What annoys me as a residential service tech.

[newoldtech]

that info is not for free...

but if you have a ten year old system, and your not getting your maintenance, and you have a high head pressure, and your in a climate that is humid take a look at your condenser coil..

anyhow I appreciate this thread still having life after a late night, rant I had after a bad day...

lol leaking, dirty... Try flaking and not absorbing..

and I said bard... Not Board...

True that, especially if you're any where near the Ocean.

[pacnw]

had an older lady today that was too busy gossiping on the phone to talk to about an a/c service, nothing wrong but I like to talk to the customer.
she is blabbing away on the phone and trying to read my ticket at the same time. she stops at "contactor" and asks what that is and can't wait for my response before blabbing some more.
She signed it and I left.
she started the call after I arrived.
my other customers either say they will call back or say"... the furnace man is done I need to go...", there is still some courtesy left in the world.

[lane]

I tell them "It might be the compressor, let me check a few other things that it could be. I will let you know what I find." That usually keeps them out of my way. It could turn into an issue with some customers, you know the ones that say when can you put the new system in... The rare kind that when you try to tell them how much, they stop you and say it doesn't matter how much it is, I want it done.

One late night I was checking a ladys unit, a man keeps asking questions, turns a 1 hour call into a 2 hour call. He ends up being her neighbor, and I tell her I would have been done an hour ago and it would have been cheaper if he wouldnt have been there.



Lane

[Music Seeker]

had an older lady today that was too busy gossiping on the phone to talk to about an a/c service, nothing wrong but I like to talk to the customer.
she is blabbing away on the phone and trying to read my ticket at the same time. she stops at "contactor" and asks what that is and can't wait for my response before blabbing some more.
She signed it and I left.
she started the call after I arrived.
my other customers either say they will call back or say"... the furnace man is done I need to go...", there is still some courtesy left in the world.

I can usually work around that, or if they are multi-taskers, I can work with them, but they are usually polite and hang up the damn phone here in Iowa...thankfully.

Iowa: The worst place in the world to try to size a system for, but some of the best homeowners you'll ever work with.

[Music Seeker]

Going back to the OP:

In this field, and I've only been at it two months out of school, and with about two months of internship experience, I can tell you NEVER BE RUDE!

That should be Rule #1 when you get into this field: "Don't be a d***!"

Not only do you screw yourself because it shows your lack of patience, but:

9/10 times it will get back to your boss.
Your boss will either have a discussion with you and be mad at your lack of patience, or:
He will fire you if this is a history showing through.
But this also shows your company hires hotheaded people.
So that will get around from that 1 HO to other people and they'll go elsewhere.
So that's money lost for the company.

Like I've said, I'm green, but I've learned from people who have upwards of 25 years in the field: BE PATIENT!

Calmly explain to them that it does take time to properly diagnose.

[durussel78]

THAT is the residential craft or part of it! YOU must have unbelievable people skills, you must be able to calm them, fix the mechanical part, and sell what you have done! If you cannot deal with people who have no idea who you are but still want to blame you for the mouse getting into the contactor then, well, look for another line of work! People hate us before we even arrive! You have to remember they form a perception that we are going to take there home, take all the food in it, and poop in there beds while they watch even before we get there! You have to be able to SPEAK, not like communicate through propler english to them, but understand their problem, build trust and confidence in them that you WILL get them going and once you have done that you will turn a profit for your skill! Dude that is what makes our trade so awesome is the amount of avenues we travel, even though we are labeled as res. service techs or installers, more than 90% of the time we are listeners, counselers, electricians, plumbers, builders, accountants, salesman or saleswoman, educators, artists, and or distant friends with these people.
I think the more you deal with this the better you will be at it and soon will master this! Good luck we all deal with this, except with commercial, it is amped up about 10 fold over there!

[hotntired]

Going back to the OP:

In this field, and I've only been at it two months out of school, and with about two months of internship experience, I can tell you NEVER BE RUDE!

That should be Rule #1 when you get into this field: "Don't be a d***!"

Not only do you screw yourself because it shows your lack of patience, but:

9/10 times it will get back to your boss.
Your boss will either have a discussion with you and be mad at your lack of patience, or:
He will fire you if this is a history showing through.
But this also shows your company hires hotheaded people.
So that will get around from that 1 HO to other people and they'll go elsewhere.
So that's money lost for the company.

Like I've said, I'm green, but I've learned from people who have upwards of 25 years in the field: BE PATIENT!

Calmly explain to them that it does take time to properly diagnose.

That is the the most humble and insightful observation ever from a relative "rookie". You're older than 30 yrs, right? If everyone thought along these lines, we would have it made. This guy is going to be a customer service warrior.

[Music Seeker]

That is the the most humble and insightful observation ever from a relative "rookie". You're older than 30 yrs, right? If everyone thought along these lines, we would have it made. This guy is going to be a customer service warrior.

I'm 31, yes. I am however still limited by being human, I was in an attic today (its 96* w/HI 107) and this furnace blower was running constantly. Instead of working in the heat and sweating profusely and risking losing patience and improperly wiring it, I told the customer we'd be able to get back to it before fall and replace the problem fan center.

It's terrible in this heat wave, you pick your battles, we'll be able to get back to it, and hell, if I can get back to it first thing in the AM when it's not devil's right-hand-man hot in that attic, and get it done, sure, just an extra 3/4hr of labor.