Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: stuart on April 10, 2007, 01:43:04 pm
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So for both consumers and industry pros I need some opinions.
Be honest...this is important!
1. How well do you like your technician?
2. Does the tech's hair length or physical appearance play a part in your opinion of them when they get to your house? This may sound crude but do crooked teeth, scars or other appearance items make you feel differently about how good they would be at fixing the spa?
3. Does age play a part in your opinion? Do you feel a young tech in his early 20's would not be experienced as an older one or would you prefer a young energetic tech to someone in their 50's or 60's because you feel they are sharper?
4. How much per year would you think a spa technician should make? For those of you that are tech's in other fields feel free to PM me with what you make along with industry people PM me with what you pay/make. For consumers remember that most warranty reimbursement is between $40 and $70 for the entire call, that means from the support staff in the store taking the call, the parts storage mileage time and everything.
5. Do you feel you need to be at home when the tech arrives or, for industry people, do you require someone there before your tech comes out?
6. As a consumer what time frame do you think is reasonable for a tech to be at your house from the point of calling it in? What about a weekend call, if you call on a Saturday do you expect a tech on Monday considering most service departments won't get the call until Monday morning?
7. If you have a friendly dog do you feel the tech should be as comfortable with your dog as you are? Do you always put your dog in during service?
8. Last, if you are looking for a job as a tech and want to live in Colorado feel free to PM or Email me.
I will have more questions as this goes along but I really want to get a public opinion and out look on service techs.
Thanks in advance for your input....
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So for both consumers and industry pros I need some opinions.
Be honest...this is important!
1. How well do you like your technician?
Never had a call.
2. Does the tech's hair length or physical appearance play a part in your opinion of them when they get to your house? This may sound crude but do crooked teeth, scars or other appearance items make you feel differently about how good they would be at fixing the spa?
Neatness counts. Apparence counts. Face tattoos are bad. A scar? Unless it was some horribly disfiguring scar, I wouldn't mind to much. Neat, Clean. Proffesional. First impression count. Don't scare the customers. But tattoos and such are fine if the person carry's himself proffesonally. .
3. Does age play a part in your opinion? Do you feel a young tech in his early 20's would not be experienced as an older one or would you prefer a young energetic tech to someone in their 50's or 60's because you feel they are sharper?
yes, a 17 year old kid doesn't instill confidence in me. I want to have a sense of security that a proffesionaly trained, experinced tech is handleing my problem and I'm not paying $70 an hour for a flunky.
4. How much per year would you think a spa technician should make? For those of you that are tech's in other fields feel free to PM me with what you make along with industry people PM me with what you pay/make. For consumers remember that most warranty reimbursement is between $40 and $70 for the entire call, that means from the support staff in the store taking the call, the parts storage mileage time and everything.
I would think that a qualified service tech working full time could make at the top of his scale, in MA, with 10-20 years of expereince $55K.
5. Do you feel you need to be at home when the tech arrives or, for industry people, do you require someone there before your tech comes out?
Depends on the repairs and my familiarity with the company.
6. As a consumer what time frame do you think is reasonable for a tech to be at your house from the point of calling it in? What about a weekend call, if you call on a Saturday do you expect a tech on Monday considering most service departments won't get the call until Monday morning?
I expect a return phone call within 12 hours of the first business day. The return phone call acklowedges the problem, and sets expectations on when the repair or service can be done. I HATE it when I call for service and I don't get a return phone call for 3 days, then they tell me it will be another week. Arrrrrrgh.
7. If you have a friendly dog do you feel the tech should be as comfortable with your dog as you are? Do you always put your dog in during service?
Owners should put the dog away. That's not unreasonable.
8. Last, if you are looking for a job as a tech and want to live in Colorado feel free to PM or Email me.
I will have more questions as this goes along but I really want to get a public opinion and out look on service techs.
Thanks in advance for your input....
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Stuart, IMO appearance is huge these days not like in the 80's where service people dressed w/e way they wanted. That tech is a reflection of you and your company. I sent out a survey to my whole client list b4 I opened my store and ask them to state what was important to them in a service company. #1 was communication #2 was appearance #3 hourly rate.
All new customers we require someone to be home or when there is a weird problem that only they notice.
I cover all weekend emergency calls.
I think all pets should either be inside or chained up away from the work site.
You may want to try this for competency When I was down to 3 final choices a mocked up a situation at 2 friends houses with mechanical packs on their tubs. What I did was I either put in a faulty pressure switch/ hi limit / or a faulty heater to see how long it took each guy to diagnose the right problem an explain to my friends what the cost was going to be to replace the part.
Needless to say I was surprised one guy told them they had to replace the whole pack!!
Good luck in your search
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1. How well do you like your technician?
I've had service twice, two different techs. Both were competent.
If they come when they say they will, or communicate if they're running late,
and do their job, then I'll like them fine. Don't show up or call if late, we'll
have serious words.
2. Does the tech's hair length or physical appearance play a part in your opinion of them when they get to your house? This may sound crude but do crooked teeth, scars or other appearance items make you feel differently about how good they would be at fixing the spa?
I expect the technician to be professional. That includes being neatly groomed, literate, and appropriately dressed. I don't care what length the
hair is as long as it looks taken care of. Scars and crooked teeth, I don't worry
about. It's the stuff that they can do something about- like shaving, bathing, etc. The tech. is representing a business and I'd hope that business would expect professionalism.
3. Does age play a part in your opinion? Do you feel a young tech in his early 20's would not be experienced as an older one or would you prefer a young energetic tech to someone in their 50's or 60's because you feel they are sharper?
Doesn't matter as long as they can do the job and act professionally.
4. How much per year would you think a spa technician should make? For those of you that are tech's in other fields feel free to PM me with what you make along with industry people PM me with what you pay/make. For consumers remember that most warranty reimbursement is between $40 and $70 for the entire call, that means from the support staff in the store taking the call, the parts storage mileage time and everything.
I have no idea. I know about what labor and trip charges amount to, but I have no idea what kind of compensation plan they get, nor do I really care.
That's between the tech and his/her employer. Pay enough to get skilled help, whatever that takes. Could and probably does vary by locale.
