America’s Preferred Home Warranty owner Randy Caltrider shows his appreciation of his employees each year with an annual Family Fest, this year inviting them and their family members to enjoy a day at Cedar Point.
Tag: APHW
Balancing Your Budget? Go Month-to-Month
If you’ve ever had to use a home warranty, you probably get why it’s convenient to have one—help with unexpected expenses is handy. But who has the extra few hundred dollars lying around for another year of coverage? Ah, but did you know America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) also offers a monthly option for new consumers and returning customers?
“We understand that people don’t usually have a big sum of money up front, and other bills to pay besides, but would like the security of coverage,” said Bill Bear, Vice President of Consumer Marketing & Business Insights for APHW. “We offer monthly plans to provide an affordable option to our customers and make it easier to budget.”
There’s also no need for concern about paying more for the convenience. “There are no additional fees for the monthly plans,” Bill said. “It’s the same price as our annual coverage packages, just broken up into monthly payments—and you can cancel at any time.”
Consumer Sales Representative Jared Sexton reaches out to existing customers nearing the end of their contracts, to ensure they know about these options. “A lot of times they’ll actually have issues we could cover and might have forgotten they had the warranty from when they bought their home,” Jared said. “We get them over to customer service to get things taken care of, and it really helps a lot of people out!”
The majority of renewal warranties for APHW are on a month-to-month basis, according to Bill. “It’s very popular!” he said.
For more information about our consumer home warranty or our payment options, call 1.855.519.1495 or email [email protected]. Our consumer sales representatives are available and glad to help.
Final Team APHW Total
Counting our corporate sponsorship, our final total as of Friday, August 2, 2019, came to a whopping $52,037.48 raised for Relay For Life of Jackson County, Michigan! As a company with less than 250 employees total, this number means the world to us. Times are changing and Relay is changing with it, and we’re looking forward to stepping up to the new challenges that await. See you next year Jackson!! #TeamAPHW #RelayForLife #ACS #ChallengeAccepted!!
We Did It! APHW Achieves 2019 Fundraising Goal
Team APHW officially met and surpassed their Relay for Life fundraising goal of $20,000 Wednesday! With more than a month to go before the main event, we’re excited to see what new heights we can achieve!
Relay for Life Team APHW members pictured left to right: VP of Operations Mike, Nicholle (Secretary), Cara (Captain), Hannah, Donna (Treasurer), Patty (Co-Captain), and VP of Accounting Terri.
Join our fight and visit the #APHW tent at the #RelayForLife of Jackson County event Friday, August 2nd and Saturday, August 3rd at Cascades Falls Park in Jackson, Michigan. You can also help the cause by making a donation here: https://lnkd.in/eHBQTkx. To donate to APHW’s team total, click on the Donate button and search for America’s Preferred Home Warranty. #AmericanCancerSociety #HisStrengthGuidesOurSteps #Fundraising
Avoid the Arctic – Maintain Your Water Heater
I once had the unfortunate circumstance of showering with cold water. I’m talking COLD. Not room temperature, not slightly chilly—cold. Zero heat. Suffice it to say, that was the fastest shower I have ever taken. I will never suffer through it again if I can help it, and regularly maintaining your home’s water heater is the best way to avoid ever having to yourself.
Hot water is useful in many other ways too, of course—sinks, dishwashers, and washing machines, to name a few. But even if icy water isn’t enough to persuade you, consider this: It is a LOT more expensive to replace a hot water heater than it is to maintain it, and a poorly maintained one will also increase your energy bills. Save yourself some cash and take notes.
Options on the Market
There are two main types of hot water heater: Storage Tank and Tankless.*
- Whether gas or electric, Storage Tank Water Heaters have the lowest price up front for purchase and installation, but have higher monthly energy costs because they have to constantly keep a steady supply of heated water. When considering what size to get, take the number of people in your household and multiply it by at least 10 gallons per person (taking other water usage into account of course, such as shower length and number of washer loads).
- Tankless Water Heaters are more popular nowadays. They offer lower monthly energy bills (because they heat the water on-demand instead of keeping a supply warm). They also offer higher efficiency and compact size, but they are more expensive to purchase and have installed for these same reasons.
Maintenance Tips
Generally, maintenance of either option includes regular flushing of the systems to remove sediment, as well as visual inspections for leaks and other wear and tear. Check out these tips for maintaining your Tankless Water Heater* or your Storage Tank Water Heater* to keep your water heater running its best for the longest possible time—and avoid those cold showers!
