KeySpan in today's Newsday - Dan H.

DanHolohan

ed wallace

keyspan ad

guy in photo looks dead to me what idiot choose that photo

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

[Deleted User]

Free

is sure an overworked word in these folks' lexicon. Looks like they have a problem selling their product, or their sales people aren't up to snuff. Why would anyone use the word "cool" when trying to advertise heating equipment?

The folks who buy into something like this also think the "free" peanuts on the bar are not included in the beer price. The guy w/ the sweater and ear muffs will be donning a parka after the first bill.

Cool?

Steamhead

The one who

didn't do a CO test!

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Unknown

Simple answer

they sell gas and really not interested in selling anything else.

Frank_3

I don't earn a living from this industry, but I think I got Dan's point about "please read all of it". Here are the things I noticed, which would make me sit up and pay attention if I did earn a living from this industry:

a) The Weil-McLain and Trane logos are very prominently displayed in the ad. I don't believe Keyspan would be legally able to do that unless they had a sign-off from WM and Trane. (Remember the Home Depot ad where the WM logo was air-brushed off the boiler?) So the first thing you, as people that work in the industry, should realize is that the manufacturers are most likely partners in this project.

b) The small print mentions that the "free" part doesn't include installation. There's also no mention of how much the installation will cost. As a homeowner that's the part that would raise a red flag to me, and the part that you as contractors might *possibly* be able to use to compete against them.

c) It looks like Keyspan has its own plumbing & heating subsidiaries now. "Keyspan Plumbing Solutions, Inc" is there to handle NY City, and "Keyspan Plumbing & Heating Services, Inc" to handle Nassau & Suffolk counties. They've got three licensed plumbers on staff to handle NYC and two to handle Nassau/Suffolk. Seems like a lot of territory to be covered by such a small crew, and again a hook for you, as contractors, to use against them if you find yourself in a competitive situation.

d) In many industries we're seeing a transition to where service is the money-maker and hardware is being tossed in just to close the deal. Sounds like Keyspan is applying that principle to heating systems. I'm sure WM and Trane are kicking in something on the hardware with the expectation of making up in volume what they'll lose per unit. Keyspan on the other hand gets all the installation charges, the follow on service, and of course a lock on residential fuel delivery.

Firedragon_4

In New England the weapons of choice are

Burnham and American-Standard that is owned by Trane, so.........??????????????

Although we as oilmen can poke fun at these ads it's genocide and people are falling for it, so I for one am not laughing, I'm afraid, very afraid................

Thanks for the courage to post this Dan, it's going to be a hot, hot issue!

tp tunstall

it's all about money...

that's the motivation. the more natural gas the gas companies use, the less they (the gas companies) pay per therm...think about it. Remember the gas companies are an "oligopoly", similar to a "monoply" but are regulated by federal and /or state regulations. interesting stuff.

DanHolohan

Yes

you're seeing the big picture. And what's to stop someone from working under another man's license?

Here's more to consider:

http://www.supplyhousetimes.com/sht/cda/articleinformation/features/bnp__features__item/0,5333,88500,00.html

heretic

Subliminal?

So why is a model in a heating system ad wearing a sweater and ear muffs? Is that a reverse-subliminal message to make the reader feel chilly?