How HVAC distributors keep techs on the jobsite

Every time a tech drives to your counter, they're not billing their customer. They're costing them. A round trip to the supply house typically runs an hour or more. At a senior tech's billing rate, that's real money out the door on every parts run.

The HVAC distributors who have solved this don't just have the parts. They bring the parts. Delivering directly to the jobsite keeps techs working, keeps contractors profitable, and keeps those contractors buying from you. According to ACHR News, only 65% of the average HVAC technician's time is billable. Parts runs eat into the rest. Jobsite delivery hands that time back to your contractors.

Why a counter run costs your contractor more than they think

Parts runs don't feel expensive in the moment. A tech swings by, grabs the part, and gets back on the road. The math tells a different story.

Only 65% of HVAC technician time is billable, per ACHR News research. A single supply house run costs an hour or more. That's time off the job, off the invoice, and off the schedule.

Your contractors are absorbing this cost quietly. When they realize they don't have to, they start looking for a distributor who delivers.

What contractors actually want from their distributor

Ask HVAC contractors what they want from their distributor and the answer is consistent. Product availability and timely delivery rank among the top three purchase factors, right alongside price. Not loyalty programs. Not relationship perks. Having the part and getting it there on time.

According to ACHR News, 31% of HVAC contractors say their distributor should have critical parts like compressors and motors available the same day. Most of the rest say next-day works for less critical items, but the direction is clear: expectations are rising.

The switching data tells the same story. When distributors fall short on availability or delivery, contractors move on. Familiarity with your counter staff builds goodwill, but it won't save you when a tech gets stranded waiting on a part.

How jobsite delivery earns contractor loyalty

There's a real difference between being a supplier and being a partner. Suppliers have the part. Partners make the job easier.

When a distributor delivers directly to the jobsite, the relationship shifts. The tech stays productive. The job finishes on time. The contractor's margin stays intact. And the distributor made it happen.

Contractors run on tight timelines and tighter margins. They give their business to distributors who make them look good in front of their customers, not ones who create headaches in the middle of a job. Every on-time delivery to the site proves you understand what's at stake for them.

Distributors who consistently protect their contractors' time don't just retain accounts. They get referrals. They become the first call when a contractor opens a new territory or adds a second crew. That kind of loyalty isn't built at the counter. It's built at the jobsite.

See how a major HVAC distributor runs deliveries with Curri across a major metro market, and how Curri works with HVAC distributors nationwide.

Same-day delivery without expanding your fleet

Most HVAC distributors don't need to add trucks to offer same-day jobsite delivery. The branches doing this well typically handle scheduled runs with their own fleet and use on-demand delivery for the urgent calls.

A tech arrives at a site and finds they need a part that wasn't on the original order. They call the branch. The branch dispatches a driver through Curri. The part goes straight to the jobsite. The tech never leaves. That's last-mile delivery without the wait.

Curri's Hotshots is how HVAC distributors handle that on-demand volume without adding headcount. When a rush order comes in, Curri connects the branch with a driver from its network. The branch books the delivery in minutes, and both the branch and the contractor can track the shipment in real time. No truck sitting idle. No driver waiting for a full route to justify the run.

Distributors already running their own fleet alongside Curri get the most out of this setup. For the build-vs-buy decision on delivery capacity, this breakdown of in-house vs. outsourced fleet options covers the tradeoffs.