For the owner of Wayne’s Heating and Cooling in Louisa, the company’s focus is on building relationships—with customers, staff and the community.

David Fields began at Wayne’s Heating and Cooling lending a hand part-time to his father-in-law, Wayne Shifflett, while employed by another heating and air company in Charlottesville.

Eventually, he joined Shifflett full-time and had been serving as the company’s field manager for four years when Shifflett passed away in 2007. David suddenly found himself in the position of having to decide whether or not to continue the business his father-in-law had built. He decided to keep the business going and has tripled the number of employees in the last decade. The company, founded 24 years ago, grew from four employees in 2008 to 12 in 2016, and moved into larger quarters last year.

Wayne’s Heating and Cooling handles residential and commercial heating and cooling projects in both new and existing buildings, as well as the special needs of historic buildings. One of the biggest components of the company’s success is its attention to existing customers.

“We’ve just focused on our current customer base, taking care of them, and making sure the value that we provide exceeds the price that we charge,” Fields said. “We’ve had great results from it.”

It is from those customers that Wayne’s Heating and Cooling, the recipient of numerous national awards, has earned a healthy referral business. The company’s success can also be attributed to other factors.

“The biggest reason for our success is not my mentality or my ability to recognize a good plan and execute it. My employees and coworkers have to be solid, because they’re a direct extension of myself,” he said. “That’s something we’ve had really good success with.”

The 1997 Louisa County High School graduate said he doesn’t always hire the most experienced person for his team, preferring instead to staff his company with people who have what he considers good character. He then takes them under his wing, trains them his way, and enrolls them in the classes they need to eventually earn their journeyman’s licenses.

“What it’s going to do for the future is it’s going to create a talent pool in Louisa County,” Fields said.

The 2015 Louisa County Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year believes in investing in people. He would consider it a compliment if employees he helped along the way were to establish their own heating and air business one day.

It is his commitment and dedication to people that led to Fields’ eventual decision to purchase the former Louisa Tractor building on Davis Highway, just outside the town of Louisa.   

The more than 5,000-square-foot building gives the company more visibility, encourages people to drop in, provides plenty of storage space for equipment and ample space to train staff.

Eventually Fields said he would like to assist the high school’s career and technical education program by teaching students real world experiences and skills that could help them gain employment right after high school. He also plans to establish a scholarship to be awarded to a high school senior each year beginning in 2018.

What truly sets Wayne’s Heating and Cooling apart is the importance it places on customer service. It is what motivates Fields.He encourages staff to take the time necessary to ensure that each customer’s experience is positive.

In a world that is focused primarily on revenue and profits, David Fields instead concentrates his full attention on providing the best and most affordable service possible to customers—sometimes that means going “above and beyond” to achieve customer satisfaction.

For more information call
540-967-1306 or visit wayneshvac.com.