Industry Voices: Contractor Commerce's Lisa Forrest

Intro

Lisa Forrest is a Regional Sales Manager at Contractor Commerce. We sat down to discuss her path to HVAC, E-commerce in the industry, and the “Amazon-ification” of everything. 

Below is a summary of our conversation, edited for clarity:

Talk to me about your background

I spent most of my life in Iowa. After I graduated from college, I moved out to San Diego and spent nine years there before moving to North Carolina. I had a friend who worked at Lennox, where I interviewed for a TM role and got hired in the second round. That’s where I met Paul Redman, and I can say, things work out for a reason.

I spent almost four years at Lennox — and I saw a LinkedIn post from Paul where he said, “Who wants to help change the industry?”, and it just jumped out at me. I knew Paul’s impact on the industry, so I reached out to him and said I was super interested. Now a year and a half later, I’m doing just that… educating contractors on E-commerce and why they need to be aware, and there!

What exactly is Contractor Commerce?

We enable contractors to set up online stores. Our founder, Will, is a third-generation contractor, and a while ago, he saw what Amazon was doing in the world. He put filters and other things in their warehouse on their website, and customers actually ordered. 

It was clear that E-commerce was going to grow. Ten years ago, having a website in our industry was the new, digital thing — but now it’s a no-brainer. We believe that’s where E-commerce is now. Last year, some people would avoid our booth at trade shows, but now they’re coming up to us because it makes sense. Most people shop online and can relate to that. 

Why were they avoiding? What objections do contractors give you?

The biggest objection is competitors. Contractors will say they don’t want to put their prices online because they don’t want their competitors to see them. Another is that they believe homeowners will hang on to the first price they see, which may not be the final price. 

How do you overcome that?

Contractors see each other's pricing, anyway. An online store means you get to control the narrative and set expectations. So, you can mention that prices are subject to change, but at least you’re giving that customer what they’re seeking right then and there. And if you’re afraid to do that, just show a monthly financing price.

CSRs get many calls asking, “Can I get a ballpark?”, and less than half of those get booked because they’ll tell the customer they need to come out first. And while that happens, no data or information gets collected on that homeowner. 

We just believe that transparency builds trust.

HVAC has had a colorful history with technology. Where is all of this going?

The question is, “How do you meet the customer where they’re at?” We’re living in the “Amazon-ification” of everything, and homeowners aren’t taking off their consumer hats just because it’s an HVAC system. Whether it’s buying dog food, school supplies, or jet skis, consumer behavior still applies across the spectrum.

The industry’s hit with labor issues and technology helps make up for lost labor. So, how do you capture leads and sell more systems without more techs? You put a store on your website that works for you 24/7.

E-commerce is the industry’s latest technology wave behind websites and field service management software. HVAC is similar to the auto industry in technology adoption, but behind. It’ll catch up to that. And AI is also interesting, but a lot of it’s uncertain for now.

If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be?

My Grandpa Eichelberger. He was a hardworking farmer in a small town in Iowa who raised 6 kids. I have so many fond memories of going to their farm as a kid and into my college years. I am proud of my Midwestern roots and any time I see or meet someone from Iowa, I light up! I take pride in my work ethic and can say Midwesterns are some of the hardest-working people I know. That has been instilled in me from a young age. My grandfather was also an avid reader and so am I.

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