Sales vs Trubleshooting, diagnostic and repair

[truck12]

Didn't ever say that I sold them anything, but if I'm not honest with them about their problems and things that might come back to haunt them, then primarily I haven't done them justice as my customer that trusts me to do them a good job at a fair price. Secondarily, I haven't covered myself by making them aware of the issues at hand. It don't have to be some long diatribe, just a short "Wanted you to know, A,B,C...". As the subject matter expert, you owe it to those that have entrusted their work to you to do that. If they don't care or can't afford, that's not the issue. It's about making an honest attempt to do the right thing by your customer. If you disagree with the way I handle it, go do it however you want, but remember that the way you handle it may be the reason that you have the type customers you have.

Personally I tell them about A,B,C to cover my ass so to speak. Yes I tell them if the pan is leaking water on the ceiling and that it has nothing to do with the contactor I just replaced (other than giving it the ability to create water). This way when the ceiling falls down it's not my fault, sometimes we write this on invoices and have them sign it.

And you're not about to tell me I have the kind of customers I have because of how I handle this. Thats pure bull**** and you know it, I've worked everywhere from the ghetto to jupiter island, one of the richest towns in the US. I've seen the poor spend the money and vise versa and I've seen the rich tightwads that insist their equipment run until the case is rotted to dust.

Anyway this thread was about the con artists that can trade a bum a bag of magical dog**** for a blowjob. I'm ****ing proud to be called an a/c tech just like these brainless ****s are.

[klove]

Personally I tell them about A,B,C to cover my ass so to speak. Yes I tell them if the pan is leaking water on the ceiling and that it has nothing to do with the contactor I just replaced (other than giving it the ability to create water). This way when the ceiling falls down it's not my fault, sometimes we write this on invoices and have them sign it.

And you're not about to tell me I have the kind of customers I have because of how I handle this. Thats pure bull**** and you know it, I've worked everywhere from the ghetto to jupiter island, one of the richest towns in the US. I've seen the poor spend the money and vise versa and I've seen the rich tightwads that insist their equipment run until the case is rotted to dust.

Anyway this thread was about the con artists that can trade a bum a bag of magical dog**** for a blowjob. I'm ****ing proud to be called an a/c tech just like these brainless ****s are.

Sorry, dude. Up to this point, you've been implying that you're not going to do any of the things that you say here that you already do, because it won't do any good. I can only make a comment about the info that you give - just because you know what you're thinkin' doesn't mean that I do. Glad to hear that you communicate so well with your customers.

[fogshat]

... if you the tech do not make the monthly quota,we fire you. we have over 100 other techs ready to take your position...

This is something i am more than familiar with. I worked for an outfit that encouraged direct sales to the customer at tech level, and we would gain bonuses based on dollar value sold, but not only was it a significant bonus, but also you were selling top-quality stuff and ONLY if it was very much necessary as related to the original service call.

I know a couple guys working for a different company, one of the biggest shops in the area - These techs have a monthly quota that will make your head spin, and they use low-end products and the labor markup is out of this world. Scary thing is the guys i know are so good and have been in the business for so long that they have literally brain-washed themselves into thinking they work for a great company. What me or others would see as a hard-sell of unnecessary work to unsuspecting potential customers(.ie a ripoff), they see as a necessary thing, that they are doing these people a "favor."

I have seen estimates done by them that included as much as 700% more work that desperately needed doing, than actually really needed to be done - and of course the most of it was labor, followed by gross markup of inferior products.

There is a constant turnover because once it slows down, the techs sell to everyone they know until they run out of ways to boost their quota, then they are out the door and it's onto the newspapers with another "we are growing again and need more techs" advertisement. Meanwhile, their tech dept never actually grows, just changing faces.

It's like those $3,000 vacuum salesmen that still knock on your door so they can get inside. Try getting rid of them. It's disgusting.

[gtt]

Ah man, I don't miss working residential yet! Bless your hearts, y'all have to put up with explaining over and over to different customers essentially very similar things, eh? Gets to be challenge to motivate yourself somedays?

The last place I worked residential, I burned out. About six weeks into the hot season, I was on call, been working all day in the heat, T/S a two system house, found a leak in a coil, quoted a replacement. Change out tech called me and I gave him iinfo on the wrong system!! Didn't find out until hours later! That last night-day I worked till 2am, got home about 3am and then had to be at the monthly service meeting at 7am. Found that I was responsible for about 10% of new equipment sales for that period, got a nice bonus. The the service manager called me into his office and I was invited to leave the company!

I was ready to leave the profession at that point!!

Found a position with a manufacturer of commercial equipment and had pretty good run with them. Now I am a commissioning tech for an aggressive new construction contractor.

Still have nightmares about my residential days!

[badboyheel]

I always tell people of possible problems with their systems, along with a little education as to why this or that could be a problem. Most people appreciate it and I believe that is the "professional" way to handle your customers. I Do Not recommend unnecessary work, but i'll tell them about potential problems, and make them sign off on things such as a leak in a system, no secondary drain or float switch etc.etc. This covers your butt not just the company you work for.

Its question of right and wrong when selling people things they don't really need. The service we provide is a need and not a want in most cases. Its not like we're selling high end patio furniture that people want to buy. Thats why morally i cannot sell a customer something that is not needed. Now if i mention upgrading or taking advantage of the current tax credits and they like they idea, thats a decision they can make. I just provide them the info to do this, but i'm not going to become a car salesman in their home!

[airproguyrick]

Other than service agreements or a humidifier replacements etc. its not cost effective for most companies to have a service tech stay in a house for an hour explaining tax credits, rebates and finance options(not their field of expertise any way)then lose the job. If they can plant some seeds of thought in the mind of the home owner and start the nail, get your salesman there in a hurry to drive that nail home. If techs have enough spare time to kill an hour and have a sales contest with the other techs.......makes you wonder.
If your professional sales rep takes over, the numbers are almost always way higher. If the techs make some strong recommendations before they leave, and the sales rep is on the same page it works for us.

[JBM1000]

Borrow a little Bill Clinton accent to your speech of any content and the sales will go threw the roof.