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CASE STUDY

REITMEIER

How can I grow my organization when I can’t find or retain employees?”

This was the question faced by Reitmeier, a Portland-area commercial HVAC service provider, in early 2012. High school technical programs were being cut, vocational schools were closing their doors, and a high percentage of the workforce was preparing to retire. In short, the skilled trades were beginning to feel the chokehold of a shrinking talent pool… and finding capable technicians was becoming an increasingly difficult task.

Reitmeier knew they needed to get creative to tackle this mounting industry trend — and put a focus on building their internal capacity and brand differentiators. They sought to rebuild the foundation of their business, better position their organization, and fuel their marketing engine.

Since Reitmeier came to work with us, we’ve helped them develop a robust business plan and profitable marketing strategy, spanning from external communications to internal culture. And the results have been remarkable.

96%

employee retention rate

BEST

contractor to work for, 2014
(ACHR, Western Region)

+ 46%

new customer acquisition

Rebuilding the foundation

We met Reitmeier in when (like many small businesses around this time) the company was still recovering from the blows of the recession. Sales were declining, employee turnover rate was on the rise, and the company struggled with finding a corporate identity to believe in.

While their logo and website were certainly due for an update… Reitmeier knew they needed more than just new marketing materials. They sought to build a new foundation – and put a focus not just on marketing to their external customers, but also developing an engaged workforce to champion their brand. In other words, they needed to restructure their marketing from the inside out.

“We interviewed 6 different marketing firms before selecting Kinesis. All the other firms did was bring in a book of materials and brochures. They never really asked us about our WHY or what we wanted to accomplish – which was to reinvent the company. Kinesis came in, and that was the first thing they asked.”

Jeffrey Nusz
President, Reitmeier

Identity powered by purpose

How do you get people excited about commercial HVAC? By honing in on what makes Reitmeier exceptional: their commitment to sustainable practices, and a mission to bring balance to the environment.

Through our strategic planning process, Kinesis helped Reitmeier solidify business strategy, and assisted in creating an internal culture plan and developing organizational structure to support the vision for the company. From new job descriptions to an employee recognition program, we’re helping to create a new corporate identity, both internally and externally.

“The Kinesis process was a lot bigger and over-arching than I ever would have imagined. From the mission, to the values, to marketing to our internal customer… it was a lot of big thinking. And when you service HVAC for a living, it’s hard to carve out the time to think big picture. Kinesis helped us get there.”

Jeffrey Nusz
President, Reitmeier
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The journey ahead

With a foundation for growth in place and a clear vision for the future, Kinesis is now supporting Reitmeier in launching an innovative new continuing education program for new and existing employees, growing their marketing reach, and refining their sales process. Reitmeier is a one-of-a-kind business. We are humbled and grateful to have them as a partner and client, and look forward to contributing to their continued success.

Reitmeier is radically rethinking the world of commercial HVAC. And with a little help from Kinesis, it’s also rethinking the way commercial HVAC is presented to the world.

“We did the rebrand, we’ve got a new logo, our website was recognized in a national trade magazine – but it’s about more than marketing materials. It’s about business development, sharing, coaching, and having someone outside the company to bounce ideas off of. It’s so much more than a brochure… that’s the magic of working with Kinesis.”

Jeffrey Nusz
President, Reitmeier

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