*America’s Preferred Home Warranty is not affiliated with and has not collaborated with
Water Heater Hub, This Old House, or Green Living Ideas in any capacity.
Relay for Life Team APHW 2019 Update
APHW has been involved with RelayForLife for years, and this year is no different. Check out how our goals have changed, what we’ve been doing, and where we’re hoping to end up in the fight against cancer. Join our fight and visit us at the APHW tent at the Relay for Life of Jackson County event Friday, August 2nd at Cascades Falls Park in Jackson, Michigan! You can also help our cause by making a donation here: https://lnkd.in/eHBQTkx To donate to APHW’s team total, click on the Donate button and search for America’s Preferred Home Warranty. AmericanCancerSociety HisStrengthGuidesOurSteps Fundraising
We’ve Got Goosebumps! CSRs Trained in ‘Chill’
With A/C season right around the corner, America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) wanted to ensure easy communication between contractors and their customer service representatives (CSRs). Enter Andy Miller, a service manager for Lammers Heating & Cooling in Jackson, Michigan, to train them in ‘chill.’
“APHW hired me to teach a refresher course on air conditioning components, equipment, and general knowledge,” Andy said. He displayed the common parts and components of an air conditioner to the CSRs, explaining how and why they might fail, and the causes behind it.
“It’s different when you can touch and see the equipment—when you can discuss it with a professional—than it is just to Google the part,” said Rusty Reynolds, the Call Center Operations Manager at APHW. “The development of our people is critical. When you know your job inside and out, it makes you more efficient and less stressed at the end of the day.”
Andy visited the company once before as well, covering furnace parts and components. “This sort of training is very proactive,” he said. “It helps their CSRs know what contractors are talking about over the phone—now they can picture the parts being discussed.”
The employees showed plenty of interest in the sessions, engaging with the technician. “They asked a lot of questions both times, even some questions I wasn’t expecting,” Andy said, adding that he’s pleased to see APHW pushing the education. “We deal with a lot of other home warranty companies that know nothing about what we’re talking about, and it’s like pulling teeth,” he said. “Giving them an idea of what we’re telling them helps us out.”
“Being able to support the industry with knowledgeable people is great for everybody,” Rusty said, adding that APHW’s employee development program will host more of this type of training in the future. “It feels good that we can do this as a company—it’s a win for everyone.”
APHW Employees Volunteer for Special Olympics
The smell of freshly mown grass. The sun on your face. The ball. The competition. The cheering fans. These are things most kids enjoy easily. While special needs children may have to work harder to enjoy it, they want to compete just as badly—and win.
“That’s what it’s all about,” said Donna, the America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) employee who organized the company’s volunteers for the Special Olympics of Michigan 2018 State Fall Games. “It’s to show the world that yes, they may have a handicap or disability, but it doesn’t stop them from wanting to achieve what everyone else achieves in the world. They have wants and desires. They have goals, and being part of the Special Olympics helps them achieve some of those goals.”
The games were held September 28-30 in Ann Arbor, Canton, Chelsea, and Ypsilanti, Michigan. At first, Donna accepted the task because she felt APHW, which has donated to the cause in the past, should be represented. “We support this, so we should be out there as a team, showing our support,” she said. After attending the games, however, it became more than just being present.
“Going there and helping out and seeing the kids just made me feel really blessed,” she said. “I enjoyed seeing the kids go out and do things that people thought they couldn’t, watching them prove the stereotypes wrong.”
Donna’s efforts resulted in an additional nine volunteers attending the events, something the organizers were very appreciative of. “The new president of the organization, Tim Hileman, said that without the volunteers, the coaches and the athletes, the Special Olympics wouldn’t be there,” Donna said. “He escorted the person carrying the torch during the opening ceremonies. I felt blessed to be a part of it.”
Dave, who volunteered in the Flag Football games, was impressed at the joyful spirit of all the participants. “It was really fun seeing how the kids were into it,” he said. “It caused me to pause and reflect on what we take for granted.”
“It was so much fun!” said Arricca, who volunteered in the Skills Golf area. “Everyone who participated was in such a good mood, and just laughing and enjoying themselves. To be part of something that can bring them as much joy as they bring to the rest of the world is a real blessing.”