going to get a giggle out of the homeowner when you ask that question. And it leads me into a lot of different directions because they’re going to tell me about their hobbies or what they do for a day job. Based upon what they say, I can script the rest of my presentation with verbiage that speaks to them. By knowing that information, it gives me a great understanding of how these people are wired and how they’re going to think. So, I have to present things on their level.
Is there anything else you say or do to make homeowners comfortable?
Yes, I share with every client the same thing. It’s a personal goal I’ve had for 31 years. It was instilled into me from my dad. I’m always going to say, “Mr. Smith, I’m going to share with you my three goals for today. Those three things are: I’m here to save you time; I’m here to save you money; and I’m here to make sure you’re safe when I walk out of this home…”
On top of my three goals, I always share with every client that I am a Rotarian. I share with them the Rotarian’s four-way test: Number one, I’m going to tell you the truth. Number two, is it fair to all concerned? Number three, will it build good will and better friendship? And number four, is it beneficial to all concerned?
I ask people: “Are you okay with my personal goals, and are you okay with this personal side of me?” Most people say, “Brad, I know I have the perfect person in my home right now.”
Those are the things I usually do to get the homeowner at ease. Again, I have to get their blood pressure down. Because if it’s high, they’re probably not going to take recommendations from me. They may think I’m trying to take advantage of them. It comes down to an old saying I believe in: “People don’t care how much you know until you show them how much you care.”
Do you share all that information right away or does it come out over the course of the appointment?
I normally share my credibility statement early in the conversation. One, I need them to know that I’m a personal authority—I know what I’m doing. I don’t think people are comfortable enough to talk about themselves. They hide it. The homeowner doesn’t know if you’re new to this versus someone who’s been doing this for 31 years.
My goal is to get that homeowner to say “ahhhh” or “I know I have the right guy out here today.” When they do, I know they’re going to take my advice. I’m going to walk them through their options. And they can feel comfortable knowing I’m going to help them make a wise, educated decision.
How long does this rapport building last?
Usually about 15 to 25 minutes. There have been times I’ve been on a call for almost an hour and didn’t bring up the word air conditioning because I know I haven’t built good rapport with them yet. When you’ve done this long enough, you know if you have good rapport to start the sales process. If you don’t have enough good rapport, don’t start the process.
Where in the home are you giving the homeowner all this information?
Usually, my favorite spot is the kitchen table because I have information I need to lay down. I’m also going to give them an agenda of what I’m going to be doing today and in what order. I’m going to go through the process of introducing myself, our company, our employees, who we are in the community, our ratings with the Better Business Bureau. Then, I’m going to start gathering some history using the Comfort Survey. Getting that information from the Comfort Survey is key because you may come across some problems in the home that they’re not even aware of.
What do you do next?
At that point, I tell clients that I’m going to take a look at the system. I’m going to gather some information and take some photos. Always, always invite your client along with you. Even if the system is in the attic and I’m dealing with an elderly person, I’m going to still invite them along. They’ll tell me they can’t. I’ll ask if they have an iPhone. I’ll just put them on FaceTime. The point is I don’t want them to think I’m trying to hide anything. Even with FaceTime, I take lots and lots of good pictures.
Another thing that helps, and a lot of comfort advisors don’t use it, but it’s a great tool that SGI has available for us—it’s called the True Cost Calculator. It’s probably the best tool I ever had because I always want the customer to know that the system they have today can always be repaired. I don’t want them to think that I’m just trying to sell them a new system. I want them to tell me that they have to replace it. “That system has gotta go.” Those words will never come out of my mouth. The tool that helps me do that is the True Cost Calculator.
Once you sit back down with the customer, do you deliver your presentation with a booklet or a tablet?
I don’t use the tablet other than pictures. I still use a booklet presentation.
Once you reach the end of your presentation, how many options do you give customers?
We have five system-option packages each with different features and benefits. I walk customers through what makes each different. I let them decide which of those features and benefits matter the most to them. Then, I ask them, “Are there a couple of options that you want to take off the page right now?” Now, that usually narrows it down to three options. That’s when you can present down to just those three options.
Do you always show financed prices at that point?
When you get to our last page with the options, the bigger numbers in bold, dark print are our monthly financing options. Below that in a smaller, light-colored print is the total investment.
