On August 20, 38 Synergy members joined a webinar with Cox Engineering to hear how the company is adapting its organizational structure to support continued growth.
Keith Reissfelder (Cox Engineering) explained that strong financial results can sometimes hide growing strain within an organization. As Cox expanded, leaders began seeing signs of fatigue, communication gaps, inconsistent execution, and too much dependence on individual employees to keep work moving.
The team at Cox Engineering wanted to introduce greater clarity and accountability without losing the ownership mindset, urgency, and customer focus that helped the company succeed.
Moving Toward Structured Entrepreneurship
Keith described Cox’s goal as “structured entrepreneurship.” The company is defining roles, strengthening communication, documenting processes, and creating clearer expectations while continuing to encourage employees to take initiative.
A six-person team developed a future organizational chart and a three-to-five-year business plan. This work helped Cox identify the positions, leadership support, and operational changes the company would need as it continued to grow.
The conversation also reinforced that a people-first culture still requires accountability. Supporting employees means giving them clear expectations, the resources to do their jobs, and honest feedback when performance or role fit becomes an issue.
Building a Service Projects Group
One of the biggest examples of Cox’s growth strategy is its Service Projects Group. What began as a small capability has expanded into a dedicated team that handles everything from rooftop replacements to complex, multi-month projects.
Keith said that creating a specialized team allowed project employees to focus on installations while increasing the capacity of regular service technicians to serve customers.
Many of the group’s salespeople previously worked as technicians. Their technical knowledge and existing customer relationships help them identify opportunities, recommend work they understand, and earn customer trust.
Putting People in the Right Roles
Fellow Synergy peers also asked how Cox determines whether employees are suited for new positions, including transitions from the field into sales.
Cox uses Synergy partner Culture Index as one tool for evaluating role fit, but leaders also consider how an employee works, communicates, handles details, and performs over time.
Creating Better Processes and Measurements
Cox is also working to document processes and improve the quality of its operational data. Employees who identify unclear or inefficient processes are often invited to help redesign them, creating solutions informed by the people who perform the work. The company is using this feedback and trusted partners to develop more reliable dashboards and performance measures.
During the discussion, members encouraged Keith and the Cox Engineering team to look beyond revenue and profit by tracking controllable indicators such as callbacks, preventive maintenance completion, accounts receivable performance, customer retention, and work generated through existing service relationships.
Cox’s experience gave members an honest look at what happens when growth begins to outpace an organization’s existing structure. The webinar also demonstrated the value of learning directly from another contractor that is actively working through many of the same challenges facing other growing HVAC businesses.
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Synergy Solution Group gives leaders from independently owned commercial HVAC companies a trusted place to share what they are trying, ask candid questions, and learn from the real-world experiences of their peers. Learn more about joining Synergy.
