Princeton Air founder Joe Needham, right, and son Scott, the company’s president. By Scott Morgan Unless you’ve been in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning game since the 1970s, you might not give a thought to the fact that things are different in the industry these days. For one thing, the refrigerants used in the ’70s are not the same refrigerants available today. And that’s a good thing, because old refrigerants are pretty toxic, said Scott Needham, president of
Princeton Air Conditioning Inc
. And these new refrigerants are a main reason to upgrade. Any HVAC system in general, Needham said, has roughly a 15-year lifecycle. “If you’re in that general area, I’d say to start thinking of upgrading,” he said. “Most of the old systems use refrigerants that deplete ozone. The new systems don’t.” Needham’s father, Joe, founded Princeton Air in 1971. As a young professional in the 1980s, Needham joined the firm and has seen it through its most important growth years. Today he’s the public face of Princeton Air, who represents the firm at various business functions and during community days. Behind the temperate walls of the business, Needham does everything from sales to IT to guidance for the commercial services Princeton Air offers. Needham likes the many-hats nature of his job, though. In fact, he calls it the most enjoyable part of what he does. “I often say I’m one of the luckiest guys on the planet,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever used the word ‘bored’ in my adult career.” On any given day, he might take a sales call and then help detail the company fleet, and he wouldn’t trade the pace for any single job. When it comes time to upgrade, Needham advises taking care of the heating and air conditioning units at the same time. For one, systems are likely to be more compatible and able to work together more efficiently.For another, it is a much better cost savings if you get both systems fixed or replaced at the same time. Besides, Needham said, repairs to a lot of the older systems require parts and chemicals that are either no longer made or are uncommon enough to be super-expensive. Also, he recommends that if you are going to replace your AC, replace the evaporator coil and the outside unit as well. What sets Princeton Air apart, Needham said, is the company’s “concierge-type” service. The company essentially handholds its customers through the process, from obtaining permits to filling out warranties or filing for rebates. It’s not something most other companies in the HVAC or any related field offer, he said, but it’s most appreciated by Princeton Air’s customers. These aspects, after all, are alien to a homeowner, who might have no real idea that he needs to file for a permit or could qualify for an energy rebate. This attention to customer service is one reason why it’s so hard to get a job with Princeton Air. You don’t just walk in and start working, Needham said. “I really do say that our people are the diamonds of our industry,” he said. “We have a very rigorous hiring process.” The goal, he said, is to cultivate the right people, who not only know their way around an HVAC system, but know how to interact with customers in a friendly, professional (and, occasionally, calming) way. What also sets Princeton Air apart is something Needham still can’t believe is not more common in any industry. Since 1989, Needham has taken part in an industry peer group that meets twice a year. This 10-member group, which meets at a different company’s place each time, gets together to analyze and critique the business practices of its members, offer advice, and talk about the latest strategies for improving business.” It helps us to be a little different,” Needham said. “There aren’t many institutions like that. And I’m amazed more industries like don’t do this. It’s like having an unpaid board of directors.” The feedback, of course, has been invaluable, Needham said. And it’s always good to know better ways to reach customers. But for him, it’s all part of the varied nature of his job.
Princeton Air Conditioning, 39 Everett Drive, Princeton Junction. (609) 799-3434. princetonair.com
Princeton Air founder Joe Needham, right, and son Scott, the company’s president.,
