Rheem Training for Tradies
24 February 2025
In December last year, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) released an eye-opening report about how trade professionals are responding to emerging energy-efficient technology (you can read it here). It showed some interesting trends about how tradies understand the changes in their industry, and how they’re feeling about ensuring they have the necessary training to keep up with the demand for new energy efficient technology, such as solar and heat pump water heaters.
Research shows tradies want to stay up to date with latest technology It’s no secret that new energy efficient technology is shaking up the home appliance industry (including water heating appliances) – and EECA research shows that NZ electricians and plumbers are well aware of this. Tradies recognise that the rate of change in their industry is increasing steadily, and that this is driven in part by consumer demand for new energy-efficient products. In response to this change, tradies acknowledge that upskilling is essential, but most also acknowledge that they are finding it difficult to upskill at the required rate.
Another equally important aspect of the research shows that tradies see themselves as having the most influence over their customers’ choices in appliances when existing appliances require repair or replacement. They are the trusted adviser for their customers, making it even more essential that they upskill in new energy-efficient technologies. Interestingly, 10% of tradies preferred not to offer recommendations because they are worried about getting the recommendation wrong and damaging their reputation. However, if there was evidence of running costs and savings over time, over half of electricians and plumbers said they were more confident to recommend a product. Plumbers/gasfitters placed even more importance on evidence of appliances’ expected lifespan.
Further, 72% of the survey respondents said their business decisions are primarily driven by delivering a great customer experience to secure repeat customers and, in contrast, saving their businesses money was the least important driver of business decision-making. Plumbers and electricians want to do their best for the customers, even if it comes at a greater cost, and often this will mean recommending an energy efficient solution. This shows that staying up to date with the latest technology not only gives tradies the confidence to provide the right advice, but can also significantly impact tradie’s bottom line.
Considering all of the above, one of the key takeaways from EECA’s research is that tradies want – and need – to upskill with energy efficient technologies in order to continue delivering great customer experiences and, importantly, future-proof their businesses.
Rheem Training for Tradies
Rheem are the experts in hot water, and we have made a huge effort in recent years to share this expertise both in person and online. In the last year alone, Rheem has introduced two new energy-efficient heat pump water heaters – the AmbiPower MDc-180 and AmbiPower 280e – both of which can reduce a homeowner’s water heating energy costs by up to 70%. Alongside these releases, Rheem has made all the necessary product training available online through our MyRheem Pro portal, which all plumbers and gasfitters can sign up to and access whenever needed. In their MyRheem Pro portal, plumbers and gasfitters will not only find all of the relevant technical documents for every Rheem product, but also warranty claim forms, a resource library covering a wide range of topics, service bulletins, tech support, and even the latest updates on the New Zealand Building Code.
Rheem also have a specialised Rheem Learning Management System, where a wide selection of Rheem product courses are available for plumbers and gasfitters to work through at their own pace, at a time that suits them.
In addition to what’s available digitally, Rheem provides in person training on a range of topics through our “Training for Tradies” events throughout the country. When you login to your MyRheem Pro and click on the “Training for Tradies” link, you can find all of the upcoming dates in your region. If none are upcoming in your area, you can still do the courses online through the portal. These walk you through all of the key Rheem product info, including installation, maintenance, and best practice.
If you’ve exhausted the above options and still have some burning questions about a Rheem product, we have a training specialist for all Rheem products who is here to help. Simply get in touch with our customer service team and they will point you in the right direction.
Technology is changing rapidly and we understand how hard it is to stay up to date with the latest energy-efficient products – and that’s why Rheem is trying to make it as easy as possible for plumbers and gasfitters to confidently recommend the best products to their customers.
AmbiPower MDc-180 Heat Pump Water Heater
AmbiPower 280e Heat Pump Water Heater