5. Do you feel you need to be at home when the tech arrives or, for industry people, do you require someone there before your tech comes out?
I prefer to be at home. Not because I don't trust the tech, more out of experience. Seems like whenever I'm not home, something goes a little awry and nobody is there to make a decision. So I'll most always take off work and be there just in case. My breaker is inside the house, and I won't let anyone in the house unless someone is home.
Plus they usually want to get paid when the job is done.
6. As a consumer what time frame do you think is reasonable for a tech to be at your house from the point of calling it in? What about a weekend call, if you call on a Saturday do you expect a tech on Monday considering most service departments won't get the call until Monday morning?
If I call in during business hours, I expect to reach someone when I call, or I expect a call back withing a reasonable time period (an hour or two). I don't think it's unreasonable to expect next business day service, but I won't push the issue if the problem wasn't a big deal. If my spa stopped heating in the middle of January, I'd expect the service out there asap. But for something where the spa isn't in danger of freezing, I'd be more reasonable and hope they could get there within a day or two. If I leave a message on a weekend, I expect a call first thing Monday morning. Not necessarily a service call that day, but at least a call to set up an appointment.
7. If you have a friendly dog do you feel the tech should be as comfortable with your dog as you are? Do you always put your dog in during service?
Homeowners shouldn't expect invited strangers to know their dogs, and should make it as easy as possible for a tech to do their job by keeping their dogs inside. I think it's entirely reasonable for anyone to go away without putting themselves at risk for a dog attack. No way for the tech to know if a dog is friendly or not.
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So for both consumers and industry pros I need some opinions.
Be honest...this is important!
1. How well do you like your technician?
2. Does the tech's hair length or physical appearance play a part in your opinion of them when they get to your house? This may sound crude but do crooked teeth, scars or other appearance items make you feel differently about how good they would be at fixing the spa?
3. Does age play a part in your opinion? Do you feel a young tech in his early 20's would not be experienced as an older one or would you prefer a young energetic tech to someone in their 50's or 60's because you feel they are sharper?
4. How much per year would you think a spa technician should make? For those of you that are tech's in other fields feel free to PM me with what you make along with industry people PM me with what you pay/make. For consumers remember that most warranty reimbursement is between $40 and $70 for the entire call, that means from the support staff in the store taking the call, the parts storage mileage time and everything.
5. Do you feel you need to be at home when the tech arrives or, for industry people, do you require someone there before your tech comes out?
6. As a consumer what time frame do you think is reasonable for a tech to be at your house from the point of calling it in? What about a weekend call, if you call on a Saturday do you expect a tech on Monday considering most service departments won't get the call until Monday morning?
7. If you have a friendly dog do you feel the tech should be as comfortable with your dog as you are? Do you always put your dog in during service?
8. Last, if you are looking for a job as a tech and want to live in Colorado feel free to PM or Email me.
I will have more questions as this goes along but I really want to get a public opinion and out look on service techs.
Thanks in advance for your input....
Stuart,
As you may or may not know I'm a tech in the medical equipment field; actually I'm now 3/4 manager and 1/4 tech. I have not had my tub serviced since I've owned it.
1) As both a professional and consumer I think a tech has to be customer friendly. You can have the brightest tech in the world without customer skills and he'll flop! I come across techs in my industry that really need a personality and I don't understand it.
2) Physical appearance does have something to do with things. I'm old school myself and have taught my kids to be old school as well. I think if someone looks grungy and dirty that will not fly too well. What grungy and dirty is is a person's opinion ... can be smelling, dirty, long hair, missing teeth or tatoos. But I have been fooled by appearance as well - when I had my pool installed a threesome of "kids" came to install it. They had long hair, tatoos and body piercings and I thought WTF. They were the most professional and courteous people I ever saw. Unfortunately most people go by first impressions.
3) I say it depends on how the tech carried themself. IMO an older person may give a customer the feeling of more experience. But if an older person shows up and is totally baffeled it could be a big negative, I don't believe this is true of younger people.
4) Hey, I made you an offer about 2 years ago and you turned me down!! ;D Honestly, I can't say.
5) I always want to be home when a tech comes. I think it's important to see and hear what's going on ... it may be because of my profession I feel this way.
6) I think it depends on the situation. I would like to think that I'm the center of a business' universe but the truth is I'm not. If it's something minor ... a few days but if the tub is dead, I would like to see someone out next day if possible. I also think that a call to the next customer is a good thing as well. If a call comes in on Sat and it can wait until tuesday - that should be OK.
Just remember that as an owner - customer satisfaction is one key to a successful business. A fustrated customer that has had the tub "down" for 3 days (Sat to Mon) is not a happy customer. Something I don't understand is why not have a tech on for the weekend for big emergency calls (tub blows the breaker), I realize that parts are unavailable (they aren't in my field as well) but a tech at the door on Sunday may be a good business endevor.
7) Always put my dog in. She's so friendly though that people usually end up playing with her.
8) I would LOVE to live in Colorado, but my wife would not.
The most important aspect of being a tech IMO is fixing the customer. I am so customer oriented that I'm usually at odds with managers. I believe if you blow away the competition - there is none! But a customer can be fickle and I realize that. Having a person who can come in and save the day is a great asset even when other techs have failed.
I worked with a younger tech than myself who was probably better than I am but I was the one who people wanted to talk to. I knew how to fix the customer. As a now somewhat manager, I sometimes cringe when I see how techs answer customers ... everyone does have a different personality.
I ran out of room ... see page 2 - LOL!!
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continued ...
One thing I have seen in my field and disagree with is paying a tech a bonus for parts they charge for. A $1.00 fuse will bring in a lot less than a $400 board. A tech can't worry about what bonus is going into their pocket. I think this can make a tech dishonest.
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This is awsome input guys! It's just what I was looking for...
This will be printed out and circulated through the service dept.
Another question;
Do you prefer a follow up call, a note or an email after the call to find out the outcome?
How long of a window should you as a customer be given for when the tech should be there...1 hour, 2 or even 3? We currently schedule either morning or afternoon.
