Going Green!

First, Everyone at Air-Care would like to express our gratitude to you and say thanks for choosing Air-Care as your business partner. Today, we are excited to announce that Air-Care is going green, one-step at a time.

Thanks to some recent customer suggestions, we have taken our first major steps towards some new process improvements, which make Air-Care a whole lot more earth-friendly.

Shortly, Air-Care will no longer use the unnecessary plastic shrink-wrap on our electrostatic air filters before we package and ship them out to you. We understand that the shiny stuff (plastic shrink-wrap) looks good when you first open the packaging; however, we have learned it is not so good for our earth so we are going to stop using landfill-filling plastic shrink-wrap whenever possible in our effort toward being a more “green” company.

Air-Care
(800) 322-9919
www.Air-Care.com

How to get your technical issues addressed
by Melanie Sands, Customer Service

Have you ever wondered what to do if something is not working just right with your equipment?  Well, we have an in-house technical support department that is here just for that purpose.

When you call in you will speak to Eddie Rivera, who has been with Air-Care for over 10 years and is very knowledgeable with all the equipment that Air-Care manufactures now and also in the past.

Additionally, Randy has been with us almost 1 year and is becoming an expert at what is needed to repair your equipment. They are here to help you with the best service and technical support possible.

When you call in, Eddie will need the following information: your name, phone number, company name, equipment description, model and serial number, and description of the problem with the equipment.  Please be as detailed as possible with your problem description and try to be near the equipment you are having a problem with when you call for troubleshooting.

We do everything in our power to help you repair the equipment over the phone, saving you the cost of shipping the equipment back to us.  If there is no other option but sending it in, you will be assigned an RMA # (return material authorization), it is very important to reference this number on your shipment to us and when calling in with questions regarding this equipment.

Once we receive your product back, we quickly try and determine the issue and what is needed for repairs. You will be contacted and kept up to date on anything we find.  On average, returns are evaluated, repaired, and reshipped to you within 2-3 business days.

While we hope you do not run into any problems requiring the need of our technical department, we want you to feel confident that we understand those rare instances happen and we are on hand to help you overcome them.

Metal Frame, Arrestance, Custom vs Standard Explained
by Melanie Sands, Customer Service

I thought it would be a good idea to revisit an article that was done several years ago about our filters.  The information has not really changed that much, but it is always good to refresh our minds.

In regards to electrostatic air filters, you might have wondered what custom and standard mean. You see it when you are ordering online and you are always asked about it when you call in.  Well it is pretty simple. Custom filters are cut to the exact measurements that are entered where as standard filters are undercut by 3/8” from the size listed.  Keep in mind you should allow for a 1/8” overall manufacturing tolerance on both standard and custom filters.

Arrestance is another subject that arises frequently; we offer two types of arrestance – 82% and 94%. Our 94% arrestance filter has a higher filtering capacity where our 82% is slightly less but it is also less restrictive on airflow through the system.  If you are concerned about which one should be chosen you can calculate the proper filter arrestance using the button on our online ordering site, it is located right above the filter types after you login.  Simply fill in the blanks and it will calculate which filter is best for your circumstance.

We also offer 3 types of filter frames; Our Gold filter is a gold anodized extruded aluminum frame. It consists of 4 separate pieces fastened together by a screw on each corner. These filters only come in a 1” depth only.  Our Silver frame is made of a single piece of roll-formed aluminum riveted together on one corner, it is slightly less strong and sturdy as the gold frame but is a more cost-effective filter. Our silver frame filters can be purchased in ½”, 1”, or 2” depths. Our 3rd option is our Flexible filters which are not made with aluminum frames but rather sewn with flexible polypropylene webbing around the edge; this allows you to use them in tight fitting areas where you might need to the bend the filter for installation.

One other thing to be aware of when it comes to our filters is production time. When you login and go to the filter page you will notice what our current production time is. This is determined by how many filter orders we are currently working on.  We send out an average of 350 to 450 filters a day and try to keep production to about 2-3 business days or less, but this can change at any time. Knowing this will help you determine when you or your customer should receive their filter.

Please know that you can contact us at any time if you have any questions regarding our filters and any other products that we carry.

Take advantage of our value added specials.
by Melanie Sands, Customer Service

You might have noticed over the last few months we have been offering various specials anything from:  buy 10 filters and get a couple free to free freight on equipment packages.  We do this as a value added service to help you get the best deal possible.

