Ethics are an important topic in any industry.

As a company, behaving ethically is essential from the

standpoint of continuing to stay in business. Customers, vendors, or even employees who feel the
business is behaving unethically are not likely to stick around. A company guarantees that they develop
relationships and trust with everyone they work with, whether they are clients or coworkers, by acting
ethically. Unfortunately, many HVAC businesses fail to act ethically as they ought to, which discourages
clients from using such services. The main ethical transgressions in the HVAC sector that erode client
confidence in the service.

 Disclosure of Pricing

Many customers like to know how much they can expect to spend on maintenance or repairs. While
costs aren’t always completely foreseeable, especially in cases where the problem isn’t clear cut, it’s
important to have full disclosure with customers about any increase to the quoted price. Good ethics
involves giving customers the chance to decide if they want to incur greater costs. It’s also important to
explain what the additional costs are for and why. Too often, services are performed without any
discussion of the necessity, leaving some customers feeling like they’re in the dark about what was
actually done. No customer wants to deal with bait-and-switches, over-pricing, or lack of
communication. These things understandable cause a lack of trust in the company’s services and
ultimately made lead to a loss of business.

 HVAC Misdiagnosis or Non-Diagnosis

HVAC systems are highly technical, meaning customers depend on skilled HVAC technicians to
properly diagnose any issues they’ve been experiencing. Thorough diagnostics aren’t just for the
technician to determine the nature of the problem – they also allow customers to understand what’s
going on with their equipment. A good diagnosis should include an easy-to-understand description of
the problem, and the technician should be willing to spend time explaining the issue and address any
concerns the customer may have. This not only allows the customer to make a more informed decision
regarding their equipment, but it also builds further trust between the customer and the technician.
When dealing with older HVAC systems, it may be necessary to inform customers that the system is at
risk of future failure. This can be a difficult conversation with some, as they may feel you’re trying to
oversell. It’s important to explain the potential risks however, as the unit may fail in the near future,
leading to an angry customer. As with any difficult conversation, clear, open communication will help
customers feel more at ease with the information and allow them to make an informed decision.

 Other Ethical Issues

If there’s a need to change the product specifications, this should always be discussed and agreed to
by the customer – they shouldn’t have to find out after the work is done that the equipment installed
isn’t product or level of quality they were expecting. Employees that are work on commission or other
types of profit sharing can also cause unethical behavior, as it sends a message that the bottom line is
about profit – not customer service. We’ve identified a few areas that HVAC maintenance can present
ethical issues and cause understandable suspicion about having HVAC work done. At PECO, integrity and
ethics are at the cornerstone of what we do. We take every measure to make sure that we act ethically
with our customers, from the moment they call us to the moment we leave their home. With our skilled
and dedicated technicians, our clear-cut pricing, and our priority to customer service, you can feel
confident any time you give us a call!