Recruiting, developing, and maintaining a network of qualified contractors is an ongoing, labor-intensive activity for program administrators. If there is a high turnover rate for contractors (i.e., contractors stop participating or infrequently submit jobs) then the program needs to spend additional funding to recruit even more contractors. It is more cost-effective to retain dependable qualified contractors, but it can be a challenge to maintain that relationship. Common strategies to retain contractors are to lower contractors’ cost to participate and address common contractor frustrations by streamlining program processes, avoiding frequent program design changes, and providing opportunities for open communication. Offering quality leads, training and recognition are benefits that contractors value and may encourage them to continue to participate in your program.
Learn more with the following resources:
Topical Resources
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Presentation on five steps to building a profitable contractor base. The steps include sensible program design and administration, certification and credentialing, communicating with contractors, contractor requirements (business vs. trade), and training and sales support.
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Contractor Sales Training: Providing the Skills Necessary to Sell Comprehensive Home Energy Upgrades
This Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Clean Energy Policy Brief describes how adding sales skills to contractors' existing technical expertise helps convert more assessments into comprehensive home energy upgrades. It profiles Efficiency Maine's contractor sales training and includes a list of resources.
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This peer exchange call summary focused on best practices for building and maintaining a robust contractor network.
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This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on strategies for contractor training.
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This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focuses on how mentoring on sales skills and business management helped one contractor increase sales and become more profitable. The call also covered top tips for supporting contractors, such as helping contractors develop systems to be more efficient in completing projects and creating a service plan with customers for additional improvements in the future.
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This peer exchange call summary focused on sales training assistance programs for contractors.
Examples
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This case study discusses the strategies Clean Energy Works Oregon's (now Enhabit's) used to actively engage contractors to make the program successful (e.g., balancing contractors' work priorities, enforcing quality standards).
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This case study discusses strategies that Fayette County, Pennsylvania used to provide Building Performance Institute (BPI) certification and business skills training to aspiring energy efficiency contractors.
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This case study explains how Efficiency Maine provided contractor sales training to boost upgrade conversions.
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This video explains how Better Buildings for Michigan's performance metrics and quality assurance enabled them to encourage high-performing contractors, to help underperforming contractors improve, and ultimately to dismiss some contractors.
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This presentation provides an overview of New Jersey Clean Energy's approach to contractor engagement, including contractor participation requirements, procedures for quality assurance and quality control, production incentives, training procedures, and an online contractor portal.
Tips for Success
- Establish collaborative partnerships with contractors and communicate with them early and often
- Connect home performance professionals to trainings focused on the skills that employers want and the community needs
- Contractors are your sales team – educate and empower them with the skills to sell home energy upgrades
- Recognize and reward good contractor performance
Tools & Templates
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A short, checklist-style form that contractors complete to participate in Efficiency Maine. The form allows contractors to verify whether they meet basic program requirements, identify their specialized service offerings and qualifications, and describe other information about their businesses.
Handbooks
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The steps in this handbook provide information on how to establish relationships with contractors who will deliver program products and services.
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The steps in this handbook discuss how to solidify your program strategy, including how you will partner with contractors to deliver services to your customers.
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The steps in this handbook cover to how to develop contractor engagement, quality assurance, and workforce development plans that include strategies, workflow, timelines, and staff and partner roles and responsibilities.
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See the step: Track program operations and external feedback from program partners, contractors, and customers. This step provides information about how to collect data to gauge progress and improve processes.