These specials will change from month to month and are only available for a limited amount of time. Watch for our monthly emails announcing our specials; you’ll save money on products you use everyday.  You’ll also save money on products you resell to your customers.  You can pass on part of your savings to your customer to increase your sales volume in these everyday products.

We also have a mystery special on Wednesdays you’ll find posted on our online ordering system for that day only.  Be sure you check every Wednesday for these special offers -they are not announced.  You have to go to the home page on our online ordering system or call customer service for details on Wednesday.

We hope you will take advantage of these special offers and, as always, please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your experience with us better.

by Melanie Sands, Customer Service

In one of our past newsletters we took the time to discuss customer service and how to make it better.  In that article, we pointed out ways to exceed your customers’ expectations such as: a live person answering the phone, listening to your customers and helping them with their needs, taking the extra step to make sure the customer is happy at the end of the conversation and that they do not need anything else at that time.

All of these steps are important to keeping the customer satisfied and to make sure they contact you again for their indoor air quality needs.

But these things don’t happen by themselves; they require a combined effort between you and your employees.  Here are some tools that will help you accomplish the atmosphere needed for both your employees and your customers.

Attitude:  Being positive and uplifting to not only the customers but also to fellow employees helps improve the overall attitude in the office.  Providing a well-balanced office will bring about: fewer absences, less fighting amongst each other, less stress – while increasing motivation, and better teamwork.

Goals:  Setting goals in the work place allows your employees to know where your expectations are and to organize their work life in a way that they can meet and exceed these expectations.

Performance Evaluations: Everybody likes to know how they are doing and taking the time to do evaluations is a perfect opportunity to let your employees know how you feel about their job so far and what areas of improvement you think they can work on.

Listening & Talking: This is probably one of the most important things to do; taking the time to talk with your employees makes them aware that you actually care about the things that they do and also does not leave them in the dark about what is expected.  It is also very important to listen to your employees as they are the ones who see the inner workings of your business and can provide you with ways to help things run more smoothly.

Using these easy tools allows an open communication amongst everyone while promoting an environment that can only benefit your business in the long run.

Our team of dedicated professionals to serve you
by Wayne Tracy, Operations Manager

We have 5 employees in our customer service center to provide you with the ultimate in support and service.  Our customer service phone lines are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST Monday through Friday.  And, of course our website is available for ordering 24/7.

Melanie Sands:  Melanie has been with Air-Care for 10 years and not only helps in the customer service area, but also involved in payroll, accounting, and assists in the marketing department with processing of equipment orders.  Late or absent is not in her vocabulary. She reports to work early every day and is always eager to assist you, our valued customers.

Ana Valle:  Ana has been with Air-Care for almost 3 years and is our front line person on the phone.  She is an expert in customer relations and enjoys working very closely with our customers on a daily basis.  If you have a question on an order, she is always willing and capable of handling it in a quick manner.  For our Spanish speaking customers, Ana speaks English and Spanish fluently and is a much valued employee.

April Vasquez:  April joined our staff a month ago to work in the Customer Service area.  She comes to us with experience in customer service and sales.  She has quickly learned the roles of her job.

Eddie Rivera:  Eddie has been with Air-Care for almost 10 years and is responsible for providing technical support to our customers on all of our equipment.  Eddie is detail driven and an expert in handling your concerns about our equipment features and operations.  If you have a question or problem with a piece of equipment, Eddie is your go-to person.

Randy Crutchfield:  Randy has been with Air-Care for almost a year and came to us with years of experience with another equipment manufacturer in our industry.  He started in our shipping department and recently was promoted to be a Technical Support adviser.  He is still in training for his new role, but will soon be helping you with Eddie’s assistance on technical issues.

Wayne Tracy:  As Operations Manager I am responsible for this department and, please, never hesitate to contact me if you ever have any concern about the quality of service you receive from us.  Our success is dependent on yours so please let us know if there’s anything we can help with.

Many new features to help improve efficiency
by Buddy Rigotti, Web Marketing Manager

We have released a brand new online ordering system this week. While it will be a change to our old system, you’ll find it very beneficial and useful when ordering and tracking your orders.

Our old system will remain active for you to log in and view your past orders, but for all your new orders, you’ll need to log in to our new system. Your username and password will remain unchanged.

