Is common sense officially dead?

[jpsmith1cm]

Do you document this stuff? I would have them sign something that says what you found, what your recommended solutions is and that they don't want the work done if you can. That way, when they yell at you, you can pull out your paperwork and say, "I told Soen Tso the problem, here is his signature." Especially since I heard sometimes they try to blame you guys for lost food when the system goes down. Then, when that happens you can walk away with a smile.

With large companies that rely on central monitoring services, the local manager doesn't seem to care about the refrigeration equipment.

"Is it working?"

"Yeah, but you need this and this and this to make it right."

*blank stare* "But it's working, right?"

"Sign here, please."

[bunny]

Final question in the interview process for prospective store managers is:

"Can you do the 'deer in the headlight' look while refrigeration tech relays information about store's refrigeration system"

"Yes"

"OK...you got the job".

[ararams]

Is common sense officially dead? Apparently not. The monitoring company cannot base a decision to make a call for repairs on a phone call from a tech without seeing an alarm condition on their end. (note this call may cost any where from a $xoo. to a $xoo,ooo bill) Not that they don't thrust you but you are seeing a problem that is existing for the past 13yrs. You need to find your chain of command and go though them. Most likely ----you notify your service manager and the store manager who contacts cooperate service dept who approve or deny the request.

[markettech]

Is common sense officially dead? Apparently not. The monitoring company cannot base a decision to make a call for repairs on a phone call from a tech without seeing an alarm condition on their end. (note this call may cost any where from a $xoo. to a $xoo,ooo bill) Not that they don't thrust you but you are seeing a problem that is existing for the past 13yrs. You need to find your chain of command and go though them. Most likely ----you notify your service manager and the store manager who contacts cooperate service dept who approve or deny the request.

First of all, a work order was issued for a similar issue at another store on a phone call from a technician just three days prior - so to say they can't base a decision on a phone call from a technician is false.

Second of all, since when is it my responsibility to ensure the information is routed through my branch manager and then up the chain of command at corporate?

My responsibility lies in finding a problem, notifying store personnel as well as the monitoring department of the problem (which I did), and making repairs when authorized to do so. If the store and monitoring don't 'thrust' my competence in the field, what the hell is my manager supposed to be able to do about that?

[ararams]

Hey Marketech. First let me clarify, after reading your posts for the last seven years I have no doubt of your technical ability.

[ The monitoring company cannot base a decision to make a call for repairs on a phone call from a tech without seeing an alarm condition on their end.]

Maybe we misunderstood each other. Let's look at this from the monitoring company side. They see a system with no existing problem ( flashing red lights) because the two oil failure (most likely two complete compressors) you are seeing that was never connected to the alarm system so in there eyes these don't exist. How can they approve any repairs. Now when all hell breaks loose , you can say I told you so.
[Since when is it my responsibility to ensure the information is routed through my branch manager] What do you do when you run into a problem like this. Who do you call I hope not ghost busters. 99% of the time store & monitoring personnel knows nothing about the equipment.

[jeremyhall.tech.sc]

Hey Marketech. First let me clarify, after reading your posts for the last seven years I have no doubt of your technical ability.

[ The monitoring company cannot base a decision to make a call for repairs on a phone call from a tech without seeing an alarm condition on their end.]

Maybe we misunderstood each other. Let's look at this from the monitoring company side. They see a system with no existing problem ( flashing red lights) because the two oil failure (most likely two complete compressors) you are seeing that was never connected to the alarm system so in there eyes these don't exist. How can they approve any repairs. Now when all hell breaks loose , you can say I told you so.
[Since when is it my responsibility to ensure the information is routed through my branch manager] What do you do when you run into a problem like this. Who do you call I hope not ghost busters. 99% of the time store & monitoring personnel knows nothing about the equipment.

IMO........... blah blah blah .... no problem , yadda yadda , oh what happened , * yelling , screaming , accusations* , why didnt you tell some one????? ....


i dont care why ,what , when ,where, or how , but sometimes the system is just garbage , no other reason for the calls other than , no one cares about the problem untill its an emergency........... so in essence i say,,,,,,,,,,,, bill them now or bill them later , just dont get upset BECAUSE THEY ARE IDIOTS ... if they werent they would not be seeing these problems,,,,,,,, simple and rational.

[jeremyhall.tech.sc]

First of all, a work order was issued for a similar issue at another store on a phone call from a technician just three days prior - so to say they can't base a decision on a phone call from a technician is false.

Second of all, since when is it my responsibility to ensure the information is routed through my branch manager and then up the chain of command at corporate?

