Episode 183: HVAC R&D Podcast

Guest: Ryan Fenn, CEO of CHIIRP

Host: Rhydon Atzenhoffer

Listen to the Full Episode: The Follow-Up Problem Costing Trades

The Leaky Bucket in the Front Seat

Another day in the distribution trenches and another day spent behind a windshield, as I was pulling into the branch parking lot, I saw something that happens a dozen times a day in our industry. A guy in a wrapped van, clean truck, nice logo, was sitting in the driver’s seat with his head down over his phone. He looked stressed. Not “I just broke a tool” stressed, but “I’m drowning in digital noise” stressed.

We’ve all been there. You’re trying to balance the tools in one hand and answer a “Hey, are you coming?” text with the other.

Lately, I’ve been talking to a lot of contractors who tell me the same thing: “Rhydon, I need more leads. Marketing is too expensive, and I’m not getting enough calls.”

But here’s the cold, hard truth we don’t always want to hear: Most of us don’t have a lead problem. We have a follow-up problem. We’re spending thousands of dollars to pour water into a bucket that’s got more holes than a piece of Swiss cheese. We’re so focused on the next lead that we’re stepping over dollars to pick up pennies.

In Episode 183 of the HVAC R&D Podcast, I sat down with Ryan Fenn, the CEO of CHIIRP, to dig into why the “fortune is in the follow-up” isn’t just a catchy phrase, it’s the difference between a business that scales and one that just grinds its gears.

The Ghost in the CRM

Ryan shared a story that hit home for me. He’s worked with thousands of home service businesses, and he sees the same pattern everywhere. A contractor spends $5,000 a month on Google LSA or Facebook ads. The leads come in. They’re hot. They’re ready.

Then… nothing.

The lead sits in an inbox. Or maybe the office manager calls them back three hours later, which, in “internet time,” might as well be three years. By the time we pick up the phone, that homeowner has already called three other guys, and the first one who answered the phone or sent a text is the one who got the job.

Ryan pointed out that about 70% of conversions happen after the 8th contact point. Think about that for a second.

How many of us are actually reaching out eight times? Most guys call once, leave a voicemail that never gets listened to, and then “ghost” the lead because they assume the customer isn’t interested. In reality, the customer is just busy. They’re at work. They’re picking up kids. They need you to stay in front of them until the timing is right.

The Realization: Speed is a Competitive Advantage

We often think of “automation” as this cold, robotic thing that takes the heart out of a local business. We pride ourselves on the “human touch.”

But let’s be real: There is nothing “human” or “personal” about a missed call or a lead that goes unanswered for six hours. That’s just bad business.

Ryan explained that automation isn’t about replacing the human; it’s about empowering the human. If a lead comes in at 8:00 PM while you’re at your kid’s ballgame, and your system automatically sends a text saying, “Hey, this is Rhydon from HVAC R&D. I saw your request: want to hop on a quick call tomorrow morning at 9:00am?”: you haven’t lost the human touch. You’ve just secured the relationship before the competition even woke up.

Speed of response isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s a competitive advantage. If you aren’t first, you’re last. In the trades, we talk a lot about torque and static pressure, but we don’t talk enough about communication torque. How much force are you putting into making sure that customer feels heard the second they reach out?

Scaling Without Losing Your Soul

From the contractor side, the fear is always that systems make you “corporate.” From the distribution side, we see this all the time: the shops that grow are the ones that have a repeatable process.

Ryan and I talked about how scaling communication systems is the only way to grow without burning out. You can’t be the lead tech, the sales guy, and the 24/7 secretary. It’s impossible. You’ll hit a ceiling, and your reputation will start to take hits because things are falling through the cracks.

The “CHIIRP” philosophy (and the reason they’ve become a powerhouse in the industry) is centered on the idea that you can automate the follow-up so that the conversation can stay human.

Whether it’s “ghosted estimates”: you know, those $10k system replacements you quoted three days ago and haven’t heard back on: or just new leads coming off the website, the system does the heavy lifting of staying top-of-mind.

Missing calls is expensive. Every missed call is a massive marketing fee flushed down the drain. When you start looking at your business through that lens, you realize that a tool like CHIIRP isn’t an expense. It’s an insurance policy for your marketing budget.

The TradeCrew Application

So, what does this mean for the #TradeCrew? It means we have to stop treating communication like an afterthought.

  1. Audit your response time. Have a friend “mystery shop” your business. How long does it take to get a reply?

  2. Stop being afraid of text. People don’t want to answer the phone during their workday, but they’ll respond to a text in 90 seconds.

  3. The 8-Contact Rule. If you aren’t following up at least 8 times across different channels (text, email, ringless voicemail), you’re leaving money on the table for your competitors to grab.

We talk about “Evolve or Dissolve” all the time at HVAC R&D. This is the evolution. The tech is here to help us work smarter, not just harder.

BOOK YOUR DEMO WITH CHIIRP TODAY!

Closing Reflection: The Long Game of Trust

At the end of the day, our industry is built on trust. But trust isn’t just about how well you braze a joint or how clean your manifold looks. Trust is built in the small moments of consistency.

It’s the “I’ll call you back” that actually happens. It’s the “I’m on my way” text that arrives when it’s supposed to. It’s the follow-up three days after a job just to ask, “How’s the air feeling?”

Ryan Fenn and the team at CHIIRP are giving contractors the tools to be that consistent version of themselves at scale.

Don’t let your hard-earned leads die in an unread inbox. Close the holes in the bucket. Focus on the follow-up.

In this industry, your reputation travels faster than any sales pitch ever will. Make sure your communication is keeping up with your craft.

Stay grounded. Stay hungry.

I’ll see you out there. 🦏💪

Ramblin’ Rhyno, out. Peace Y’all.

Want to keep the conversation going? Check out our latest episode of the HVAC R&D Podcast or check out the resources in the HVAC R&D Resource Hub and remember that you’re part of something bigger. Follow the Ramblin’ Rhyno Column for more reflections on the trade, or contact us to share your story.