Inclusive Culture Fuels Success for Aire Serv Franchisee of the Year
An inclusive, supportive culture permeates the Aire Serv brand, and it’s a key element for franchisee success. “Is the Aire Serv franchise system diverse?” multi-unit franchisee Sergio Rodriguez (above) asks rhetorically. “I was awarded Franchisee of the Year, wasn’t I?”
He goes on to say that “diversity is an understatement. I truly feel that my colleagues and the corporate office treat me with respect and give me the same opportunities as every other franchisee. I have never felt so welcome anywhere else. The camaraderie among these Aire Serv franchise owners is impressive. They are always ready to help and truly want you to succeed.”
Rodriguez opened his first unit of Aire Serv, which installs and maintains heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment, in February 2019. “I worked for a previous Aire Serv franchise owner for three years before he purchased his franchise. I bought him out after eight years when he was ready to retire.” Now Rodriguez owns and operates three Aire Serv locations in southern Texas out of his main office in Rockport, a town near Corpus Christi. His franchises are Aire Serv of the Coastal Bend, Aire Serv of Corpus Christi and Aire Serv of South Texas.
Education, teamwork and the power of franchising fed Rodriguez’s business success. “I worked at a fast-food restaurant before I went to trade school and became an HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] technician. Everything I know and have is thanks to my team here at my franchise and my team at the corporate office.”
He moved to Rockport in 2008, three years after graduation from trade school. “I worked for a different HVAC company. I moved to Rockport with the goal of building this company and purchasing it from the owner once he was ready to retire. Three years into this journey, we both realized we were struggling to be profitable. Then we were approached by the Dwyer Group [later rebranded as Neighborly] and offered the opportunity to become part of this great organization.”
Leading by Example
When Rodriguez first became an Aire Serv owner, “the biggest challenge was stopping fieldwork. I learned that I needed to work on my company, not in it.” He takes a lead-by-example approach to management. “I feel that the only way I can guarantee our employees can take care of our customers is by being an example. I treat my employees with respect and provide them with everything I can so they feel that I truly care about them and their future. Then my employees go to our customers’ homes, and they are expected to treat our customers the same, no matter what.”
The approach has fueled his success and satisfaction, Rodriguez says. “My biggest reward has been walking the stage with my staff as a 2023 Franchisee of the Year, with my mother beside me.”
Since 1992, Aire Serv has built customer loyalty through a no-overtime-charge policy, up-front pricing, anytime service, and by updating customers with arrival alerts to minimize wait time. It has 210 units in the U.S. and Canada, with coast-to-coast territories still available.
Why Invest in Aire Serv?
- Aire Serv has developed remarkable best practices over 33 years.
- Franchise owners can offer the brand’s full menu of heating and air conditioning repair and installation, duct cleaning, and air-quality services to residential and/or commercial customers, or they may concentrate on one or two services.
- As a highly scalable business, it has low overhead.
- Aire Serv customers enjoy state-of-the-art service with iPad-enabled project descriptions and GPS truck tracking.
- Corporate offers management, marketing, sales and start-up training. Ongoing support includes conferences, training updates and telephone assistance as needed.
- Through the Neighborly umbrella franchise’s buying power, owners receive generous rebates on equipment purchases.
- Franchisees benefit from brand recognition and corporate marketing expert resources.
- Veterans receive a 20% discount off the initial $45,000 franchise fee.
For more information on the Aire Serv franchise, visit the company’s website.
