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Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

I think often the employers expectations are dictated by the customer's requirements.

I have always felt that I work for a 'reasonable' company. When a call comes in that needs a guy on it, you WILL drop everything and go.

That is your job. Don't like it? Find another one.

When there is tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of product hanging in the balance, I don't care if your lawn gets mowed, suit up and GO.

I carry the same attitude and know others who don't. I was told one day "just get to a call when you can."

Try telling that nonsense to a customer that is about to lose big $$$$ and see what happens.

I have often heard "wow you got here quick we didn't expect you so fast." I tell them I want to find the problem as quickly as possible and get busy make the repair. It just makes the whole process better with a quick response time and positive attitude.

Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

Part of this is a problem with the techs, also. If you have been in the business for a while and know your stuff and you put up with $hit like that, then you get what you deserve. You want to roll over and take a verbal beating? Fine, be my guest, but if I am in the right and KNOW it, then you had better not call me yelling. You'll be in for a surprise...

I couldn't agree more.....

Originally Posted by jr9701

Most companies that dont value there employees will expect them there asap (especially if it a new customer). Reasonable employers dont expect you to just drop everything and run, but those companies are few and far between.

I'd say within an hour and a half to two hours w/ travel is fair.

I think often the employers expectations are dictated by the customer's requirements.

I have always felt that I work for a 'reasonable' company. When a call comes in that needs a guy on it, you WILL drop everything and go.

That is your job. Don't like it? Find another one.

When there is tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of product hanging in the balance, I don't care if your lawn gets mowed, suit up and GO.

Originally Posted by beachtech

we have a back up man (the guy who is on call the following week) but i never have and never will need a back up man. i will hold my own!!!

How long have you been doing this?

You will need your backup guy, someday. Treat him well.

Originally Posted by intellitech

I am learning how so few companies appreciate their workers and it is such a tragedy. I spoke with a girl the other day that is a dispatcher with an hvac company and she mentioned how the owner and 2 sons basically abuse the service techs verbally. Her story sounded so familiar and it is so pathetic on the part of the owners who think they are invincible. The truth be told these guys would be NO WHERE without their loyal techs that they treat like royal dogsh1t.

Part of this is a problem with the techs, also. If you have been in the business for a while and know your stuff and you put up with $hit like that, then you get what you deserve. You want to roll over and take a verbal beating? Fine, be my guest, but if I am in the right and KNOW it, then you had better not call me yelling. You'll be in for a surprise...

Call received by Answering Service (live) is dispatched (Nextel) to “On-call Tech” –

If no response from Tech within 15 mts – call is resent and also paged to Service Manager -

Service Manager contacts Answering Service – checks status of prior calls - then contacts “On-call Tech” and Customer -

“On-call Tech” – then calls Customer with anticipated Arrival Time –
After Hour calls are recapped with “On-call Tech” the next work day –

BTW (1) – the Answering Service recaps each call received -

BTW (2) - revenue and call type is tracked

It goes with the territory

I don't expect anymore as a boss than if I was a workers, I did the weekend service and water heater replacement for a couple of years and when a call comes in you at least make a call back ASAP, see if problem can waite till next day or till Monday, if not you are being paid to be on call, so try and get to it as soon as you can. I do pay my guys a fee for stanby and double time for callout.

I wished we charged more for after hours calls to weed out the ones that aren't really emergencies. Nothing like just sitting down to eat dinner at a restaurant with the wife and getting called out to a grocery store for an empty cooler when they're closing in 2 hours anyways.

Originally Posted by jr9701

Most companies that dont value there employees will expect them there asap (especially if it a new customer). Reasonable employers dont expect you to just drop everything and run, but those companies are few and far between.

I'd say within an hour and a half to two hours w/ travel is fair.

I am learning how so few companies appreciate their workers and it is such a tragedy. I spoke with a girl the other day that is a dispatcher with an hvac company and she mentioned how the owner and 2 sons basically abuse the service techs verbally. Her story sounded so familiar and it is so pathetic on the part of the owners who think they are invincible. The truth be told these guys would be NO WHERE without their loyal techs that they treat like royal dogsh1t.

The real problem with this industry is the owners/managers who are not cut out for their position.....argue with me it you want but you will NEVER win!

Don't give me the lame excuse of how burdened the owner/manager is....get out if you can't handle it and get out as soon as possible so a real manager/owner can handle the job.

As soon as owners/managers start learning how to own/manage their businesses then and only will they start to be a place worth working for and not just a job that is MISERABLE!!!

We pay a small amount for being on call,and from when they leave their home until they return.

Service contract and 10 year P and L's get,no extra charge 365 days a year ,if they call by 7PM. After hours are discounted for them and high for all others,to discourage calls and give them a reason to buy a contract.

Response time to phone call is key,30 minutes max.,arrive depending on others calls,could be several hours.

Originally Posted by BergerMech Rob

As quickly as possible, up to two hours.

Do you pay your techs for being on call or do they just get paid for time that they are working on a clients job?

Originally Posted by miami mike

Sometimes If i get a call early, I will tell the customer that "Ive got one ahead of you" just so I can wait and see if I get anything else. Id rather group a few together and stay out as opposed to going out for one then coming home, then going back out...etc.

But I always call them quickly to let them know I will be there ASAP.

The only "rule" we have regarding this is that you call the customer back within 15 minutes of receiving the page from the answering service.

i do the same thing. we have same rule, but we have a 2hr response time, which can be difficult at times if you gotta do alot of repairs to a system...

if i only have one call i always sit on it for the two hours, inless or till a second one comes in then i start rolling

i ran some 23 calls fri-sun

we have a back up man (the guy who is on call the following week) but i never have and never will need a back up man. i will hold my own!!!

Sometimes If i get a call early, I will tell the customer that "Ive got one ahead of you" just so I can wait and see if I get anything else. Id rather group a few together and stay out as opposed to going out for one then coming home, then going back out...etc.

But I always call them quickly to let them know I will be there ASAP.

The only "rule" we have regarding this is that you call the customer back within 15 minutes of receiving the page from the answering service.

Originally Posted by slb8101

Where are you at that would take 13 hrs to respond and what do you do if it is any of my buisness?

I work in British columbia and service chillers. I am based out of a satellite office and have customers up in Northern BC the farthest one I service regularly is 1200kms from my front door and theres a whole bunch in between. Once you get out of Vancouver there are lots of smaller cities where they have a half dozen chillers or so mainly hospitals pulp mills etc but none of them can support a guy based on the work load so by default I drive ALOT.

Originally Posted by mustardman

Make contact asap within reason. Get there when you can asap. No hard and fast rules here but I am a pretty bad example as some of my customers are 13hrs away. So two hour resposne time is tough

Where are you at that would take 13 hrs to respond and what do you do if it is any of my buisness?

If you are talking about response time to the customer, then i expect a 15 minute service call response time to the answering service or the customer. Service call response time can be anywhere from 1 hour to 8 hours depending on priority, location and customer pecking order. 20 years ago i had a pager and no cell phone and had no problem in doing this so I don't see why it's a problem. It is part of the business and it will never change

As quickly as possible, up to two hours.

depends on the size of your area.

in Los Angeles we were usually given an hour, but i've never had an employer complain if it took longer

I guess it really depends on the situation and also the location of the person on call 2hr its possible but it could be 4hr and then I guess in some remote parts of the country it could be longer.

To a computer room one hour.