Cool Ace Air: Community-focused Air-conditioning Experts

Cool Ace Air (CAA) has become Arizona’s leading heating and cooling provider since its founding in 1994. Kwan Jin, owner of CAA, purchased the company in 2008, pledging to reinforce the company’s ability to provide innovative air solutions to clients all over the state. Service sits at the heart of CAA’s business, and the company’s technicians pride themselves on quick, reliable, knowledgeable and trustworthy customer care.

CAA employs up to 200 people capable of performing tune-ups, repairs, new unit installation, air-quality improvement and system retrofitting; all these services have a goal to save money on energy costs while reducing environmental impacts. CAA serves both the commercial and residential sectors and has the resources and capabilities to perform insulation work and duct manufacturing. The business operates from a single location in Phoenix that includes an in-house metal works shop to build connecting components for the systems it installs.

CAA is a factory-authorized dealer for many lines of heating and cooling products, including industry giants like Carrier, Goodman and Trane. The company maintains a steady supply of units and parts through its affiliates, which regularly deliver components to CAA’s warehouse. From there the units are transported to the installation site where CAA’s certified technicians maneuver them into place using rented cranes. Almost everything is self-performed by CAA technicians with the exception of plumbing and roofing contractors when needed.

The business is constantly developing energy-efficient systems to improve environmental conditions and save customers some cash. “We’re working on a new solar unit that can give consumers back 30 percent of their initial cost as a result of a federal tax credit,” says Mia Hillery, marketing coordinator for CAA.

The system has been dubbed Solar Cool, and the name really says it all. The hotter it is outside, the better these systems work. Solar Cool is the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly air conditioning unit on the market. The unit is manufactured in the United States and boasts quiet, affordable cooling backed by a 10-year warranty. Customers can expect to shave between a 40- and 60-percent off cooling costs with the Solar Cool system.

Responsibly Refrigerating

CAA embraces a philosophy of social responsibility on top of high-quality performance, and Kwan encourages employees to give back to the communities CAA serves.

“Kwan is very much involved in our community,” says Hillery. “Food banks have a very hard time after the holidays, so he has implemented a food drive every year from October through December. We offer a special that gives our customers a free tune-up inspection when they donate three cans of food to the cause. Last year we collected well over 5,000 pounds.”

CAA has completed projects large and small across Arizona, but Hillery says everyone’s favorite projects are with local community programs. “In June 2011 CAA donated time and massive amounts of parts in an effort to improve quality of living at United Methodist Outreach Ministries [UMOM] New Day Centers,” Hillery recalls. UMOM is the largest homeless shelter in Arizona, and the organization is dedicated to keeping families together who have fallen on hard times. UMOM assists families with housing, medical care, childcare, education and critical job skills as moms, dads and children work to rebuild their lives.

The company hosted a Keep It Cool event at the shelter that included activities for families. The event featured live entertainment, face painting, games, a picnic and free shirts and hats reading “Ace Air Cares.” Meanwhile, CAA technicians were hard at work installing donated air conditioning units, duct work and metal work for the organization’s dormitory buildings. The company also donated over 2,000 pounds of food to the shelter’s pantry.

Keeping Cool When Things Heat Up

Perhaps it’s in part thanks to the company’s good karma, but CAA has fared well throughout the recession. Hillery identifies Kwan’s aggressive business model as the primary key to CAA’s success. “We’ve done pretty well getting over the bumps,” Hillery acknowledges.

Some bizarre weather patterns have also brought in business between repairs and new installations. “In October 2010 we had this crazy hail storm,” recalls Hillery. “Some of our units were knocked out by the hailstones and we were replacing units with damaged coils through mid-2011.”

Despite the conditions, CAA maintains a focus on delivery of high-level performance in service and quality workmanship. The team builds lasting relationships with customers by exceeding expectations and instilling its employees with the education, training and commitment to excellence that keep clients coming back. The company stands by both its products and the team’s work, offering maintenance plans and 24-hour emergency assistance. Because of the company’s steadfast commitment, CAA never charges a fee for after-hours service or overtime.

Integrity and honesty are the core values at CAA, and Kwan pushes his employees to better themselves so that the entire staff can provide improved service to loyal clients. Aside from ongoing education, Kwan believes that contributing to the local community is a great component of personal growth. As CAA’s employees grow, the company grows as well. Cool Ace Air is constantly evolving and expanding to provide top-notch products and services that make life easier for customers and the community.