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Stuart, I mean this very sincerely
Call Don at Clearwater Spas in wilmington (I know you know him) and have him tell you about Scott.
Scott is what I would call the perfect technician; I wish there were more like him for other home repairs.
He is honest, polite, accomodating and very knowledgable. He always appears professional.
It seems to me that he is always a step ahead of any problem or concern, so I assume he stays in close touch with Marquis. He was here when my tub was installed to assure that everything worked great from the start. That was also an opportunity for him to see my set up so if I called with a question, he could visualize what I was talking about.
The problems that I have had with my tub have been few (a light bulb, my spa monitor and air injector valves).
The response time was very fast and I have no concerns that in the event that I would have a critical problem, he would be here to handle it before it became a real issue.
Your service tech is a direct reflection on you and your business. Scott is one of the reasons that I can recommend my dealer without hesitation.
I think that technicians of his caliber should be compensated well. I am sure his experience is a cost savings to the owner in the long run.
AND don't get any ideas...you can't have Scott!!
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Stuart, I mean this very sincerely
Call Don at Clearwater Spas in wilmington (I know you know him) and have him tell you about Scott.
Scott is what I would call the perfect technician; I wish there were more like him for other home repairs.
He is honest, polite, accomodating and very knowledgable. He always appears professional.
It seems to me that he is always a step ahead of any problem or concern, so I assume he stays in close touch with Marquis. He was here when my tub was installed to assure that everything worked great from the start. That was also an opportunity for him to see my set up so if I called with a question, he could visualize what I was talking about.
The problems that I have had with my tub have been few (a light bulb, my spa monitor and air injector valves).
The response time was very fast and I have no concerns that in the event that I would have a critical problem, he would be here to handle it before it became a real issue.
Your service tech is a direct reflection on you and your business. Scott is one of the reasons that I can recommend my dealer without hesitation.
I think that technicians of his caliber should be compensated well. I am sure his experience is a cost savings to the owner in the long run.
AND don't get any ideas...you can't have Scott!!
Well just so you know I'm compiling some of this info to bring up a program at the dealer advisory board meeting in June and will be there with Don.
If I work it right I can get my manager to call Scott while I'm keeping Don pre-occupied in Oregon! ;)
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I think a call to find out if everything went according to the customer's perspective.
This is a killer for me. I HATE when I get a window of 4 hours (utility company) or longer. I think that depending on how calls are dispatched a window of time should be given accordingly. Lets say the first call is a circ pump doesn't work. Assuming it is just a bad pump and a tech can replace it in an hour ... next call about 2 hours after the first is scheduled. But if it's a leak then maybe 4 hours.
Maybe have techs that do 2 different types of calls - easy and hard. This way all easy calls can be quickly taken care of and the harder calls can take some more time to repair. If the easy calls are taken care of then that person can help with the harder calls. Maybe swich every techs other week or so.
So I guess since your showing this to the techs, you don't want me to mention about the $100,000 a year I get to fix stuff ... OOPS! ;) ;D
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This is awsome input guys! It's just what I was looking for...
This will be printed out and circulated through the service dept.
Another question;
Do you prefer a follow up call, a note or an email after the call to find out the outcome?
How long of a window should you as a customer be given for when the tech should be there...1 hour, 2 or even 3? We currently schedule either morning or afternoon.
That's tough. However the key is not to set false expectations. I'd like a guesstimate (We'll scheudle you for the morning) and then the day of the service get a call (Mr drew? We're finishing up our current call and will be at your house in about 30minutes). Sometimes that's the best you can do.
If your techs have a lot of free time, working with the customer for a specific time, is great. However, don't give a specific time, if you really can't make it. Once again, it's about settting expectations. Every other company may say "Between 8 and 1:00" I may be unhappy. But if yuou tell me 8:30, and it turns out to be 11:30, I'm gonna be ripped.
Don't overpromise and underdeliver, that's the WORST thing you can do. Even if what you do deliver is just as good as or better than the competition, if you set false expectations, then you will fail in the eyes of the customer.
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Personally I'd rather have a specific time set- Like 2:00 or whatever, but I understand why this is tough to do. So I'm okay with a longer window of time, but I really appreciate getting a heads up from the tech when he has a better idea of when she will be there. That way I don't have to sit around all morning or afternoon.
As for a follow up call, anything is nice. A phone call is nice, that way if I have any questions or concerns I can speak to them.
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bonuses for parts isnt a good plan.....numbers of jobs and no go backs makes much more sense.......a good tech is good to find. here in central florida it is a full time job......say worth 75k per year.....more is you are very good
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bonuses for parts isnt a good plan.....numbers of jobs and no go backs makes much more sense.......a good tech is good to find. here in central florida it is a full time job......say worth 75k per year.....more is you are very good
What other perks does a tech make? Do they get 401ks, medical or anything else beside the salary?
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(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b206/EastTexasSpa/DSC02690.jpg)
Our service guys make between $35K and 70K, have medical and dental paid, 401K plan, 3 weeks vacation and get sent to the factory for training once/year.
The 3 main service guys get this, I should say. We hire day laborers to help move spas. One of the day laborers showed up with a marijuana cap on the other day. I asked him if he liked weed, he says "no sir, I like hats" so I gave him a Gregg County Fair Hat. Every time I see him he's wearing it.
Terminator
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(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b206/EastTexasSpa/DSC02690.jpg)
Our service guys make between $35K and 70K, have medical and dental paid, 401K plan, 3 weeks vacation and get sent to the factory for training once/year.
The 3 main service guys get this, I should say. We hire day laborers to help move spas. One of the day laborers showed up with a marijuana cap on the other day. I asked him if he liked weed, he says "no sir, I like hats" so I gave him a Gregg County Fair Hat. Every time I see him he's wearing it.
Terminator
So how many HotSpring tech's in East Texas does it take to install a stereo? ;) ;) 8-)
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So how many HotSpring tech's in East Texas does it take to install a stereo? ;) ;) 8-)
However many it takes to make the customer happy, like these folks:
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b206/EastTexasSpa/happycouple.jpg)
Terminator ;)
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Appearance is very important. A service tech should have some type of uniform with the company name on it, cleanly shaved, combed hair...
