Funny Video of an A/C company cold calling my home to sell me a maintenance!

[PaysonHVAC]

I posted this on the GENERAL FORUM but thought it could go here too

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So. For $39.95 this Tempe based Air Conditioning co. will come all the way out to my home near Surprise, AZ (1 hour away) and do a 20pt check. It INCLUDES one Lb of R-22 and a washable filter.


Where I work we do our P.M.'s for an average price near our area for a fair check up and we are not pressured to sell sell sell! That barely covers a call for a company to do an HONEST service.
This other company who called our home is one of those who come out CHEAP to get therir foot in the door and then need to sell crap not needed. I think they are 100% commision techs so it's up to the techs to make the money when they do the service!


Anyway. what happened is the wife answered the home phone. I quickly thought of how I always wanted to record this crap, so i told her to give them my cell# and told them to "call her husband" and I grabbed the video recorder for when my phone rang.
This video is of the phone call on my cell with the speaker phone turned on.

Being that I wasn't totally prepared for it, I didn't ask any really good questions, but did get a recording of what they were trying to sell... LOL!


It's on YouTube---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnDeYdbrmSI

[thoglow]

What the hell.Let them in.Just hide you van and act like Harry T.Homeowner.
What's the worst that could happen?The RCB shows up and tells says you need zerol
ice or trys to sell you a membership to their exclusive club?If you act now he will even
perform a safety inspection on your furnace at no extra charge.

[channelislands]

anyone offering a service that cheap is hiding something, there probably a bunch of un liscensed jack legs to begin with. Heck I live on the poor side of MD and the cheapest youll find an ac srvc is $75 most run about 100 bucks. ITs funny what people try to pull and the fact that they have the balls to solicit calls is even more amazing. I agree you should hide your van and pay the fee just to get a good laugh and record it for us.

[thoglow]

anyone offering a service that cheap is hiding something, there probably a bunch of un liscensed jack legs to begin with. Heck I live on the poor side of MD and the cheapest youll find an ac srvc is $75 most run about 100 bucks. ITs funny what people try to pull and the fact that they have the balls to solicit calls is even more amazing. I agree you should hide your van and pay the fee just to get a good laugh and record it for us.

The techs are pro pay techs.They get their foot in
the door and try to sell you things you may need or even
things you don't need.Spiffs,spiffs,spiffs$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Been there done that.

[manny238]

lol...nice work payson....thats some funny stuff...ive tried doing that before but i couldnt help but to start laughing during the phone call

[markwolf]

You would have enjoyed my wife the other day.We got one of those calls & she talked to them for a long time about energy efficiency,filters,etc.I think she asked them more questions than I would have!haha.after about 20 mins she said oh no thank you my husband works for schaus roofing & mechanical.They hung up on her it was classic!

[76Tech]

THAT WAS GREEEEEEEEEAT! Our service is a little less than $100 and that dose not include any R-22.

[teach'nhvac]

At least you could fix what they break when they are there!

[seatonheating]

Payson, you really need to call them back and have them come out.....make sure you have a hidden camera for sure.


This is the kind of voyeurism we love..

[qssfl]

Good work Payson!!!

Now all You need to do is wire the subject area of your house with video and audio and have them come out. Just for grins

Ask the guy lots of questions and have him explain why you need this or that etc........Then send it to Dateline or one of those programs...

[daytonafan]

Call them back. When the guy gets there, have your guages on the A/C with all your tools and meters out. When the guy comes in say "hey buddy, I took care of it already...thought I would save you some time." Hand him the $39.95 and offer him a beer. Please record his response.

[kidd597]

They wouldve had me sold with the "custom Cut" filter....

[texas cooler]

A lot of these clowns advertise including 1 lb. of freon and lead people into thinking they need to add freon every year to keep the system tuned up.

[manny238]

Call them back. When the guy gets there, have your guages on the A/C with all your tools and meters out. When the guy comes in say "hey buddy, I took care of it already...thought I would save you some time." Hand him the $39.95 and offer him a beer. Please record his response.

lol...nice

[inturmoil]

For 40 bucks I'd hire them! Come on. . .DO IT!!! Please?

[steamer]

I cant believe there actually installing them cut to size mesh filters, (wheather its free or not), these are the same damn filters all of you Techs desperatly remove at first site.

The customer service rep was very un proffesional in her presentation, Hmmm a contactor switch, first rule of thumb, at least have all your info ready when you solicit a customer on the phone.I would of talked to her boss right there on the spot, and ask him if they also check the Johnson rod to see if it needs oiling, or if they check the compressor bearings for wear.

[PaysonHVAC]

I cant believe there actually installing them cut to size mesh filters, (wheather its free or not), these are the same damn filters all of you Techs desperatly remove at first site.

The customer service rep was very un proffesional in her presentation, Hmmm a contactor switch, first rule of thumb, at least have all your info ready when you solicit a customer on the phone.I would of talked to her boss right there on the spot, and ask him if they also check the Johnson rod to see if it needs oiling, or if they check the compressor bearings for wear.

Check the compressor bearings. LOL!!! What's funny is they probably have the more "Green" techs at places like that. Just like 80% of them were at D.S.C. in Phoenix where they start out Green and get GREAT experience at learning how to sell. But not ever repair. It's a SIN to replace a Condenser Fan Motor on a 7 yr old unit over there!

Good work Payson!!!

Now all You need to do is wire the subject area of your house with video and audio and have them come out. Just for grins

Ask the guy lots of questions and have him explain why you need this or that etc........Then send it to Dateline or one of those programs...

Dude. I just tried to hack in another cam out in my back yard. But a Web Cam that uses the USB connection. I used a 25' or so length of cat-5 I had in the attic already and spliced the USB to each end.
It would not work. I always heard you could not run USB very far!

Of course, if I DO get something wired in, it would have to have sound as well. And I have a digital video camera that records on digital tape. I'd have to hide that sucker on the kids trampoline to watch the condenser area.

Part of me wants to call them out. Set up like a few web cams around the home and the digital video recorder out back. Then edit it all together later like a documentary!
I'd probably get addicted and then call the likes of Al-T*ch, A******* Home Maintenance, etc for their discounted "maintenance specials"! LOL!!!

[fatboywv]

hacks

[greenm&m]

Oh come on now Payson. I have seen your work of taking the HO pictures when they are only a few feet away. When they come over just act like one of those HO that is always stepping on your heels. I am sure you could mount a camera on yourself. Ask them a thousand questions while they are there. I know you can do it.

[miami mike]

Part of me wants to call them out. Set up like a few web cams around the home and the digital video recorder out back. Then edit it all together later like a documentary!
I'd probably get addicted and then call the likes of Al-T*ch, A******* Home Maintenance, etc for their discounted "maintenance specials"! LOL!!!

You have to do it Payson. Ill pitch in and send you a check to cover the first "tune up". It will be classic.