MEP and construction leaders are scrambling to train and retain HVAC techs, while customers expect faster, clearer service. In this episode, Ryan Englin sits down with Lee Bridges, VP of Product Management at XOi Technologies, to unpack how real jobsite data, AI-powered workflows, and human-first leadership are changing the game for HVAC technician training and field service profitability.

You’ll hear how XOi captures millions of equipment data points, turns tech videos into customer-ready summaries that save 5-10 minutes per visit, and helps contractors sell maintenance with defensible transparency. Lee also shares XOi’s “Learning With Your Boots On” initiative, why “love is a differentiating product feature,” and how a decade in the music industry shaped his approach to building software techs actually want to use.

Whether you run a service division, lead an MEP business, or you’re an HVAC operations exec, this conversation is packed with practical ways to level up training, margin, and customer trust.

Takeaways

• 00:57 — What is XOi? A field-service platform built around the equipment lifecycle for HVAC and commercial kitchen, designed to help techs capture and use jobsite data.
• 03:58 — AI where it actually helps. Why XOi treats AI as a tool (not a gimmick) to save time and improve technician communication.
• 04:26 — 50M+ data points in a year. How standardized equipment data turns into sales enablement and defensible recommendations.
• 06:22 — One-tap AI summaries. Turning photos, videos, and notes into a customer-ready report in seconds, cutting 5-10 minutes per call.
• 08:57 — Capacity = profit. Saving minutes per job adds up to 1-2 extra calls/week/tech, and better CX.
• 09:41 — “Learning With Your Boots On.” A company-wide program that puts non-technicians in front of real equipment to build empathy and product insight.
• 12:46 — From studio to software. How Lee’s music-industry hustle (hundreds of albums) translated into product creativity and execution.
• 19:31 — Love as a product feature. Commitment + empathy as a framework for building tools that close the user’s goal gap.
• 23:13 — Advice to apprentices. Set the goal and make it happen.

Connect With Lee:

Website: https://xoi.io/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgeslee/

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