How To Avoid 5 Common Scaling Errors For Fast Growing HVAC Companies: Tips from an Fractional CMO
Scaling your business is exciting, but it’s common for companies to encounter pitfalls that inevitably slow their growth and create inefficiencies.
A fractional chief marketing officer (FCMO) can help. They analyze what a business — typically a medium-sized and growing company — is currently doing and share strategic insight and marketing expertise with the business at a fraction of the cost of full-time CMOs.
Sounds intriguing? Keep reading to get tips from an FCMO and avoid common scaling errors. Click on each corresponding link to jump ahead:
1. Neglecting to Increase Investment in Branding and Marketing as Revenue Grows
2. Relying on Group Knowledge & As-Needed Communication
3. Overhiring New Employees and Overloading Current Employees
4. Neglecting Critical Tech Integrations
6. Not Tracking Growth Metrics
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1. Neglecting to Increase Investment in Branding and Marketing as Revenue Grows
As the company grows, inconsistent messaging and branding can confuse customers. This is hard to do if the marketing budget has stayed the same small amount as when the company was half the size.
In addition, not increasing marketing spending as the company grows will result in underspending on marketing.
To maintain a healthy revenue growth rate a company should be investing at a minimum 5% of revenue back into marketing.
Having a trusted, professional brand is critical to maintaining revenue growth.
Source: HomeRank Ads
2. Relying on Group Knowledge & As-Needed Communication
In many fast-growing HVAC businesses, employees rely on tribal knowledge and informal communication to complete tasks. While this may work in a small team, it quickly leads to inconsistencies, confusion, and lost productivity as the company scales.
A study by Grammarly and The Harris Poll found businesses lose an estimated $1.2 trillion each year due to poor workplace communication, with employees spending about 20% of their time deciphering unclear or poorly written messages.
For HVAC companies, this can mean costly mistakes—like misquoted service estimates, technicians showing up unprepared, or customer requests getting lost between departments.
FCMO Scaling Solution: Document All Processes
A growing HVAC company needs structured processes to ensure consistency across service calls, customer interactions, and internal operations. Standardizing procedures in key areas like dispatching, job scheduling, invoicing, and customer follow-ups prevents confusion and inefficiencies.
An FCMO can implement workflow tools to maintain documentation and streamline communication. Platforms like ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, and Jobber allow HVAC businesses to create centralized records for scheduling, estimates, and job progress. This keeps teams aligned as the company grows.
Additionally, technicians and office staff often recognize operational problems before leadership does. Regular feedback sessions and process audits help uncover workflow bottlenecks, ensuring smoother scaling and improved service quality.
Source: Lucid Chart
3. Overhiring New Employees and Overloading Current Employees
As HVAC companies scale, many business owners assume they need to expand their workforce immediately. However, hiring too quickly can lead to unnecessary overhead, miscommunication, and inefficiencies. After all, WhatsApp only had 55 employees when Facebook bought it for $19 billion.
Be wary of overburdening your existing staff, though. A study of employees in Canadian customer service departments found that role overload can lead to psychological strain and undermine work performance.
In an HVAC business, this could mean overworked technicians, rushed installations, and declining customer satisfaction. So, how do you find a balance?
FCMO Scaling Solution: Assess Projected Growth and Long-Term Needs
An FCMO can help HVAC companies assess their projected growth and long-term staffing needs. Instead of hiring too quickly, businesses can start with subcontractors, seasonal workers, or part-time employees to handle peak demand before committing to full-time hires.
An FCMO assists you with hiring those contractors and guaranteeing compliance with British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act and Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regulations. FCMOs can guide you in understanding how to hire part-time employees. They can also help you abide by British Columbia’s part-time employee standards, including overtime for part-time workers, payment periods, workplace safety standards, and more.
All staff and contractors should have clear roles and performance metrics. Don’t think of this as micromanaging. If employees have the appropriate resources, they’re more likely to succeed. Proper tracking also promotes accountability and operational efficiency.
Source: The Complete Group
4. Neglecting Critical Tech Integrations
Small HVAC businesses may delay integrating technology because of cost concerns. However, this can mean lost time, data, and automation opportunities, which ultimately means slower growth. Thankfully, a fractional CMO can help growing Canadian businesses navigate these obstacles.
FCMO Scaling Solution: Prioritize Digital Transformation
An FCMO can assess your HVAC business and identify the key areas where automation and technology can drive efficiency. Investing in HVAC-specific software like ServiceTitan, Jobber, or Housecall Pro can streamline scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and customer communications.
Beyond day-to-day operations, an FCMO can also guide your digital marketing strategy, ensuring you invest in tools that enhance lead generation and customer retention. This could include automated follow-ups, CRM integration, and data-driven advertising campaigns to improve conversion rates.
While technology requires an upfront investment, an FCMO helps balance implementation costs with long-term benefits—ultimately positioning your HVAC company for sustainable, scalable growth.
Source: HomeRank Ads
5. Not Delegating Properly
As the owner of a fast-growing HVAC business, balancing expansion while maintaining high service standards can be overwhelming. However, trying to handle everything yourself slows progress and can lead to burnout.
Don’t feel guilty about delegating. When you share the workload with other team members, you demonstrate trust and allow them to participate in meaningful work — not delegating means missing out on strategic moves that slow your company's growth. Proper communication is key, though.
FCMO Scaling Solution: Outsource In Order
Not sure where to begin? Start by outsourcing time-consuming administrative and back-office tasks. Hiring a virtual assistant or specialized service provider can free up time by handling scheduling, data entry, and bookkeeping—allowing your team to focus on higher-value work like service calls and customer relationships.
As your HVAC business expands, consider outsourcing process functions like customer service, IT support, and payroll. Using call center solutions or CRM automation can improve customer experience without overloading your internal staff.
Finally, move on to professional outsourcing for specialized functions like marketing, HR, or business development. Hiring an FCMO to oversee digital marketing, lead generation, and brand positioning ensures your HVAC company remains competitive without adding the cost of a full-time executive.
By following this staged approach, you reduce overhead costs while ensuring that experts handle key functions, setting your HVAC business up for sustainable, scalable growth.
Source: Blade Air
6. Not Tracking Growth Metrics
How can you measure your HVAC company’s success without tracking performance? You can’t.
Yet, many growing HVAC businesses make the critical mistake of failing to set key performance indicators (KPIs) and track their growth metrics. Without clear data, it’s impossible to determine which strategies are working and which need adjustment.
FCMO Scaling Solution: Establish KPIs and Tracking Systems
An FCMO helps HVAC companies establish tracking systems and KPIs to measure success and identify areas for improvement. While each business has unique goals, HVAC companies should monitor key profitability metrics such as:
- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): How much are you spending to acquire each new customer?
- Average Ticket Price: Are customers spending more per job as your business grows?
- Technician Utilization Rate: Are your techs working efficiently, or are there scheduling gaps?
- Customer Retention Rate: How many customers return for maintenance or future services?
Fractional CMOs can assist in implementing analytics tools that provide real-time insights into performance. Reviewing these metrics allows leadership to adjust strategies and stay on track, including benchmarking tips to track competitor performances.
Source: Tableau
Bonus: Common Scaling Errors & Creative Solutions
Successful scaling requires elements from structured processes to effective delegation and more. According to Digital Authority Partners, hiring a fractional chief marketing officer (FCMO) rather than a full-time CMO can reduce costs by 40 percent. An FCMO protects your company against economic downturns while granting it access to unimaginable growth opportunities.
This article was written by Codrin Arsene, a fractional CMO based in Vancouver with Digital Authority Partners.
