Who is servicing your grocery HVAC? (and why it could be a million dollar question)

August 29, 2022

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Quick: how many truck rolls did you have last year for heating and cooling issues? How many of those were callbacks for the same problem?

Data from Trane shows that 40-60% of truck rolls can be prevented with remote monitoring by factory-trained HVAC technicians. It may sound cost-effective to contract HVAC service with your refrigeration vendor. But we’ll show you why it’s the opposite. Modern mechanical systems are complex, and refrigeration technicians aren’t equipped to solve most issues. Trial and error at several hundred dollars a pop can add up quickly—in dollars, downtime and carbon emissions.

This article will outline three reasons why it’s more expensive to have your modern HVAC system serviced by refrigeration technicians—and why a Trane National Accounts HVAC service agreement is a smart step towards meeting your operational and profitability goals.

3 reasons an HVAC expert should be servicing your system

1. Costly, carbon-generating truck rolls.

Improved first pass yield is the most significant benefit of a Trane service contract. Refrigeration contractors are experts at their own systems. But they aren’t equipped to service modern HVAC equipment and often require multiple truck rolls while trying to solve your issue. Return visits compound an already carbon-heavy building performance.

With Trane, one dedicated national service team can remotely monitor your buildings and systems nationwide. When an issue arises, they’ll have real-time and recorded data at their fingertips for diagnostics. Issues can often be resolved without a technician ever setting foot on premise.

If our local factory-trained Trane technicians do need to make a site visit, they’ll know exactly what the issue is and what parts are needed before they arrive.

2. Improper servicing or neglected optimization can shorten the lifespan of your HVAC equipment.

It’s never good news when your equipment needs replacing. Especially now. Supply chain issues and delays mean your best bet is to keep your current equipment running efficiently for as long as possible.

Regular maintenance and optimization are the key to offset system degradation that occurs naturally over time. But who performs that maintenance matters. Access to a national network of more than 2700 factory-trained technicians ensures the same level of expertise and high standard of service no matter where your facilities are located.

If a well-meaning local refrigeration contractor makes adjustments to your HVAC system, it could result in unintended consequences for both systems (see next section).

3. The better your HVAC system works, the better your refrigeration system works.

HVAC plays a crucial role in protecting profitability. A well-maintained mechanical system ensures the proper store temperature and humidity to keep your refrigeration system from working too hard. If the store temperature rises for any number of reasons, the refrigeration system is stressed as it has work that much harder to cool the too-warm air it pulls it into your cases.

It's an interdependent relationship, to be sure. But it requires two separate service vendors. Using your refrigeration technician to service your HVAC can negatively impact both. Modern systems and controls are complex, and our factory-trained experts will ensure that your system is working as it should be. Moreover, we’ll likely be able to do it remotely.

There’s no question that your refrigeration systems are critical for your grocery business, and you likely have a service contract with a trusted refrigeration vendor. A separate contract with Trane is the best solution for your HVAC system performance, optimization and longevity.

So how do we go about developing the right mechanical service agreement for you? Our proprietary process results in a customized plan to help you meet energy and operational outcomes.

The Trane Approach to Supermarket Customers

Optimize: With technicians that combine technology and data with experiential wisdom to make recommendations and provide full OEM support, Trane does more than maintain your equipment—we optimize your results.

Update: We listen carefully to what improvements you want—and why you want them. Then our advisors combine your building and system data with their experience and expertise to recommend a plan that will improve and enhance your buildings’ performance.

Repair: If something goes wrong, our factory-trained technicians make it right, right now. We have a strong national network of experts as well as technology-enabled remote support, so we can easily and quickly service not just any Trane system, but any HVAC system.

In summary, a Trane National Accounts HVAC service agreement can help lower your operating costs by reducing callbacks, providing preventative maintenance and through the ongoing monitoring and management of buildings remotely. We understand the complexity of not just your HVAC, but all your systems throughout the building and how they work together for optimal functionality.

Get in touch with your Trane National Accounts team to find the right service solution for you.

Kasey Boxleitner

About the author
Ethan Kinsey, Sales Leader – Key Accounts

Ethan Kinsey is a sales leader for Trane’s Key Accounts team responsible for the innovation and growth in the Grocery store Vertical Market. In this role, Ethan leads a team of account executives focused on developing programs that provide consistent support of the execution of building expansion across the US and Canada as well as ongoing maintenance and optimization of their customer’s existing building footprint. Ethan has been with Trane since 2007 focused entirely on national program sales in the retail, commercial and industrial sectors. Ethan lives with his family in Sachse, TX and is a graduate of Texas A&M University.