This new system brings many new features in a familiar interface if you have already seen our current price sheet/online catalog. You’ll be able to quickly and easily order electrostatic air filters and any other item from one single system. We have now combined our old system and our new price sheet into one new system.

Some of the benefits and features of this new system are:

• Multiple Shipments Per Order
  Now you can ship different items to different addresses in the same order. Check out only once!
• Automatic Shipping Calculation
  When you check out, you’ll see the exact charges of your order, including all shipping charges!
• Easy Re-ordering
  Reordering a previous purchase is simple. Just click and pay!
• Real-Time Order Status
  Log in anytime and view real-time status for every order!
• Full Catalog of Items
  Browse and shop our full catalog of products – over 200 products!
• Order Filters From Your Cell Phone – Coming Soon!
  In the coming months, we will integrate a mobile-optimized version of the online ordering system, so you can order filters in the field using your smart phone! That feature should be released later this year.

Again, if you have ordered anything on our current price sheet, then you are already familiar with this system. However, we are asking everyone to log in to the new system and verify that we have moved your company information over correctly. Please do this before placing your first order.

You can log in to this new system using the same link you logged in from before. We have also provided you with a training video showing you how to navigate the system and place and track your order. You can view the video here.

If you have any questions or technical difficulties about this new system, please don’t hesitate to ask us!

Again, before diving in with your first order, we highly recommend watching the training video here!

Adventures in Purchasing
by Samantha Rector, Purchasing

My name is Samantha Rector and I have worked for Air-Care 11 ½ years. My previous work experience was in retail. So when I was offered the purchasing position at Air-Care, it was something I had never done in the past. Always loving a challenge I said yes.

Some people say purchasing is an easy job and that it has to be like shopping and spending someone else’s money everyday. But I’m here to tell you that I have been doing this for 8 years and I am still learning. Purchasing is a tricky trade, you need to always be in tune with your company’s needs and these needs fluctuate frequently, causing you to change directions at any given time.

Over the years I have built many relationships with vendors that help us in getting priority on shipments and the best pricing possible.  This applies to both raw materials and services that allow us to constantly control our costs and inventories on hand.  As you probably know, when you have a good working relationship with a vendor, things will run much more efficiently for your own company and customers.

One big change within our company was expanding our purchasing overseas. Like many other American companies we always try to buy American, but unfortunately the prices in Asia are considerably less for some products and we are always striving to provide you with quality products at the best pricing possible.

The language barrier can be difficult and challenging, but we always find a way to overcome it.  Lead times on orders are always changing and can be rather difficult to handle at times, but we are learning the idiosyncrasies of our vendors the more we work with them.

I’ve accumulated some interesting facts about Air-Care’s purchasing over the past year and have listed them below:

• Steel Purchases – Over 162,000 lbs or 81 Tons
• Polyester Purchases – Over 303,000 Square Feet
• Motors Purchased – Over 2,000
• Number PO’s issued – Over 3,500
• Gold Screws for Filters – Over 120,000
• Gold Filter Frame – Over 214,000 Feet
• Cardboard Boxes – Over 40,000
• Polypropelyne – Over 140,000 Square Feet

My ultimate goal everyday is to be sure we have inventory on hand to support you with our quality products at fair and reasonable pricing and quality.

Quick overview of our odor control products
by Gina Lewis, Customer Service

In November’s newsletter I talked about chemicals that are fogged into the air system. This month I am going to give you information on a variety of odor control products available for you and your customers that are not fogged into the air system.

I have listed some of the basics you need to know about each one. I hope this information will be useful to you.

Read the rest of Gina’s article here.

A quick summary of all our chemicals
by Gina Lewis, Customer Service

Air Care has a variety of chemicals to help with your air duct cleaning needs. I have listed some of the basics you need to know about the main chemicals we sell for fogging air systems, cleaning coils and vent registers and cleaning electrostatic air filters.

I hope this information will be useful to you. Please feel free to view our price sheet for additional information on these products.

Read the rest of Gina’s article here.

A little time on the phone goes a long way.
by Melanie Sands, Customer Service

Staying in touch with your customers is very important. Not only does it keep things personal between you and your customer, but it also allows them to give you feedback on your services and products.  In today’s economy, where companies disappear as quickly as they appear, it is always good to remind your customers that you are still there and able to take care of their needs.

