HVAC, plumbing, and electrical look like they combine perfectly. Operationally, they’re completely different businesses. I’m not saying don’t add a second trade. I’m saying overprepare before you do. Have you built a membership base big enough to carry HVAC through the slow shoulder seasons? Do your customers even know you offer the new trade? We’ve had plumbing for almost 10 years and still get customers surprised by it. That’s a cross-selling gap most owners never plan for.
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HVAC plumbing and electrical look like they combine perfectly. However, their operational models are completely different. There's a little similarity between plumbing and electrical. HVAC very different than the other two. You have to take all these things into considerations when you're looking at becoming a multi-trade operation. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying prepare, frankly, over-prepare before you ever add a second. HVAC, they're seasonal demands. And depending on where you are in the country, you may have what they call shoulder seasons. Well, how are you gonna deal with those? Have you built up your membership base big enough to carry you through those months when it's 60, 70 degrees outside? Cross-selling, how are you gonna promote these trades with your customers? How are they gonna find out? I know we still have customers today that are surprised we have plumbing and we've had it for almost 10 years. All of these things are things that you have to consider to make adding a second trade in effective means of growing your business.
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