6 Practical Pointers for New HVAC Service Technicians
Your first solo service call can seem a little daunting, but fear not. You can comfortably enter into a service situation with the confidence of a seasoned professional, even just starting out. Being polite, remembering your progressions as a technician, and making a confident diagnosis of an HVAC system are all necessary traits of a quality HVAC Technician, With this in mind, here are a few useful tips for new HVAC service technicians.
Greet the Customer with Confidence, Courtesy, and Understanding
In all likelihood, when you arrive at a service call, you’ll be walking into a hornet’s nest. Hopefully this won’t be the case, but prepare yourself for anything. Greeting the customer with the confidence that everything is going to be OK will disarm any potentially upset or disgruntled homeowner.
One way to help customer service interactions is to utilize the GEODE model:Greet, Enquire, Offer, Deliver, Evaluate.
Greeting a client and creating a professional rapport will make your time as a service technician in their home much more pleasant.
Ask Questions, but Not Too Many
Asking questions and asking about the potential problem is a great place to start with any customer service interaction. Understanding what the client may be hearing, seeing, or experiencing can lead you in the right direction to properly diagnose the problem with their HVAC system. But don’t get too carried away. More often than not, an information overload before you’ve even pulled out a tool can lead you down a path of searching for a phantom cause to a problem. Gather enough information about what the customer has experienced to get a starting point, but don’t overload yourself with unnecessary information. This leads us to our next point.
Go Through Your Diagnostic Progressions
No matter what information you may have been given or what the customer has told you he or she has or hasn’t done, it’s important that you go through your mental flow chart for troubleshooting. Even in the midst of a chaotic household or other outstanding situation, you must stay focused on the task and don’t allow yourself to skip simple, yet meaningful diagnostic steps. Things as simple as checking high voltage, making sure the thermostat is functioning properly, and making sure blower motors, fan motors, condensers, and all other major components are functioning as they should be will help you succeed as an HVAC service technician.
Put Yourself in the Customer’s Shoes
This isn’t necessarily a lesson in ethics, but it certainly can be. Having empathy for your customers and putting yourself in their situation can pay dividends to how highly respected you are starting out on service calls. Ask yourself if the diagnosis you determine is the right decision for the right customer and that you’re acting with integrity and professionalism to the best of your ability. Do everything you can to repair malfunctioning components instead of simply replacing entire parts of the system in order to increase sales for your company. Doing things the right way and keeping the customer in mind will help you make the right decisions in the field as both a technician and a human being.
Don’t be Afraid to Call for Help
Asking for assistance isn’t a weakness; in fact, it should be treated as an extended learning experience. Time is valuable to you, your customer, and your company, and making a timely evaluation and diagnosis of a malfunctioning HVAC system is extremely important. Don’t be afraid to call on a senior service technician or utilize your company’s tech support agent to assist in fixing a problem. Starting out, you may be tempted to do everything on your own, but the truth is that experience will trump any preceding knowledge in HVAC service. Leveraging the experience of your coworkers and the resources you have available can save your company and clients both money and time.
Get the Knowledge You Need to be an HVAC Technician
Whether you’re looking to enter the field as a qualified HVAC technician or acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to take your career to a new level, your education is the best place to start.