Pay will vary from region to region but if you get your hands on a good tech they should make a minimum of 50K with benefits.
Scheduled times should be set to the minute, if you are going to be a little late call them.
I prefer the owner to be home but that is not always practical.
For me I like dogs so they can stay out, but for a general rule they should be inside.
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(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b206/EastTexasSpa/DSC02690.jpg)
Our service guys make between $35K and 70K, have medical and dental paid, 401K plan, 3 weeks vacation and get sent to the factory for training once/year.
The 3 main service guys get this, I should say. We hire day laborers to help move spas. One of the day laborers showed up with a marijuana cap on the other day. I asked him if he liked weed, he says "no sir, I like hats" so I gave him a Gregg County Fair Hat. Every time I see him he's wearing it.
Terminator
$35K is a little low IMO (except for a newbie) but its good to know that they are getting benefits as well. I hear horror stories of small companies not giving their workers anything so that they can make a profit.
At $70K I would consider being a tech, actually at one point I was considering maybe becoming a spa tech. My only problem would be wrestling with a 800 lb tub ... I would need to soak my back every night after work.
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Mr. Stuart, great questions, here's my opinion as a spa dealer.
1. I like my techs. Could everyone use improvement including myself, absolutely.
2. If you hire them with piercings, earings, long hair, etc. you're accepting their appearance. Can't say a couple weeks down the line that it's unacceptable. If an applicant came to me with the "right personality" I'm looking for, I'd ask them if they'd consider removing those items if they want the job.
I like people who come to an interview with a SMILE, and need to be pretty personable.
3. I'm 37. Age has nothing to do with it, for me. As an example, this year, I'm making up my part-time retail workforce, mainly from retirees. They're responsible, genrally have their own transportation, only want to work up to 20 hours or so, and if the can't make it to work "THEY ACTUALLY CALL AHEAD AND LET YOU KNOW OR EVEN FIND ONE OF THE OTHERS TO COVER FOR THEM." What a novel idea! I would hire an "experienced" (age wise that is) in a second as a tech if they had an ounce of electrical knowledge and a good personality. I can train the rest. For most of our repairs, a NEXTEL in hand, I could walk a monkey(no pun intended) through the repair.
4. A good tech can make upwards of $50k +. Now, this is someone who'll do most of their own a$$ wiping. Like fielding some service calls in-store prior to dispatch, while on the road and upon returning to the store, capable of setting up realistic routes for themselves and younger techs, maintain their vehicle, orders restocking parts for their truck, knows when to ask a question of others, instead a feeding a homeowner a line of bull-nonsense, will perform other tasks around the business as needed, prepare most all invoices, etc, etc.
5. We don't require anyone to be home. If the spa is out of warranty, we get a credit card ahead of time 90% of the time. Most of our customers will even leave a door unlocked for us if the spa is inside, I love them.
6. Not applicable, but I'll answer anyway. Within a week. Most times it's a day or three for us. Trucks are stocked, so 99% no return trip required. This may offend some, but we aren't working on life-support machinery. Cold/ possible freeze-up weather, under 24 hrs. if the spa is DOWN.
7. Put the dog away.
8. Does the job come with a season pass? What about powder days? Is it still every man for himself?
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This is awsome input guys! It's just what I was looking for...
This will be printed out and circulated through the service dept.
Another question;
Do you prefer a follow up call, a note or an email after the call to find out the outcome?
How long of a window should you as a customer be given for when the tech should be there...1 hour, 2 or even 3? We currently schedule either morning or afternoon.
Another dealer friend of mine has been sending out quality feedback forms to customers with the accounts receivables. they either drop them off call with response or send them back. He told me that system works well.
I have always booked my customers under the number system 1st 2nd...
I have always believed to schedule later than when you supposed to be there that way your tech should be early never late.
I dont think im the only one but absolutely no smoking,chaw or sunflower seeds on job sites or in company trucks.
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Colorado sounds nice ;D
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You know term, they guys all in thier hot springs shirts does make a difference and makes the group look like a team that knows what they are doing. :)
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Stuart,
What is your ultimate goal of this thread?
Chris
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So for both consumers and industry pros I need some opinions.
Be honest...this is important!
1. How well do you like your technician?
I LOVE my techs (Dennis and Rich) I have mentioned them on here before. They were very personable, professional, knowledgable and had a great sense of humor. They went out of their way to make me happy and made me feel like I could call them with any questions at any time. It's because of them that I wouldn't hesitate to refer people to my dealer. My salesman was o.k., but these guys were Great!
2. Does the tech's hair length or physical appearance play a part in your opinion of them when they get to your house? This may sound crude but do crooked teeth, scars or other appearance items make you feel differently about how good they would be at fixing the spa?
Hair length and other physical looks don't bother me as long as they are neat and clean, people can't help if they have scars, crooked teeth, etc
3. Does age play a part in your opinion? Do you feel a young tech in his early 20's would not be experienced as an older one or would you prefer a young energetic tech to someone in their 50's or 60's because you feel they are sharper?
Age doesn't matter to me
4. How much per year would you think a spa technician should make? For those of you that are tech's in other fields feel free to PM me with what you make along with industry people PM me with what you pay/make. For consumers remember that most warranty reimbursement is between $40 and $70 for the entire call, that means from the support staff in the store taking the call, the parts storage mileage time and everything.
I hope Dennis and Rich make a good living, they deserve it. I'm guessing they do because they've been employed with Valley for at least a couple years, since I bought my first tub. I would hope at least 50k plus benefits
5. Do you feel you need to be at home when the tech arrives or, for industry people, do you require someone there before your tech comes out?
Typically, yes. I don't like people here when I'm not home. But after a couple meetings with these 2, I was comfortable giving them my garage code so they could get through to the backyard to deliver my replacement cover.
6. As a consumer what time frame do you think is reasonable for a tech to be at your house from the point of calling it in? What about a weekend call, if you call on a Saturday do you expect a tech on Monday considering most service departments won't get the call until Monday morning?
