A. O. Smith, a leader in water heating and water treatment solutions, announces the launch of its newly updated website, hotwater.com. The fully redesigned website offers an immersive and user-friendly experience with a focus on meeting the diverse needs of today’s trade professionals and homeowners. Key improvements to the website include a mobile-friendly design, a Read more
Industry News
A. O. Smith, a leader in water heating and water treatment solutions, announces the launch of its newly updated website, hotwater.com. The fully redesigned website offers an immersive and user-friendly experience with a focus on meeting the diverse needs of today’s trade professionals and homeowners.
Key improvements to the website include a mobile-friendly design, a reorganized navigation system and enhanced search functionality. These upgrades, made possible by the new Salesforce Commerce Cloud platform, provide users with a seamless browsing experience and quick and easy access to the information that’s important to them. As consumers are researching new water heaters they can quickly navigate to the Contractor Locator Tool, which will connect them to an A. O. Smith installer who can help them select the best-fit water heater for their installation needs.
The new Hotwater.com features a range of additional enhancements designed to benefit trade professionals:
- Trade Partner Support: A dedicated Professionals experience has been created to better serve the needs of trade partners, with unique content specifically tailored to each of the following fields of professionals:
- Robust Product Literature & Videos Search: O. Smith has made it easier than ever to find spec sheets, manuals, videos and more with a comprehensive search function in the new Product Literature, Videos & Images section.
All users will also benefit from:
- Rebates Center: The improved Rebates Center makes it easier for customers to find rebates and incentives for installing A. O. Smith high efficiency products.
- Educational Content: The enhanced Info Center educates customers on frequently asked topics like Water Heater Sizing, Water Heater Venting and more.
- Accessibility: The website is now equipped with an ADA-compliant tool, ensuring a more inclusive experience for all users.
“A. O. Smith’s updated website is the result of a year-long endeavor aimed at enhancing our online customer experience. Before starting the overhaul, our team surveyed customers to find out what resources were most important to them. We then used this feedback to guide our efforts to diligently craft a digital experience that seamlessly aligns with their evolving needs, delivering unparalleled value and convenience,” said Jeff Storie, A. O. Smith marketing director.
Experience the enhanced A. O. Smith website today by visiting www.hotwater.com.
Below are the top takeaways from the Home Builders Institute’s Spring 2023 HBI Construction Labor Market Report: 1. The U.S. faces a shortage of 1.5 million homes which, as a matter of supply and demand, forces rents and house prices higher nationwide. 2. The construction industry currently needs approximately 723,000 new construction workers each year to meet Read more
Below are the top takeaways from the Home Builders Institute’s Spring 2023 HBI Construction Labor Market Report:
1. The U.S. faces a shortage of 1.5 million homes which, as a matter of supply and demand, forces rents and house prices higher nationwide.
2. The construction industry currently needs approximately 723,000 new construction workers each year to meet demand (residential construction represents 3.2 million of the construction payroll employment of 7.9 million).
3. The number of open construction sector jobs currently averages between 300,000 to 400,000 every month.
4. At least 90 percent of single-family builders responding to a survey reported a shortage of carpenters, and 80 to 85 percent reported a shortage of subcontractors in six other trades. More than 80 percent of remodelers reported a shortage of subcontractors in 11 of the 16 trades.
5. The share of Americans who choose to stay out of the labor force stands at a historical low. The labor force participation rate for people aged between 25 and 54 is 83 percent.
6. The share of construction workers aged 25 to 54 dropped by six percent over the past seven years.
7. Hourly wages in construction are higher than in other industries. The average hourly earnings in construction have increased 5.4 percent since a year ago, now approaching the $36 mark. The average hourly earnings in manufacturing is $31.80; in trade, transportation and utilities it is $27.67. Overall, in the private sector: $33.20.
8. The share of women in construction stands at 11 percent. While that is a new record high, gains have been persistently slow, rising by less than two percent in four years.
9. The share of Hispanics employed in the construction industry is 31.5 percent in 2021 (most recent available data). That compares to an 18.8 percent share of Hispanics across all industries. Non-Hispanic Whites account for 59 percent in the construction industry, about the same as across all industries (59.6 percent). Blacks and Asians are underrepresented in the construction industry.
