We classified one-star reviews of 700+ HVAC companies, and misdiagnosis outranks price as the top complaint
How HVAC companies lose customers
HVAC is the trade where customers most often say the tech didn't know the equipment, and where a careless job can put a family at risk. The reviews we analyzed show the damage concentrating in three places: the diagnosis, the install, and the invoice.
The diagnosis: the tech guessed on expensive equipment
24.2% of HVAC one-star reviews cite competence, the highest rate of any trade we measured.
"Tech came and identified inducer motor as the problem. Costly repair. Furnace did not work overnight. Another tech comes and states the intake is the issue and clears it. That was the actual problem." — La Vista, NE
The install: careless work is dangerous
23.1% of HVAC one-star reviews cite careless workmanship, running nearly as high as competence. In HVAC, a sloppy job has higher stakes. A shortcut could mean a code violation, a fire, or carbon monoxide in a house.
"[HVAC Business] caused a FIRE in my home. They installed a new heater in my attic. They left the warning labels in the heat exchanger which caused a FIRE in my attic." — West Sacramento, CA
The invoice: the number depends on who showed up
20.1% of HVAC one-star reviews describe a pricing complaint and another 19.6% describe a billing one.
"I almost spent $8,000 replacing my system based on their recommendation. Thankfully I got a second opinion. Another company diagnosed the actual problem and fixed it with a simple part replacement for a few hundred dollars." — San Diego, CA
Every one of these decides whether a customer calls you back, calls a competitor, or writes the review that scares off the next ten prospects. Which one is closest to costing you depends on your stage of growth.
What your briefing includes
✓ Your biggest exposure, the pattern most likely to cost you a customer next, with the data from your trade behind it
✓ What to fix for your stage, specific enough to action
