Construction leaders are feeling the squeeze. Demand is up, schedules are tight, and the HVAC technician training pipeline can’t keep pace. Meanwhile, customers expect faster response times, clearer explanations, and proof they can trust. In today’s Titans of the Trades episode, Ryan Englin interviews Lee Bridges, VP of Product Management at XOi Technologies, to explore how pairing field-captured data with human-centered product thinking is quietly transforming service outcomes in HVAC and across MEP.
At the core is a deceptively simple shift: start with the technician. XOi equips techs to collect photos, videos, and structured readings right at the unit. Those artifacts aren’t just “nice to have” receipts; together they form a standardized dataset that helps diagnose faster, communicate clearer, and create a defensible record long after the truck pulls away. In the last year alone, the platform ingested over 50 million equipment data points, evidence that the best insights begin at the edge, not the office. For teams focused on HVAC technician training, that means new techs learn from real, local jobs, not just generic manuals.
Where does AI fit? Bridges is blunt: AI is a tool, not a trophy. Instead of bolting on a chatbot, XOi built one-tap AI summaries that turn a tech’s photos, video notes, and checklists into a crisp customer-ready narrative. Average time saved: 5-10 minutes per visit. Sounds small, until you multiply it across crews and weeks. Even a conservative schedule can unlock one to two extra calls per tech each week. In construction service operations, where labor is the constraint, those reclaimed hours convert into meaningful revenue and a better customer experience. It’s a practical, bottom-line use case you can take straight into your next HVAC technician training session.
But perhaps the most compelling part of XOi’s story is cultural, not technical. The company runs an all-hands experience called “Learning With Your Boots On.” Everyone, from engineering to marketing, steps into a real-world scenario beside the equipment. No, they aren’t popping live panels; they’re practicing how to identify issues, communicate with a customer, and document the work in the app. That perspective closes the empathy gap between builders and users. It also shortens feedback loops so product managers spot friction quickly and ship improvements that actually help. That’s the kind of insight you want baked into HVAC technician training: tools that respect how techs really work.
If you’re raising an eyebrow at all the soft-skills talk, Bridges has a counter: “Love is a differentiating product feature.” Not love as in fluff. Love as commitment to the user’s outcome, plus empathy for the gap they wrestle with every day. In practice, that looks like reducing taps on a tablet, making summaries readable by non-technical customers, and using standardized job data to support honest, transparent recommendations. When your tools help techs explain the “why,” close rates go up and call-backs go down. Try weaving that mindset into your next HVAC technician training module: teach communication, not just procedure.
Bridges’ path to product underscores the point. He spent a decade in the music industry, working on hundreds of albums, then jumped into software by building an iPad app for musicians. That blend of creativity, technical curiosity, and entrepreneurial grit shows up in how he leads. It also fuels his side project Spun It, a vinyl-listening community that celebrates tactile experiences in a digital world. The throughline? Make something people love to use. That’s as relevant to HVAC technician training as it is to consumer apps.
So, what should construction and MEP leaders do next?
- Measure minutes, not features. Ask your software partners exactly how many minutes per job their tools will save and how they know. Then, build those gains into staffing plans and HVAC technician training goals.
- Operationalize proof. Standardize photo/video capture and elevate it from “optional” to “always.” Use it to train apprentices, price maintenance transparently, and market your craftsmanship.
- Walk in the boots. Run your own version of XOi’s onsite empathy exercise with dispatch, sales, and finance. When back-office teams see the field’s reality, waste disappears.
- Teach the why. Layer communication skills into HVAC technician training, especially how to explain findings and recommendations in plain language. The right words reduce friction and increase trust.
- Commit to the outcome. Technology should bend to your workflow, not the other way around. Hold vendors (and your own teams) to that standard.
If you’re serious about scaling service, sharpening training, and strengthening customer trust, this episode is a blueprint. It’s not hype. It’s the blocking and tackling of modern field service: data captured once, reused many times, with AI quietly handling the busywork so your people can do their best work. And yes, we dig into the stories, stumbles, and surprises that brought these ideas to life. Curious how far you can take it? Hit play and then bring one idea to your next HVAC technician training.
Connect With Lee:
Website: https://xoi.io/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgeslee/
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