10. Concentration of immigrants is high in many of the trades needed to build a home. For example: plasterers and stucco masons (56 percent), drywall/ceiling tile installers (52 percent), roofers (48 percent), painters (47 percent), carpet/floor/tile installers (43 percent), and construction laborers (38 percent).
According to Ed Brady, President and CEO of the Home Builders Institute (HBI), the facts show the construction industry today must focus on three urgent priorities for the country:
1) promote training and jobs in the trades to those people who have not yet considered a career in construction;
2) support immigration reform designed to produce the next generation of New Americans seeking opportunity in the United States;
3) advocate for housing affordability by demonstrating the direct link between the nation’s housing shortage and its construction labor shortage.
For more information and to download the report, click Spring 2023 HBI Construction Labor Market Report
The Home Builders Institute (HBI) is the nation’s leading provider of skilled trades training and education for the building industry. Through pre-apprenticeship training, certification programs and job placement services, HBI provides graduates – high school students, at-risk youth, veterans, transitioning military personnel, justice-involved youth and adults, and displaced workers – with the skills and experience they need to build a career and change their lives.
There are many styles and approaches to hydronic zoning. The trick is knowing when and how to utilize the products available in the marketplace. Veterans Greg Tubbs and Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr have seen all kinds of zoning applications across North America. They will break zoning down to the basics at the next Coffee with Read more
There are many styles and approaches to hydronic zoning. The trick is knowing when and how to utilize the products available in the marketplace. Veterans Greg Tubbs and Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr have seen all kinds of zoning applications across North America. They will break zoning down to the basics at the next Coffee with Caleffi webinar on Thursday, June 22 from 12 noon – 1:00 p.m. CDT, assisting our audience with best practices, product selection, installation and maintenance tips.
Tubbs is a Caleffi application engineer with 20+ years of field experience and technical support. He adds a well-rounded troubleshooting background to the Ask Caleffi technical support team. When he isn’t helping customers on the phone lines, he is often behind the microphone recording podcasts or in front of the camera producing demo videos from the Caleffi lab.
Don’t know Hot Rod? A Carlson-Holohan Industry Award of Excellence honoree, he travels from sea to shining sea for Caleffi North America, sharing his 40+ years’ of experience as a plumbing, radiant heat and renewable energy contractor. He is a regular contributor to industry magazines where Hot Rod brings his rubber-to-the-road experiences to life.
A Certificate of Attendance is emailed to attendees following the event for continuing education audits.
The monthly educational webinars are free and are intended for engineers, contractors, designers and wholesalers. Visit our website at www.caleffi.us for schedule details and registration requirements.
The new feature gives Text Request customers the ability to request, track, and respond to Google reviews seamlessly from Text Request Text Request, the industry-leading business messaging platform, announced today the release of its newest feature, Reviews — a review management solution that enables customers to request, track, and respond to reviews on Google directly from their Read more
The new feature gives Text Request customers the ability to request, track, and respond to Google reviews seamlessly from Text Request
Text Request, the industry-leading business messaging platform, announced today the release of its newest feature, Reviews — a review management solution that enables customers to request, track, and respond to reviews on Google directly from their Text Request dashboard. In addition to simplifying the process of requesting reviews from happy customers, this new feature allows businesses to respond to customer feedback within Text Request, rather than having to navigate through multiple platforms.“We have mountains of data showing that businesses with more reviews win more customers, and that text messaging is the quickest way to get the most customer engagement,” said Kenneth Burke, Vice President of Marketing for Text Request. “Our new Reviews feature brings those two truths together so that businesses can earn, reply to, and manage all of their reviews and feedback inside of Text Request.”
How it works:
Account Admins can connect their Google Business page to their Text Request dashboard. Then users can begin embedding custom review links in text messages to customers asking for reviews and private feedback. All public reviews and private feedback will show inside of Text Request, from where users can reply directly to reviews and track conversions over time.
Reviews can be configured to send customized, automated reminders, as well as thank you messages to customers who do submit reviews. It can also collect private messages from customers who do not wish to share their thoughts publicly, or be configured to solicit private feedback only, rather than public reviews.