These guys have always called or been here within a day, even though the calls have been for non-freeze issues. I have an unusual schedule where I am only available in the mornings before 10:00-they were good about working with that.
7. If you have a friendly dog do you feel the tech should be as comfortable with your dog as you are? Do you always put your dog in during service?
My dogs are always put away when service people come. I do not assume that everybody is an animal lover. Although, when Rich and Dennis were here, there was a stray that came through and Rich was very good with it
8. Last, if you are looking for a job as a tech and want to live in Colorado feel free to PM or Email me.
I will have more questions as this goes along but I really want to get a public opinion and out look on service techs.
Just to comment on the call back-My dealer doesn't do that but my mechanic does. He usually calls a week or 2 later to see if my car is running ok and that means the world to me. I think all service industries should do this. It shows they care and they get more referrals from me. (My vetrinarian does it too)
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$35K is a little low IMO (except for a newbie) but its good to know that they are getting benefits as well.
That is the pay for the 21-year old new guy. He manages the warehouse and parts department and typically doesn't do service calls except in a pinch.
Term
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Stuart,
What is your ultimate goal of this thread?
Chris
I have several goals with this thread...
In twenty years of doing this I have found more poor tech's then good ones, I feel that this is a sad thing and now I want to narrow down what the perfect tech looks like in the eyes of the consumer and of my fellow industry people.
I also feel that with a Nextel I could walk a monkey through most repairs the problem is that I don't have to do that and need people to be self thinkers.
When I came up the idea of this thread I was very disappointed in the fact that I have advertised all over the nation for techs in our trade magazines, monster.com and other sources only to always get less than I've looked for or even thought I hired.
We interview through at least 3 managers including my wife and myself, we do a background check, we get feedback from former employers and do everything that your supposed to do to find good people only to find that the people we decide on don't follow through with the customer or even make the customer angry.
One guy came in like gangbusters but little experience, we were excited about him yet he's young covered in tattoos, has longer hair (well kept), he a body builder and when he leaves the store gets to the customers house in sleeveless shirts and a macho attitude. He has missed several days of work for personal problems, seems to gravitate to anger very quickly and overcomplicates most things.
I find that in the last few years no matter how good someone looks upfront or how much skill they have many have personal problems that prevent them from performing their job good.
I've had techs apply that I found potentially good and yet their appearance didn't appeal to me, the most current was a guy with lots of experience but very bad teeth, long hair and kind of disheveled...I think he is probably a great tech and wonder if my personal opinion of his appearance agrees with the public.
I find that most of the time the older someone is the better their work ethic however in the winter the older guys don't want to be out in the weather so where is the happy medium.
I want to know what most techs make and if we are par in how we compensate.
I want as much feedback as I can get from across the country to learn myself and to share with existing techs as well as new hires so that they can see more than my out look.
As a member of the Dealer Advisory Board I know that this info could potentially help other dealers so I also want to come up with a report for that.
....And, last but not least, I'm looking for a tech so I plan on taking this info, going through the hiring process and present it to the group here to see how they feel about my choices.
Yesterday I began an ad campaign to bring in two techs and hope to find someone local however I'm looking for the best candidates not their location.
Now Chris…I have a question for you. Do you not feel this is a pertinent discussion?
Rarely do I post anything not pertinent to this forum or the industry even if I post things in a sarcastic manner.
I own and operate one of the largest stores in the entire region so I don’t have time for frivolous banter that impedes on my day and doesn’t add to forward motion so I really appreciate those that have taken the time to post their honest thoughts and opinions.
BTW, last week one of my tech's got bit by a "friendly dog" and we are in the process of narrowing down time procedures for service so that is also part of this.
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I just asked a question about your thoughts.
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I just asked a question about your thoughts.
Hopefully I answered your question to the degree you were looking.... 8-)
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Scheduled times should be set to the minute,
Are you serious? How do you account for traffic, A job that takes longer than expected. Any thing that happens to a tech on an everyday basis. Unless a tech is underbooked and has the ability to sit and wait for 30 miniutes after every job, then the concept of "to the miniute" is unrealistic.
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Anything is possible, for a price. I'd hate to have to pay the price for a "we promise under all situations to have a tech at your house at an exact moment". Imagine the overstaffing and resulting labor rates that such a system would require.
No thanks.
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Anything is possible, for a price. I'd hate to have to pay the price for a "we promise under all situations to have a tech at your house at an exact moment". Imagine the overstaffing and resulting labor rates that such a system would require.
No thanks.
I show up about 95% of the time when I say I will be there. It is not that hard to do. The other 5% I call.
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Are you serious? How do you account for traffic, A job that takes longer than expected. Any thing that happens to a tech on an everyday basis. Unless a tech is underbooked and has the ability to sit and wait for 30 miniutes after every job, then the concept of "to the miniute" is unrealistic.
Is your tech's time any more valuable than the customer's? If not, why is it fair to expect them to schedule to be home for 2-3 hours, but not for the tech to sit for 30 minutes?
Now that everyone has cell phones, the compromise the I find to work well is to agree on a window that everyone can plan around, and have the tech call the customer a couple of times and update them as to the likely ETA as their day unfolds -- with a final call 30 minutes prior to arrival. That way the customer can stay productive until it is time to leave to meet the tech. Under that scenario, even if the previous job runs long, the customer views the tech as being a few minutes late, as opposed to having sat there for two hours plus.
Stuart, to answer some of your questions:
1-3. While I never had a spa tech come out, because I have handled the few repairs I've needed myself... I work with other service people in a wide range of ages, appearances and abilities -- and know that appearance does not equate to skill/customer service. As a matter of fact, some of the best service people are the ones that look the worst, because they care about the work, not their appearance. Nonetheless it is always reassuring to have someone show up at your door looking professional, in a shirt or uniform that makes it easy to know that they are representing the dealer.
4. The only concern I have with compensation is that it is enough to attract and retain quality employees, so that I see the same faces from time to time. As a matter of fact, I think it is a good idea to give the customer a choice between the earliest available appointment, and a later one with the tech that they have dealt with before.
