LGCool Products Backed by a Powerful Brand

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Art Cool Products at the Atlanta Training Facility.

LG's Art Cool has garnered much of the recent attention — for its capabilities as a ductless air conditioner as well as its originality. Available in a variety of sizes, Art Cool is a wall-mounted air-conditioner under the guise of art — customizable by the user. “It has really gained a lot of exposure and excitement,” Cutchins says of Art Cool. While air-conditioner manufacturers may like their products, market research showed LG that consumers preferred their units to be invisible. “Décor was more important than seeing the window units, and that planted the seed for R&D to start thinking outside the box,” says Jack Mourterot, marketing manager for LG's Electronics USA Commercial Air Conditioning division.

Over the past year, LG has updated its product line with more energy-efficient products, including higher SEER ratings on its duct-free, multi-split models. “We go hand in hand with the push toward energy efficiency,” Cutchins says. “More and more people are embracing green technology.” Earlier in the year, LG introduced its duct-free, flex-multi model as part of its advanced zoning and climate control solutions for a variety of uses.

While LG is relatively new in the air-conditioning market in the U.S., the company draws upon 50 years of experience in ductless systems around the world, notes Mourterot. Its air-conditioning division also shares research and development with other product divisions. The compressor technology it uses in air conditioning, for example, also appears in LG washer and dryers.

LG's 25-story corporate design center in Seoul is the heart of LG's research and development — and it crosses all product lines. Cutchins says the process is akin to a giant funnel where concepts are developed and become refined. “There's a lot of depth there to make sure that we have the right ideas coming through,” Cutchins says. Reflecting the importance of R&D, LG also operates design research centers in Italy, China, the United States, Japan and India.

LG is committed to its distribution network, and the company says there is a lot of excitement in the HVACR marketplace for its products. LG wants to keep this excitement alive for its distributors so that they feel connected with the products. They invite distributors to training sessions in Atlanta. LG's field representatives have also visited distributor branches around the country and ask the distributors to invite the customers in as well to see LG products and ask questions. Being active and visible with distributors is an important part of the company's strategy. “We're very focused on having our people in the field,” Cutchins says. Three LG regional operations set up around the country enable this high level of distributor support.

LG recently rolled out a new program to enhance its technical support, ensuring that there is always an LG technical support team within a market area. LG also maintains a toll-free technical support number exclusively for distributors and contractors to connect with LG technical experts who are well-versed in the products. The products are even at the call center so technicians can more easily trouble-shoot and diagnose a problem. There is a separate toll-free number for consumers as well. LG's support of distributors after the sale is very important, Cutchins says. “That's vitally important in this business.”