BRIDGING THE GAP
Free and effective – don’t ignore product training
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Chris Brummell, Academy Manager at Viessmann Climate Solutions UK
Manufacturers across the HVAC industry are increasingly removing requirements for installers to complete product-specific training courses before they can enjoy a certain status or receive privileges. But these kinds of workshops can still be beneficial, argues Viessmann Academy manager Chris Brummell
aking time out from a busy work schedule for training is always tricky. Not only can it be hard to fit it in the diary, but the loss of earnings combined with any travel costs can add up. Heating
engineers therefore tend to think very carefully before signing up to any course; if it’s not required for legal or other reasons, there has to be a clear business benefit to convince them it’s worth their while. In this context, the free workshops offered by various manufacturers giving installers a chance to familiarise themselves at depth with a particular product range are often viewed as an unnecessary adjunct to more generic professional qualifications.
This is somewhat unfortunate, as not only can they count towards the annual continuous professional development (CPD) hours required by many professional memberships, but they can also directly improve your professional practice and therefore your bottom line. And they can help you avoid being caught out by difficult questions from knowledgeable customers who’ve done a great deal of research – an increasingly common phenomenon, thanks to the high profile of the growing heat pump market.
Calm and confident
With so many variables to think about when considering potential products, it’s crucial to have all the facts at your fingertips when counselling customers on purchasing decisions
If there’s one thing above all that customers want from their heating professional, particularly with a new technology, it’s to feel that they’re in safe and expert hands. Building and maintaining trust is essential for establishing a word-of-mouth reputation that wins new clients and keeps people coming back for repeat business. And that requires a high level of proficiency, skill and market awareness. Individual product training courses represent important construction blocks that help to form a complete body of knowledge. They can help give heating professionals a reassuring aura of confidence when discussing product options with clients. Leaving gaps in this learning can undermine their overall credibility significantly. Different brands take different technical and functional approaches, often leading to significant variations between appliances. These idiosyncrasies can affect a system’s suitability for your client’s property, lifestyle, aspirations and budget. For example, some models may be cheaper to buy but less efficient to run or more costly to maintain. Some require equipment like weather compensation or energy management platforms to be purchased separately, adding additional costs, while others have these built in. Some heat pumps may require system
Attending any Viessmann Academy training course will now earn you 200 VPlus loyalty scheme points, which you can spend on a host of items from work gear to games consoles
alterations such as larger pipes or radiators that others may not, and some will enable customers to access preferential energy tariffs. All of these things can make a big difference to the overall cost and return on investment timeframe. Green credentials vary considerably, too. For example, some heat pumps use natural propane refrigerants, which have a very low global warming potential (GWP) compared with traditional HFC refrigerants. Factors like advanced evaporator design and improved compressor technology can also reduce energy consumption and therefore carbon emissions. With so many variables to think about when considering potential products, it’s crucial to have all the facts at your fingertips when counselling customers on purchasing decisions. If you’re not fully familiar with some brands or products, you won’t be able to give the best advice based on a complete picture. On the other hand, if you really know what you’re talking about, it will always come across. And clients will then be more likely to heed your recommendations, leading to a smoother sales process and more successful installation.
Deep system knowledge
It’s not just during the planning stages that product training pays off, however. It’s also really important for understanding how and where to fit your selected appliance, how to successfully integrate it into existing heating infrastructure and how it should be operated for optimum performance and efficiency. This kind of knowledge, as well as tips, tricks and pitfalls, cannot always be fully conveyed from installation manuals. On our product training courses, we give participants the opportunity to ‘look under the bonnet’ and try things out without worrying about breaking anything or having a customer looking over their shoulder. They also have the invaluable expertise of a highly experienced instructor on hand to answer all their questions and talk them through different installation scenarios. Attendees invariably agree it’s time well spent.
Savvy customers - the heat pump effect
A heat pump is a larger, more high-end investment than a gas boiler. Consequently, many heat pump customers do a lot more research into different brands, technologies and
28 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2025
Individual product training courses represent important construction blocks that help to form a complete body of knowledge.
methodologies before they even contact an installer. Often, they already have quite a clear idea of what they want - or think they want. However, as they usually lack the full experience and training of a professional, it’s not always the best solution.
This means that, when it comes to renewables, it’s even more important for heating engineers to know their onions so they can still add value in the form of in-depth expertise. We hear so many horror stories about all different brands of heat pumps that just don’t work properly due to system design, specification or installation errors.
Access and rewards
Attending any Viessmann Academy training course will now earn you 200 VPlus loyalty scheme points, which you can spend on a host of items from work gear to games consoles. Courses run at multiple locations across the UK. There is a host of one-day product training courses on offer, while funding is currently available under the Heat Training Grant to cover the full cost of our highly regarded three- day BPEC Level 3 Award in Air Source Heat Pump Systems (non-refrigerant Circuits). Because heat pump installations are very different to and more complex than boiler fittings, completion of a one-day heat pump course is required in order to join our Viessmann Access MCS umbrella scheme, which greatly reduces the cost and time burdens associated with MCS certification. And, although this is the only training requirement we now impose, we offer many other worthwhile courses that could enhance your business.
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