Businesses can use Reviews to request and manage reviews across multiple Google Business locations from one Text Request account.
In addition to streamlining the review request/response processes, Reviews offers robust analytics and monitoring, including:
- Total number of reviews
- Average rating of reviews per platform, as well as average rating of all reviews
- Number of review requests sent
- Comparison data for organic reviews vs. those requested from Text Request
- A variety of data filtering options, including year-to-date, month-to-date, and custom date ranges
Reviews is an add-on feature available to any Text Request customer.
“We’re always trying to give businesses the tools they need to better connect with customers and grow their businesses with less effort,” said Rob Reagan, Text Request CTO. “Reviews is another great example of that. Businesses will be able to get more online reviews, more private feedback, and manage all of it with minimal effort. It’s a win for businesses and for their customers.”
For more information about Reviews, visit textrequest.com/product/reviews. For more details on Text Request, or to schedule a demo, visit textrequest.com/demo.
The limited-edition craft beer celebrates trade professionals and the RIDGID legacy RIDGID®, a part of Emerson’s professional tools portfolio, is celebrating its 100th anniversary with RIDGID Wrenched 100 IPA, a limited-edition anniversary beer. The brew, created in collaboration with Unplugged Brewing Company, pays tribute to the expert tradespeople who work hard and know how to Read more
The limited-edition craft beer celebrates trade professionals and the RIDGID legacy
RIDGID®, a part of Emerson’s professional tools portfolio, is celebrating its 100th anniversary with RIDGID Wrenched 100 IPA, a limited-edition anniversary beer. The brew, created in collaboration with Unplugged Brewing Company, pays tribute to the expert tradespeople who work hard and know how to unplug.
Unplugged is an Elyria-based craft brewery and worked closely with the RIDGID team to create the bold and steady brew – just like the brand that inspired it. “Our goal was to say thank you to the trade professionals who over the past 100 years have put their trust in our tools every day on jobsites around the world,” said Becky Brotherton, director of brand and marketing, RIDGID for Emerson. “Having a small, hardworking brewery in our own backyard allowed us to create something that was truly special.”
The specialty craft beer is available for purchase in select Northeast Ohio stores and online for direct-to-home shipping in 41 states through December. To purchase online, visit: rivalrybrews.com/products/ridgid-wrenched-100. Enjoy responsibly.
“RIDGID is an iconic name, recognized around the world, and we’re proud to help them celebrate this milestone anniversary,” said Carlos Lopez, owner of Unplugged Brewery. “As a small business owner, it’s been an honor to create this brew for a company that celebrates its customers in this special way.”
In addition to the RIDGID Wrenched 100 IPA, a limited edition RIDGID beer tap is also available to purchase for use or display. The tap is manufactured at RIDGID global headquarters in Elyria, Ohio, on the same production lines used to produce the brand’s legendary wrenches. It fits a 3/8″-16 body thread or can sit upright for display in a home or shop. Commemorative pint glasses, t-shirts, signs, and hats are also available at ridgidgear.com.
In 1923, the Ridge Tool Company invented the modern straight pipe wrench, introducing it to the world under their brand, RIDGID. Since then, every step forward has been taken with the tradesperson in mind. Today, RIDGID’s pipe wrench design is the best-selling pipe wrench in the world, and many of the wrenches that were sold back in the 1920s and 30s are still in use today.
This year, RIDGID is celebrating 100 years of designing and building innovative tools trusted on jobsites around the world and handed down from generation to generation. To commemorate the occasion, RIDGID is spending 2023 celebrating the trades, their impact on our world, and the brand’s legacy.
To learn more about the 100th anniversary, individuals are invited to visit RIDGID.com/100 or their social channels – @RIDGIDTools on Facebook, @RIDGIDTools on Instagram, and @RIDGIDTools on TikTok.
Emerson’s professional tools business, which includes RIDGID as well as the Greenlee® and Klauke® brands, provides the industry’s broadest portfolio of advanced, reliable tools and technologies for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing trades globally. Visit emerson.com/professionaltools for more information.