As one who will be receiving those services offered, it is a comfort that they were not forgotten and they are dealing with a company that shows concern for them.  Taking the time to do this will eventually turn into profit for your business and help retain your current customer base.  It costs a lot more and takes more effort to get a new customer then it does to retain an existing customer

Don’t be surprised if you get a call from our customer service checking in with you.  Take this time to let us know how you are doing and if there is anything we can help you with.  It is the perfect opportunity to tell us what we can do better to help you succeed and grow your business.  And, please don’t wait for us to contact you; anytime you have a concern or question about our company or products call immediately – we want to hear from you.

Just purchase 12 at one time and 2 of them are free!
by Gina Lewis, Customer Service

Get your FREE filters here!! Get your FREE filters here!! Right now we are offering a special on our Electrostatic Air Filters: “Buy 10, get 2 FREE!! This is the special that everyone waits for so get your order in today!! This is a limited time offer and expires October 31, 2011. *Restrictions apply.

Here’s how it works: All you have to do is login to our online ordering site for Electrostatic Air Filters; order 12 filters in a single order and you will only be billed for 10. It’s that easy.

All custom filters are cut to the exact measurements of the sizes that are entered in the online ordering system. You have to allow for a 1/8” overall manufacturing tolerance on both custom and standard filters. Custom filters cannot be returned, so be sure you are accurate in entering measurements.

All standard size filters are a nominal cut, meaning we undercut 3/8” from the size listed. All standard filters can be returned as long as they are still in the original shrink wrap and have not been used. Standard filters are subject to a 20% restocking fee and return shipping at your expense. You must call prior to returning filters to obtain a return authorization number from our customer service department.

All of our Silver framed 94%, Gold framed 94%, Flex framed 82% and Flex framed 94% Electrostatic air filters will now feature a special black colored Polypropylene making them all UV light resistant. The only filters that are not UV resistant are the Silver framed 82% and the Gold framed 82%.

This is a really great feature since UV lighting has become a popular way to emit powerful ultraviolet light rays which sterilize and reduce airborne microorganisms as they pass through a home heating or air conditioning system. UV light air purifying systems are installed in the main supply or return duct of the home system and operates continuously to automatically purify the air in the home 24 hours a day.

If you have any questions or need any assistance in ordering, please contact our customer service department at 702-454-5515 or 800-322-9919.

*This offer is for customers with contractor pricing only. This offer is not available for customers with Wholesale or Special pricing.

Purpose of Our Two Websites

Difference between our two online ordering systems
by Melanie Sands, Customer Service

We have received a few questions lately on the difference between our various websites and what they offer our customers.  The two websites you may use are www.air-care.com and our online contractor price sheet.  They both have different features and different uses.

We set up the ordering system on www.air-care.com as a website that only our customers can access through a secure log in. This is where you go to order all Electrostatic Air Filters, chemicals and a few other products such as solid odor kill, quiet breeze, and UV lights.

Air-Care.com is our main public website and anyone can see information on here about our business and what we offer, but the public does not have access to the ordering area; that is only reserved for our customers.  We assign our customers a login and password at the time we set them up to order online.

Electrostatic air filters must be ordered online or via fax, but equipment, supplies, parts & accessories may be ordered online or via phone.

Air-Care.com is also where we keep a map of contractors that we currently do business with and refer homeowners to this site to locate someone in their area that can do the services for them.

Within the last year or so, we made a decision to save some money, and a few trees, and embraced the Internet by posting our entire product catalog on our online contractor price sheet.  This is not just a site to view products; we took the extra step to make it possible for you to see detailed information about all our products and even order them online. This gives you the ability to order anything online at anytime.

Some products on the site require you to register for the site in order to see the prices. This protects you as the contractor from your potential or past customers seeing how much you paid for items that you re-sell to them.

After you register, we must authorize your account in order for you to gain access to the prices of those specific products you might resell to your customers.  All other prices are visible without the need for registration.

Even if you don’t choose to order items via our online contractor price sheet, it is still useful in helping you see detailed information about our products including pictures. Additionally, there is a very useful search feature that allows you to find products by name, description and/or part number.

We encourage you to take some time and familiarize yourselves with both sites.  You are more than welcome to contact us with any questions or suggestions; input from our customers is always appreciated.