My responsibility lies in finding a problem, notifying store personnel as well as the monitoring department of the problem (which I did), and making repairs when authorized to do so. If the store and monitoring don't 'thrust' my competence in the field, what the hell is my manager supposed to be able to do about that?

hey man,
just bill the ever living hell out of them when it does screw up..............

[markettech]

Hey Marketech. First let me clarify, after reading your posts for the last seven years I have no doubt of your technical ability.

[ The monitoring company cannot base a decision to make a call for repairs on a phone call from a tech without seeing an alarm condition on their end.]

Maybe we misunderstood each other. Let's look at this from the monitoring company side. They see a system with no existing problem ( flashing red lights) because the two oil failure (most likely two complete compressors) you are seeing that was never connected to the alarm system so in there eyes these don't exist. How can they approve any repairs. Now when all hell breaks loose , you can say I told you so.
[Since when is it my responsibility to ensure themselves information is routed through my branch manager] What do you do when you run into a problem like this. Who do you call I hope not ghost busters. 99% of the time store & monitoring personnel knows nothing about the equipment.

I understand your point, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

I called the monitoring company about the exact same situation at another store earlier in the week. I was immediately issued a work order and it was subsequently faxed to our office. It took nothing more than a phone call from me explaining what was wrong and what needed to be done.

3 days later I call the same monitoring company and explain the situation, but this time I'm told that without an active alarm they cannot issue a work order - and that the person in charge at the store has to initiate the call.

Now, if I've talked to the monitoring department once and a repair order can be issued....why not twice? Furthermore, if I've spoken to monitoring and was told by them to contact the manger on duty - which I did.....why would their equipment/lack of alarm issue suddenly become my responsibility with regards to contacting my manager, who then would be responsible for contacting store or facility maintenance personnel......to address a problem already addressed by me - on site - via the SOP outlined by the personnel in charge of handling incoming service issues?

If my manger had to step in and involve himself in every follow up and/or every additional problem found at a store, he'd need to hire a couple assistant managers to handle the volume of phone traffic.

Bottom line - it's equipment owned by the corporation, managed by the corporation, monitored by the corporation, and I followed the protocol set forth by the corporation.....as well as documented IN EXPLICIT DETAIL what I found, who I spoke with, how many times we communicated, what was said, and how the system(s) was/were operating when I left the store. What is done with the information once it leaves my company and lands on a corporate desk is not my problem IMHO.

The point of the OP however, was the absurdity of blindly trusting a computer vs. listening to a real live human being.......or dismissing common sense over a machine that is only as accurate as the program/installation allows it to be.

FWIW, I did contact my manger upon checking out and was told the situation was handled perfectly....

[Phase Loss]

those remote monitoring people are great...you never know who's going to pick up the phone.

I like to put on an accent when talking with them.

[CRussell1975]

*In a gruff Russian voice* "Hello, my name is Peggy, with ____ Refrigeration Services.. How may I confuse you today?"

[dijit]

those remote monitoring people are great...you never know who's going to pick up the phone.

I like to put on an accent when talking with them.

*In a gruff Russian voice* "Hello, my name is Peggy, with ____ Refrigeration Services.. How may I confuse you today?"

Yack Shemaz A my name is Borat. I will be make working your magical gypsy ice maker.
or

My name Ping. I come from Chiinaaa. I fix yor lefligelator nowww, no later, nowww. You pay me nowww, I no come back.

[jeep6275]

Yack Shemaz A my name is Borat. I will be make working your magical gypsy ice maker.
or

My name Ping. I come from Chiinaaa. I fix yor lefligelator nowww, no later, nowww. You pay me nowww, I no come back.

holy $#it!! almost fell out of my chair.

back on subject. im only mildly familiar with this type of contract. but i wonder two things.

1. each account would have differing balances on the account, right? if i understand the situation the store pays so much per month to the management co who then hires the refer guys and all of that is budgeted month to month. maybe you caught the one store account with extra money in the budget? so an extra repair was no problem. but the other account was empty, because of excessive bills in the previous month? idk, i might be completly wrong

2. so many of the people that i have dealt with in situations like this dont have a clue of half of what they can or cant do. the one guy at the monitoring co may not have realized he could initiate the call because he was knew but the other guy may have been at it for yrs and knew to trust the techs.

i dont know im just thinking out loud here.

there is so many variables and it is sad that it has come to this.

jeep

[CRussell1975]

For the dealing I have, it has a lot to do with the company that owns the store itself. One chain, I can have a manager call in a work order for me with no problems as long as I can explain what and why. Another, they would rather me leave, drive home, wait for something crazy to happen, then drive back. And they pay the extra travel, vehicle charges, etc. Every time.

Sometimes I believe that the people we preform service for do not realize ultimately we are trying to save them money, no matter how much the cost is right now.