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WINTER FRIEND Air conditioning is expensive and a fair weather friend. No says Richard Lurie, Director of leading Western Cape specialists Airvent. Modern air conditioning is highly energy efficient, keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter
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ir conditioning: a cool in summer solo or a surprise double act – warm in winter too? Decidedly the latter, says Richard Lurie, director of leading Cape Town contractor Airvent “The sooner people realise that in winter their air conditioner is a heater, the better. Air conditioners are heat-pump systems and as such can provide heat in winter. “It’s a very very efficient heater compared with conventional forms such as oil, element
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or asbestos heaters which in effect are outdated technologies. Air conditioners are a once-off purchase that does both. “Another misconception is that air conditioners are very heavy on electricity. But compared with other forms of heating they are far far more efficient.” New generation air conditions perform a seasonal turn-about, the heat pump reversing the transporting process with heat energy transferring into a room, rather than out.
Airvent FEATURE
or the condenser is providing air conditioning through the piping to the indoor unit. In fact it’s the gas in the system,” says Lurie. The other is inverted technology which is giving as much as a 35% saving in electrical consumption. “With the price hike and availability issues in South Africa we are finding this is more and more important.”
Market leader Airvent is a market leader in the design and supply of air conditioner and ventilation systems, with an outstanding growth record and reputation.
The sooner people realise that in winter their air conditioner is a heater, the better
Major efficiency gains And heat pumps continue to function even with temperatures down to -5°C, -10°C or -15°C, depending on the type of system used. Heat pumps are also up to five times more energy efficient than conventional heaters. Two developments have been changing air cooling and making it even more appealing to the consumer. The first is the introduction of a new blend of more environmentally-friendly gases. “Many people think that the outdoor unit
In the nine years since it was launched by Richard Lurie and business partner Mark Rogers, staffing has increased from three to more than 100, supplying, installing and upgrading applications from small houses to large commercial and industrial properties. Staffing numbers and quality are critical to Airvent’s customer focus. “This is quite a people intensive business; especially of you want to give good service,” says Lurie. ”If you are thin on the ground something’s going to drop along the line and you won’t be able to service your client the standard you like. “We are quite people-heavy relative to our competitors, but it enables us to deliver high service to our clients and it’s a model that’s worked for us. “From a customer service viewpoint it’s a very difficult industry to work in, with an enormous amount of variables hitting you on a daily basis. www.southafricamag.com
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Airvent FEATURE
Focus on customer “You are dealing with builders and other construction trades, and this means a lot of co-ordination and facilitation needs to happen if a project is to run smoothly. “So we concentrate heavily on this and it’s been a big part of our success. We put in project managers that handle different projects, sales people that handle different territories - and that’s quite an unusual structure in this market.” For Airvent supply chain relationships have a comparable high spec focus. “Our supply chain and relationships are critical to our success. We deal predominantly with Samsung and with Daikin although we do have relationships with other manufacturers. And then you have suppliers of materials, copper parts, cabling and so on. We are very happy with our suppliers and our relationships. They go the extra mile for us and all this is a critical part of our model.”
Cowboys on the run The pre-recession construction boom saw a mushrooming of one man operators of zero skills and mega sized opportunism. “There were so many cowboys and fly by nights,” recalls Richard Lurie, “in fact it seemed anybody who had a bakkie. Suddenly there were thousands of competitors taking advantage of the property boom and all at once everybody was a builder or everybody was an air conditioning contractor. “But over the past 24 months many have fallen by the wayside. They hadn’t got the foundations and the correct model in place; they just wanted a quick buck.” In contrast Airvent is committed to delivering an exceptional service, with specialised divisions offering the best
advice, products, support, back up and ultimately peace of mind. Heavily involved in the property and development market, Airvent’s turnover has been performing strongly over the last year. “I think there was quite a strong sentiment in the market in the period running up to the World Cup, and this brought a very positive sentiment and mood to the country. “Looking forward in our market, there is quite a lot of concern because there is not a lot of new business coming into the system. But at the end of the day there is work out there and you have to be one of the guys that goes out there and wins it.”
It’s a misconception that air conditioners are very heavy on electricity
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World class service
Airvent is one of the winners, its success built on four cornerstones – industrial experience, technical expertise, sound financial management and excellence of service. By consistently focusing on these basics, Airvent has established itself as a provider of affordable, world class air conditioner products, backed by world class service. Unsurprisingly, clients keep coming back. “Our Vision is to be the leading air conditioning service provider in Cape Town and
the Western Cape, by ensuring that we remain the supplier of choice, the dealer of choice and the employer of choice,” says Lurie. And the Airvent choice brand of customer care is quick to impress. “Just wanted to congratulate you guys for running by far the most professional business that I’ve dealt with through my renovation process,” enthused one customer, Johan le Roux. “Good to know that some companies still take service seriously.”
What other attributes differentiate Airvent in the air conditioning and ventilation marketplace? “We are one of the larger contractors in the Western Cape and so our pricing is very competitive because of the bulk and volumes we do. “Secondly we are very focussed on delivering good customer service to our clients. We provide them with the most appropriate solution for what they are trying to achieve.
Customer expectations
“We have significant resources across the group, with more than thirty technical and installation crews on the road, and a 24 hour hotline with staff on standby. And we are a financially stable business. We’ve been around for almost ten years and we are not going to disappear off the radar screen if something goes wrong. “It’s been fantastic and a very exciting journey for me and Mark. We are an established Western Cape business that’s here to stay.” END
Richard Lurie shares the unflattering view of national levels of customer care. “Service standards are extremely low right across the board in South Africa, so customers have a low expectation level. “So frankly you don’t have to be a super star to impress them. I tell our guys, honour your word and your commitment and people will be impressed by that alone, because there are so many people out there who are simply not doing this.”
Here to stay
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9 Tee Jay Street Brackenfell Cape Town 7560 Tel: +27 21 981 6299 Email: richard@airventcape.co.za
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