5. I do want to be home, so that I can see what is done, what parts are replaced, make sure all my concerns are addressed, and hopefully learn something. As I said earlier, all I ask is that my time be respected as much as the service/delivery person's.
6. For small things that don't affect use or safety of the tub, I am comfortable waiting several days. If my tub is down, I'd be hoping for same or next day service. I like places that leave at least one appointment slot available each day for emegencies, jobs that run long, or a well deserved break for the tech. I also like places that have a number that a customer can call for emergency service. If somone's heat goes out on a freezing Saturday night, I doubt they feel comfortable waiting until Monday to hear back from someone. Some of the vendors I deal with rotate responsibility for carrying the "emergency number" cell phone nights and weekends. They may shut off the ringer and let calls roll to voice mail, screen them and call back later if appropriate, but at least the customer knows that someone is aware of their problem and will get back to them soon. The service person may just call back and recommend a temporary safety measure until Monday, but it gives the customer has a chance to discuss their concerns.
7. I think that is is fair to ask customers to have all pets restrained from the service and access area for the duration of the tech's visit. I know my own pets can be a pain checking out my tools, and getting in the way. I wouldn't expect a stranger to like it any more than I do, nor would I expect them to know that the barking and jumping is just friendly greeting. I'd just remind the owner of that requirement when scheduling, and if they are loose when the tech shows up, have the tech tell the owner that they "may need to use some chemicals that aren't safe for pets to be around" and that it is best if they are kept away from them.
Somewhere along the line follow-up calls got discussed. I certainly appreciate a manager that shows interest, and if there are unresolved issues I want follow-up... However, if it is just a courtesy call by a secretary or a survey, I prefer not to be interrupted, so that is better handled with a post-card or e-mail.
I think this thread is a good idea, hopefully you are surveying your customers as well. If you summarize the results, please share them with us!
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Hey Stuart, start me at 85K a year plus a company truck (maybe a another Hummer), paid vacation, 401K, and pay half my medical and I would consider Colorado. :)
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1. How well do you like your technician?
I like some of them really well, even to the point where we'll go out and get a beer or go to a baseball game. I've got other techs that I absolutely can't stand, but I'll respect them as long as they do their job well.
2. Does the tech's hair length or physical appearance play a part in your opinion of them when they get to your house? This may sound crude but do crooked teeth, scars or other appearance items make you feel differently about how good they would be at fixing the spa?
I don't pay any attention to how a guy looks. His body, his choices. If I can get on a ride at a carnival, I can talk to a tech with a few tattoos. As long as they're clean, it doesn't matter to me. Customers will pass judgement, but that's why you send them on the jobs when they're not home.
3. Does age play a part in your opinion? Do you feel a young tech in his early 20's would not be experienced as an older one or would you prefer a young energetic tech to someone in their 50's or 60's because you feel they are sharper?
I prefer someone who is always willing to learn. Experience is important, but cooperation is just as important.
4. How much per year would you think a spa technician should make? For those of you that are tech's in other fields feel free to PM me with what you make along with industry people PM me with what you pay/make. For consumers remember that most warranty reimbursement is between $40 and $70 for the entire call, that means from the support staff in the store taking the call, the parts storage mileage time and everything.
We pay our techs (I believe) starting around $15/hr. They also have benefits and 401k. Pay is something that you should decide for yourself. I'd recommend calling some of your competitors' techs and inquiring. It's worth a try, and you might just be able to hire a good one that way.
5. Do you feel you need to be at home when the tech arrives or, for industry people, do you require someone there before your tech comes out?
It depends on what the job is. Most of the time our customers aren't home, and we don't require them to be.
6. As a consumer what time frame do you think is reasonable for a tech to be at your house from the point of calling it in? What about a weekend call, if you call on a Saturday do you expect a tech on Monday considering most service departments won't get the call until Monday morning?
N/A
7. If you have a friendly dog do you feel the tech should be as comfortable with your dog as you are? Do you always put your dog in during service?
I would expect my techs to treat a customers' dog like they would treat a customer. With disdain. Hyuck, hyuck.
8. Last, if you are looking for a job as a tech and want to live in Colorado feel free to PM or Email me.
I'm not good with my hands, but it's tempting.
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Is your tech's time any more valuable than the customer's? If not, why is it fair to expect them to schedule to be home for 2-3 hours, but not for the tech to sit for 30 minutes?
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If a tech has lets say 6 calls in a day and gives two hour windows, he can get 6 calls done. If he has to be "to the miniute" and allow extra time for trafic and unforseen issues, then he can only schedule 4 call a day. Who do you think would end up paying for that. It would also mean that most tech's couldnt always get to everyone in a timely manner... One day turns into two, three, or four. For the rare customer that need an exact time, that is the first call of the day. It may take a few extra days to get to the first call but if someone "REALLY" needs it, it would be worth waiting an extra day or two.
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Hey Stuart, start me at 85K a year plus a company truck (maybe a another Hummer), paid vacation, 401K, and pay half my medical and I would consider Colorado. :)
Lose the Redneck accent, buy a better bike that doesn't hurt my ears to be around, stop playing with guns, seek help for your Nascar addiction and leave the X-Box out there and I MIGHT consider everything but the Hummer...I can't afford the gas or parts on two of them!
Oh! I almost forgot...you would probably have to lose that pair of ugly old black crocs so I'm sure it wouldn't work for you!
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Lose the Redneck accent, buy a better bike that doesn't hurt my ears to be around, stop playing with guns, seek help for your Nascar addiction and leave the X-Box out there and I MIGHT consider everything but the Hummer...I can't afford the gas or parts on two of them!
Oh! I almost forgot...you would probably have to lose that pair of ugly old black crocs so I'm sure it wouldn't work for you!
Damn the Crocs were a deal breaker, them shoes are ugly but comfortable. I am not giving up my Crocs. ;D
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...Who do you think would end up paying for that...
Not to sidetrack this thread, but who do you think ends up paying for the 2-3 hours that the customer has to be home (assuming that they are employed and do in fact, need/want to be there)? It either comes out of their pocket or their employer's. All I'm saying is that I see companies that seem to realize that the customer's time is valuable, and others that don't. Stuart asked what people's opinions were, and I much prefer someone who can tell me when they will be there, and then shows up on time... but as I said there are compromises that allow everyone to be more productive -- and keep the total cost of a service event to a minimum for all parties.
