Bernard Heating & Cooling was recently featured on the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Behind the Business” podcast. While our company is not new to serving the HVAC needs of customers, we’ve recently branched out into residential services. Check out how we’re different from most HVAC service providers and why we’re excited to serve the Hudson community.
A Little About Bernard Heating & Cooling’s History
Our business was actually started in 1991 by two brothers to provide not only commercial heating and air conditioning but also refrigeration, beverage, ice machine, and energy management services. This business thrived for 20 years, but residential was always percolating in the background.
In 2020, amid the pandemic, Eric Bernard decided to launch the residential division. The core commercial business was in South Akron, but Eric wanted to serve the local residential community around Hudson. So, they opened a location right on 91, just north of Norton.
With a focus on customer service, Eric brought in Jess to manage the office. Not only does Jess handle keeping things organized and making sure the technicians have what they need, but she also organizes the community involvement efforts, what we call Community Giveback.
Community Giveback
One of the driving values of Bernard Heating & Cooling is the idea of giving back to the community. This past Christmas, our office served as a drop-off location for Toys for Tots. To thank people in the community for supporting these kids during the holidays, we offered either a free spring or fall maintenance or 50% off an annual service agreement.
Additionally, we’ve gotten to know many businesses in the area. To help keep their employees safe and comfortable over the holidays, we have offered many 50% off residential service agreements for their teams, which include routine maintenance.
We’re just getting started with the Community Giveback efforts. One of our driving values is the belief that we can build a business while also doing good in the community. Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page to see what else we have cooking to give back to the Hudson and Stow communities.
Commercial Business vs. Residential Business
When it comes to providing residential service, Eric was surprised by how important the maintenance agreements are to keeping homes safe and comfortable. It’s always during the most extreme temperatures that residential equipment breaks down, and that’s when there’s the longest wait for service.
As Eric learned, residential maintenance agreements help prevent many of these breakdowns. During maintenance, one of our techs inspects and tests your system to ensure it’s ready to withstand the strain of the extreme temperatures. Moreover, our team cleans and tightens your system to prevent needless strain that leads to breakdowns.
Customer service is a key pillar in defining our business. Regardless of whether we’re working with a large commercial project or a small residential no-heat service request, we want every one of our clients to feel valued and appreciated.
Partnering With the Right People
One of the challenges the HVAC industry has faced since before the pandemic has been finding qualified technicians. We are constantly searching for the right-minded people to join our family.
When we meet with a prospective technician, it’s as much about making sure they match our culture as it is that they are qualified. Without having an intrinsic desire to serve the community, it’s hard to provide quality service. While technical experience is essential to providing safe and effective service, we believe in training the people who are naturally a good fit and align with our service orientation.
Our goal is that our team enjoys working with us as much as we enjoy working with them. That’s why Jess helps organize company events like the Christmas office party. Our team even takes things a bit further on their own, organizing impromptu ugly sweater contests and more.
When our people enjoy coming to work and interacting with their clients and co-workers, they provide better service. To offer the best service to residents around Hudson, Stow, and the entire Summit County area, we have to also provide a company people are proud to represent and where they enjoy spending part of their lives.
Bernard Heating & Cooling serves the heating and air conditioning needs of residents around Hudson. Our team provides friendly and expert heating and air conditioning installation, maintenance, and repair. Schedule your service call with one of our local technicians today.
