Rochester, N.Y., February 13, 2002 – Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. has been named "2002 Residential Contractor of the Year" by Contracting Business Magazine. The company serves 77,000 customers in the Greater Rochester Area and achieved $12 million in sales in 2001. Isaac was chosen for the award from among 34,000 heating and air conditioning firms nationally.
"It's an honor to be so highly acknowledged within the industry," says Ray Isaac, general manager for Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. "What's more gratifying is that this award only comes to us because of the strong relationship we have with our customers, their satisfaction with us, and our constant striving to meet their needs better than anyone else."
Contractor of the Year winners are selected because, among other criteria, they nurture employees, create career paths for them and maintain high levels of communication with them and with customers. Another criterion is awareness of and quick response to changing market conditions and to new opportunities that fit the company vision.
According to Contracting Business, which profiled Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning in its February issue, "The story of this company's success, achieved through its strategy of slow, steady growth and unwavering focus on doing what it does best, holds a lesson for contractors who are looking to build a company that will survive and thrive through the generations."
In the case of Isaac Heating and Air, the company has survived through two generations and is still growing and expanding. The company recently opened an office in Avon, NY and is in the process of a $600,000 headquarters expansion. Included in a 10,000 square foot addition to the building is a new, 2,100 square foot showroom and learning center– a feature that is unprecedented in the industry locally.
The company established "Isaac University" in early 1999 to provide continuing education opportunities to all employees, free of charge. It meets on site every Tuesday morning to cover topics ranging from technical instruction to the "softer skills" that contribute to customer satisfaction. The company also provides tuition reimbursement and pays for other industry training including a self leadership empowerment training course completed by all service technicians.
Some of the "softer skills" Isaac implements are the use of drop cloths and boot covers in customers' houses; allowing for the scheduling of sales and service appointments online; and providing a full-scale, full-time emergency crew.
"As far as I know, we are the only residential contracting firm that provides this extensive an emergency crew. We have salespeople and two installers available 24-7, 365 days a year," says Ray Isaac.
Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. was founded in 1945 as a home heating business and responded to changing market conditions by adding air conditioning services and, more recently, by moving into niche markets such as appliance service and gas fireplace installations. The company is located at 180 Charlotte Street, Rochester. It also has a branch office in Avon.
More information is available on the company's web site, www.IsaacHeating.com or by calling, (585)546-1400.
To read the article as it appeared in Contracting Business Magazine`s February 2002 issue, click the link below and download the PDF file.