I know that service areas will vary in terms of size, density, traffic, number of techs, etc. but, IMO... if the only way that you can make more than 4 calls a day is to have the customer waiting for potentially 2 hours, you need to take a look at your initial screening/troubleshooting, job estimating, routing/scheduling, parts inventory, navigation, dispatch and communications capabilities. I know large time windows were the norm in the past and that plenty of companies still operate that way, but with today's technology, some are able to service the customer much more efficiently. I guess if I ran a spa service department, I'd be asking Gary how he is able to give the customers an exact time and meet it, rather than tell him it is unrealistic.
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Anything is possible, for a price. I'd hate to have to pay the price for a "we promise under all situations to have a tech at your house at an exact moment". Imagine the overstaffing and resulting labor rates that such a system would require.
No thanks.
Thats what I was trying to say, but it sounds better when you say it.
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No one would hang out at the Mechanics shop when you get your car worked on and if it takes longer than expected you wouldn't expect them to reimburse your time would you?
I'm not trying to be sarcastic I'm trying to prove a point....
Most cable companies require you to be at home and will give you no less than a 4 hour window to get your cable fixed yet most of those guys don't have a lot of professional training.
When you have to call a professional for service it sucks to have to be at the mercy of their schedule but that's kind of how the system works. I've often complained about having to wait an extra hour at the Dr.'s office so that I could pay more than my rent to see him one his schedule but I go anyway.
What we are trying to accomplish is a happy medium where we can fix the problem while trying to appease the customers schedule.
I came to an epiphany about a year ago were I used to give store keys only to those employees that absolutely needed to have one when it occurred to me that if I was worried about them having a key they probably didn't need to be working for me! Same thing applies to your service center...If your worried that you need to be there because you don't trust them to do the service correct without you home your probably using the wrong service.
I still think that unless we are able to charge enough to employ more tech's per customer base there is no other way to do this than to give a "window of opportunity" and unless special circumstances apply, like an indoor spa or power in the house I think that the only fair way to do it is charge more if we need to meet a specific deadline.
We are unique in the respect that we drive all over the mountains, sometimes the tech doesn't have cell service and often we are held up by weather. In most cases we can't expect things to go perfectly enough for us to be somewhere at a dead set time unless it is in the first few calls of the day.
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Exactly the point. Many times there are unforseen circumstances that cannot be easily predicted, hence the time window.
All it takes to throw off a whole day is one event. If my spa was being worked on, and the repair was taking longer than expected for whatever reason, I'd be super p*ssed off if the tech left because she couldn't be late for the next appointment.
This is why I have no problem with a floating time frame, especially if the tech. calls me to say he is on the way and what his eta is.
Last time the tech actually called to let me know he could get their early if I wanted- that call was really appreciated.
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I have to say I'm surprised that a thread about customer preferences has taken this turn. I'd think you'd be more interested in how Gary is able to make scheduled appointments work, than a rationalization of current approaches. I didn't want to sidetrack this thread, but since it is yours, and you are interested in this tangent, I'll keep going. ;)
No one would hang out at the Mechanics shop when you get your car worked on and if it takes longer than expected you wouldn't expect them to reimburse your time would you? I wouldn't begrudge someone taking the time to do the job correctly. What I wouldn't care for is having them know I was waiting, but then go lunch before starting my car, and not let me know so that I could go eat too. Or worse yet, be backed up when I come in for an appointment, but not tell me so I can make other arrangements. I used to go to a nearby tire shop for oil changes that didn't take appointments, but always told me it would be a 15-30 minute wait. After a couple of 1 - 2 hour visits I gave up on them. If they had just been realistic, I would have come back another time, and I'd still be a customer. Not communicating also cost them a sale of a couple of sets of tires. IMO, Respect for the customer, their time, and communication are probably as important as technical skill in creating a positive service experience.
When you have to call a professional for service it sucks to have to be at the mercy of their schedule but that's kind of how the system works. I've often complained about having to wait an extra hour at the Dr.'s office so that I could pay more than my rent to see him one his schedule but I go anyway. Funny you should bring that one up. My wife's clinic has gone to a new scheduling system where they estimate the time required for a patient's stated reason for the visit more accurately. They also leave more blanks in the schedule, so that there are slots available for same-day appointments, and allowing physicians to spend more time with a patient if necessary without backing up the schedule. When those blanks aren't needed, the physicians use the time for charting, paperwork and study -- things they usually left for the end of the day. Their appointment day runs longer, but their actual time worked remains the same. The patients are much happier, able to get in to see the doc on the same day for urgent needs, able to see on a board how close the doc is to on-time when they check in, and rarely waiting more than a few minutes. The staff is also happier, not constantly behind, and with some flexibility in their day. The downside is that routine visits often are scheduled out two weeks or more.
What we are trying to accomplish is a happy medium where we can fix the problem while trying to appease the customers schedule...If your worried that you need to be there because you don't trust them to do the service correct without you home your probably using the wrong service.I like to be around when service is done on site, for the reasons I stated before, and because I prefer not to have strangers in or around my house unattended. You know and trust your service people, the customer may not have met them before. I don't prejudge someone's service ability by their appearance -- but I may be a little concerned about a seedy type I've never met before roaming my property.
I still think that unless we are able to charge enough to employ more tech's per customer base there is no other way to do this than to give a "window of opportunity" and unless special circumstances apply, like an indoor spa or power in the house I think that the only fair way to do it is charge more if we need to meet a specific deadline.If it is a busy day, I would have no problem paying a reasonable charge for being able to schedule a time, rather than sit home waiting for someone to show up. As I said, I think the best compromise is establishing a window that both sides can plan around, but then communicating so no one is sitting around longer than necessary.
We are unique in the respect that we drive all over the mountains, sometimes the tech doesn't have cell service and often we are held up by weather. In most cases we can't expect things to go perfectly enough for us to be somewhere at a dead set time unless it is in the first few calls of the day.