Once you’ve allowed the customer to narrow it down to three options, what do you say at that point?
I just ask them, “Of those two or three options, which one makes the most sense to you today?” The key word is today. Then, I’m quiet. Let them start talking. A lot of salespeople, if they’re not confident in the product and the value they’re delivering, they’re hesitant to show that big number. That can’t happen. If you have any doubts, the client can see right through you. You have to have confidence. Confidence is king. That’s one of my biggest attributes. I have a ton of confidence in the home. I believe nothing is going to stop me.
How do you handle customers who push back on the investment?
If the dollar amount is a big concern, we have to break that down. That’s when I go back to the True Cost Calculator number that we developed with them. Ironically, if you do the True Cost Calculator properly in front of the homeowner, they’re always going to buy their new system at the same dollar amount that’s at the bottom of that paper. It’s not uncommon to have a number on that True Cost Calculator of 14, 15, 17,000 as that bottom number. Clients buy close to that number because, I think, to them, it’s free money. It’s money they would have spent anyway—but with nothing to show for it. So, it’s crazy how close to that number people always buy.
Sometimes with cost-conscious homeowners, you have to break down how much they’re going to be paying if you do the monthly financing. Here’s what you’ll be saving off your monthly utility bills. Show them that they’re just robbing Peter to pay Paul. You’re just moving money. Actually, you’re giving away that money to the co-op and by spending on additional repairs without gaining any additional comfort. Instead, you could do something good for yourself and good for your family. It’s an investment instead of an expense.
What do you say to people who insist on multiple bids?
You’re going to get those objections if you did not do a good job of representing who your company is, and they didn’t see your value. I let clients know that approximately 90 percent of the systems I see installed today are installed incorrectly. I emphasize our standing with the Better Business Bureau—we are a recipient of the Torch Award [for Ethics], which is the highest recognition that comes from the Better Business Bureau. I also really take the time to go over our guarantees. Our guarantees really set us apart from our competition. In our service area, nobody has guarantees. They have warranties, which are part warranties. But no guarantees. When you can look directly into your client’s eyes and say, “Mr. Smith, this is a project you can trust us with. I’m going to take care of you. I have your back. You’re going to have my cell-phone number for life. If you ever have any situations or concerns, give me a call.” Homeowners can see that sincerity and confidence.
What do you say to customers who “want to think about it”?
Most people today, when someone says, “I need to think about it,” we think it’s the worst case. We think they mean a day, a couple of days, or even a week. That’s not so. Most homeowners, if you have them both there, they only need about four or five minutes.
So, when clients tell me, “Brad, I really need to think about this,” I’ll say, “Great, I think y’all should. Matter of fact, I still need to capture some information, make some measurements on the system and access holes. It’s going to take me about 10 minutes approximately. I’m going to be in these areas of your home. You guys talk. When I come back in, is that enough time for you to think about it?” Most clients will say, “Yes! That’s all the time we need.” Most clients don’t need a lot of time because they know they want to be comfortable. They know they want to be taken care of.
Even with your closing percentage, there must be times you know a sale isn’t going to happen. What do you do in those cases?
There are times you can tell. I think a lot of comfort advisors get too hung up on the one or two or more “no’s” they heard already. A good comfort advisor has a great short-term memory. You can’t worry about those two or three you didn’t close last month. We get too hung up on that. Here’s how I look at it: There’s always going to be a percentage of clients that you never want to work for. There’s a percentage you’ll never make happy. And I have to have a few left over for my competition—so, I want to make sure they get those calls.
What advice might you share with other sales professionals?
Ride-along with somebody who’s a superstar. See how they respond throughout the day. See how they handle their calls. So, find somebody who’s doing it well and just copy them. It’s not that hard. Copy what they’re doing. Because if you know it’s successful, don’t try and recreate the wheel.
Also, learn the True Cost Calculator. There are not enough comfort advisors who know it. The True Cost Calculator stops people who want to cancel on you after you walked out the door. Because they remember that big number. They know if they don’t go forward with this project, they’re still spending that money.
Lastly, don’t stop training. Don’t stop learning. Again, find out what other people are doing. If you see that they’re knocking it out, ask them what their secret sauce is.