By Alison Stanton

 

Russ Ward has been in the HVAC industry for over three decades.

In 1988, Ward owned an HVAC company in Illinois. After selling his business in 2016 and moving to Arizona, he started working for A/C Experts in Tempe the following year.

Then, in 2018, Ward purchased A/C Experts, a Trane Comfort Specialist company that has been in business for over 20 years.

A/C Experts works with residential and commercial customers on a variety of services like HVAC servicing, installation, repairs, duct cleaning and insulation.

“I came to Arizona with the intention of working for a company but found that I felt I could do a better job, so I purchased the company I started working for in 2017,” Ward says.

He’s proud that since purchasing A/C Experts, the company’s Google ratings have risen from 3.7 to 4.6.

One of the reasons for the marked improvement in the company’s ratings, Ward says, is his and his team’s focus on customer service.

“In Illinois I had customers for the life of the company. Since coming here, I have tried to teach all of our employees the importance of customer service,” Ward says.

“We pride ourselves on customer service and making sure everything is done right and will do whatever it takes to make it right. We have many repeat customers and many referrals. And if there ever are any problems, customers speak directly to me to resolve it.”

As Ward notes, his company has one mission: to deliver the best-quality service at prices that his customers can afford.

He understands that for people who live and work in the Valley of the Sun, having an HVAC unit that is working well during the hot summer months is more than a luxury—it is a necessity.

And in the winter, when the desert temperatures dip down and home and business owners want to turn on their heaters, Ward knows from his years in Illinois how crucial it is to have a reliable source of warmth.

This means that if a homeowner is having trouble making ends meet, Ward and his team offer special financing to their customers.

As a result, people will be able to get the HVAC system that they need immediately, with an affordable payment plan that they can spread out over time.

And, to help make sure that the homes of his valued customers are comfortable and have the best possible air quality, Ward added the insulation service and duct cleaning to A/C Experts suite of services.

Also, unlike some other HVAC companies that use sub-contractors, Ward says his family-owned and -operated company does not follow this practice.

Most of Ward’s 14 employees have been with the company for over two years, and they are all factory trained.

“All of our technicians receive at least 40 hours of training per year,” he says.

They are all North American Technician Excellence (NATE) Certified.

To help ensure that his customers know in advance what the service, repair or installation will cost, he and his team are happy to provide free inspections, evaluations and estimates.

A/C Experts also offers preventative and maintenance programs, which allow for a proactive approach to keeping HVAC units running well and hassle free all year long.

Ward is also proud that his company has earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and that it has zero complaints with the Registrar of Contractors office.

Ward strives to be sure that his company’s trucks and vans are stocked well with the parts that the technicians will need to handle virtually any repair.

In addition, he notes, the company vans are clearly marked with the company’s logo, phone number and Registrar of Contractors license numbers.

The technicians are also always dressed in clean uniforms, Ward says, and they are taking extra steps during the pandemic to be as safe as possible when working in a home or business.

This devotion to his customers and making sure his team of technicians is properly trained has definitely paid off.

A/C Experts now completes over 1,500 jobs every year, Ward says, and has earned a well-deserved reputation for its trusted heating and cooling solutions.

Looking back in his 35 years in the industry, Ward says he truly enjoys his work.

“I enjoy the interaction with customers and the fact that every job is different,” he says.

A/C Experts

ROC #323593

331 S. River  Drive, Suite 4, Tempe

480-386-6980