All-Aluminum Condenser Coils

Regarding Jim Wheeler’s July 2008 column “The Advantages Of Micro-Channel Coils” (page 136) and his disappointment in 1986 when one of our competitors dropped their all-aluminum condenser coils, we have good news: Trane never stopped!  We’ve been using all-aluminum Spine Fin condenser coils since 1957.   

In fact, last year, Trane and American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning became the first to usher in the era of all-aluminum matched systems, with the launch of an all-aluminum evaporator coil. To Jim Wheeler’s point, mixing metals can lead to formicary corrosion, rusty tube sheets and pinhole leaks that cost dealers time and money to fix, and cost consumers on their energy bills. 

So we too remain a staunch advocate of single-metal condenser and evaporator coils.

Randy Scott
Vice president, product systems management
Trane Corp.
Piscataway, NJ

Loyalty Programs

I read with pleasure Joan Adams’ May 2008 column in Supply House Times on loyalty programs (“How To Reward Customers … And How Not To,” page 24). I’ve recently joined an organization that in the past has run extravagant annual incentive trips that rewarded no certain behavior or achievement but simply took the top sellers throughout the entire channel and sent them to Hawaii or Mexico. This was regardless of whether or not their purchases were larger or smaller than the previous year.

I come from the school of “rewards for achievement.” And Joan Adams’ article is one I’ve clipped out and will refer to as I work towards developing new incentive programs for the company going forward. I’m not saying the past programs didn’t do any good. Lots of excitement, loyalty and relationships were built to incredible levels. However, the company wasn’t always achieving the sales growth from these customers that it desired.

So now my aim is to put in place a meaningful incentive program that rewards growth. Thanks for the article.  If Joan Adams has any other reference sources, columns, or other insights on this — I’d appreciate seeing what she has.

Jeff Wedge
Vice president, sales and marketing
FAFCO, Inc.
Chico, CA>