Identify the numbers
Save the manufacturer's document, model combination, value, units, mode, and test conditions. Is the number electrical input, meaning electricity used, or output, meaning heat or cooling delivered? They describe different quantities.
Record your measurement method. A whole-home monitor may include other loads; a circuit measurement may include more than the outdoor compressor. Do not open an electrical panel to measure it yourself.
Also note indoor and outdoor temperatures, settings, startup or steady operation, and other zones or backup heat.
Compare matched data
NEEP's sizing guide emphasizes minimum as well as maximum output and manufacturer performance data. It does not establish a particular installed unit's electrical draw. NEEP sizing guidance.
Ask the provider for input-power data under comparable conditions. The installed indoor units and controls need to match the relevant data.
Was minimum output expected at that time? Ask whether recovery, startup, defrost, another zone, or backup operation changes the expectation.
Verify a suspected mismatch
A qualified provider should confirm setup, controls, and reliable measurements if the result remains inconsistent with applicable data. Request the actual comparison rather than a general claim that variable-speed equipment uses little power.
Do not enter service modes or change controls to force a low reading. Lower power alone does not establish appropriate heating or cooling.
If the minimum was central to the sale, ask how its conditions apply to your home. Keep that representation with the operating record.
Your next step is to send the specification and measurement method for a documented review. A defect finding needs a comparison of the same system, quantity, and conditions, not two numbers describing different things.