Watsco Inc., a distributor of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) products with more than $1 billion in e-commerce sales, is playing the long game when it comes to digital commerce and transformation.

While investing in self-service online customer and contractor platforms and mobile commerce and apps, Watsco is using digital technology to pull away from its key competitors, the company told Wall Street analysts on a recent first-quarter earnings call.

“While quarterly performance is important, we invest in our business with the distinct goal of continuing to separate ourselves from our competition over the long run,” executive vice president Paul Johnston told analysts. “That’s the thesis of all these technology investments we make, and that’s playing out.”

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