If you were to ask the typical HVAC technician to name the tool he could absolutely not live without. You’d hear a wide range of answers depending upon the particular end of the business they primarily work in. But the answers would undoubtedly contain such things as gauges, wrenches, screw drivers and ladders along with an assortment of various industry specific tools mentioned like multi meters, micron gauges and vacuum pumps.
I’ve posed this question to my technicians over the years and to date have never, ever, not once had one say what I know to be the HVAC technicians most important tool - the service truck.
The HVAC service truck is the means by which technicians are able to perform their job. It is also the most expensive tool we have. Costs for a brand new three quarter to one ton service van can start at $28,000 and quickly exceed $40,000 when you add upfits like bin packages, service bodies, ladder racks and power lift gates.
Our favorite upfit is the KUV (Knapeheide Utility Vehicle) from the Knapeheide manufacturing company based in Quincy Illinois. 
The Knapeheide KUV is the ultimate Air Conditioning service vehicle body. Generally mounted on a Chevrolet or Ford cutaway 1-ton van chassis they are constructed entirely of steel and feature 8- secure external storage compartments as well as internal storage space that includes two conduit chutes and a large cargo area for oversized items. Options are nearly limitless. One of the most popular is the remote key fob auto locking feature that locks all the toolboxes with the press of a button. According to Knapeheide the KUV will make your service technicians more efficient so they are able to run one to two additional calls per day. 
One of the great things about the KUV body is that it can be used on the single rear wheel cutaway van chassis. This makes it much easier to maneuver in residential neighborhoods as well as in the city compared to a standard dual rear wheeled box van. However the KUV is also available in dual rear wheel models for those requiring higher gross carrying capacities.
It increases the likelihood that the technician will have the correct part or parts on his truck to complete the necessary repair on the first visit thus saving the customer both time, money ( due to increased technician efficiency and less time lost from work) and convenience.
In addition to having a well-stocked / organized truck he will find himself less fatigued at the end of the day by not having to crawl around on his hands and knees in the back of a van or spending time behind the wheel, fighting traffic running to supply houses for parts he didn’t have room for. Or worse, parts he had but couldn't find! It may even let him end his day a little earlier and allow him to spend more time with his own family. I’ve never met a tech who didn’t appreciate that.
The KUV is the ultimate customer and technician retention tool. Having both satisfied customers and technicians is every company’s goal and also a great recipe for success. In today’s world everyone’s looking for a competitive edge and the companies that are using the KUV definitely have a big one.
Photos courtesy of Knapeheide Mfg, Quincy IL.