Obviously in some situations, a "call before we come" approach may not always work.
Here I've been going on about wasting time, and I've spent way more time here than I should. :o ;D
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Reese,
That was not to be directed at you...so you know part of it was directed at Gary's response (although I had called and berated him already earlier on the phone). ;)
When I wrecked my motorcycle last year I spent 4 hours a few days later (when I could get an appointment) getting an x-ray that should have taken 20 minuets. Went back a week later because they wanted another x-ray and walked out after 2 hours without being seen.
Last month my phone line had a problem and we had to have an adult at the house between 8AM and 12PM for the service....They showed up about 12 and never needed us or to get in the house. They did the job wrong and we have to schedule again.
I took my hummer to the shop, they charged $3500 3000 miles out of warranty for a bearing in the transfer case. They left it apart, on the rack for a week while the ordered parts. As I pulled out of the dealership it locked up because they put it in wrong and it stayed another 2 days.
I deal with this in my personal life also and empathies with you completely. We are not so stanch that we can't make a call when we are on our way or try to narrow the time down more but I do think we get more then our share of unreasonable customers at times. We always work around them but it is frustrating....
That's what this post is about however, getting opinions like yours to see where we can make changes.
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Stuart, your post just reinforces that an attitude of "this is the best we can do" leaves organizations wallowing in mediocrity or worse. I know from reading your posts that you are always looking for ways to do things better, and it is too bad the service examples you cited aren't doing the same. My recent experiences with the same types of providers were almost 180 degrees different than yours.
I dislocated my shoulder skiing and damaged the rotator cuff. I have been to an ER, two physicians, and a surgeon - and had 3 sets of x-rays and an MRI in the last 2 weeks. We also had to take my daughter in for one emergency, and one regular appointment in that time. I have never waited more than 10 minutes at any appointment, or in the urgent care settings, and usually walked in right on time. I was able to schedule my appointments for the day that I wanted (usually ASAP), except for once where I had to wait until the next day, because the doctor was out of the office. I have had to reschedule the surgery twice to accomodate changes in my schedule, with neither a complaint or a problem getting the new date I need. I have never been more impressed with an large organization than I have with the care I have received at this clinic/hospital. :)
I have two local GM dealers. One offers service hours until midnight, and can usually look at my car the same day I call. The other offers free loaners, and lets you keep it until the repair is complete. Sometimes repairs there have to be scheduled out a couple of days to ensure loaner availability. Both do an excellent job keeping me informed as to what is going on with the repair and when I can expect it to be complete. 8-) Again, I have no complaints about the service at either of these places -- wait I take that back, the "open 'til midnight place always tries to sell an additional service or a "value package" which is not really needed, in a blatant attempt to add revenue to the ticket. :P
Let you think that I am just a "glass half-full" guy, or lucky enough to live in service nirvana, my cable and phone companies are no better than yours. I bet they think that is the best they can do, for the same reasons that you and Micah have stated. :-/ Perhaps Gary was just blowing smoke, but again, if I was running a spa service department, I'd be asking him how he does it, not "berating him";), or explaining why that can't work.
p.s. I didn't think your post was directed just at me, nor is this one only for you, even though I started it with your name. 8-)
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So for both consumers and industry pros I need some opinions.
Be honest...this is important!
4. How much per year would you think a spa technician should make? For those of you that are tech's in other fields feel free to PM me with what you make along with industry people PM me with what you pay/make. For consumers remember that most warranty reimbursement is between $40 and $70 for the entire call, that means from the support staff in the store taking the call, the parts storage mileage time and everything.
Wow, techs are making 40-70k a year! Who needs there own business, I need to go to work for someone else! We have tried paying techs by the hour, some work out, some milk the system- requiring 10 hrs to do 5 calls. We prefer to pay techs by the billable hour, seems to make that drive to the next job a bit quicker!
5. Do you feel you need to be at home when the tech arrives or, for industry people, do you require someone there before your tech comes out?
We handle this by doing what makes the customer feel better. If no one is home, we require a credit card up front in an amount that the customer feels ok with, if repair goes over said amount, we contact customer for further instruction. We never set limit below service call amount.
6. As a consumer what time frame do you think is reasonable for a tech to be at your house from the point of calling it in? What about a weekend call, if you call on a Saturday do you expect a tech on Monday considering most service departments won't get the call until Monday morning?
In my experience, same day service is a bit over the top- unless a tech is close by and can pop in to diagnose problem. Our calls usually run 2-3 days out, during busy times it may reach a week. We continually get "emergency" call requests. Usually these calls are not emergencies, the only emergency I can think of is if the spa is on top of the customer! Freezing is nearly impossible in our area, and afterall it is not a hear-lung machine.
7. If you have a friendly dog do you feel the tech should be as comfortable with your dog as you are? Do you always put your dog in during service?
Every time you hear of a dog mauling someone, it is followed by "my dog has never done anything like that before". Keep your dogs inside, especially the little ones which have been the only dogs that have bitten me!
8. Last, if you are looking for a job as a tech and want to live in Colorado feel free to PM or Email me.
Sounds nice, except for those times of the year when it is FREEZING cold, not to mention all the time off needed to chase all those beautifull animals through the woods with a rifle! Good luck!
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If I schedule 6 service calls in a day, the ONLY one I can give an exact time to is the first person. After that, every other job depends on the previous calls. Lets say a customer calls and says they have an issue that sounds like a circulation pump being bad. I count on that call being about 1/2 hour. Yet, when I get there, they have 2 pump seals leaking, a bad temperature sensor, or some other issue that the customer had no idea about. That is what we run into all the time. A customer will call about 1 issue, and there are other issues that they did not realize.
I do not find a 3 hour time frame unreasonable.
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If I schedule 6 service calls in a day, the ONLY one I can give an exact time to is the first person. After that, every other job depends on the previous calls. Lets say a customer calls and says they have an issue that sounds like a circulation pump being bad. I count on that call being about 1/2 hour. Yet, when I get there, they have 2 pump seals leaking, a bad temperature sensor, or some other issue that the customer had no idea about. That is what we run into all the time. A customer will call about 1 issue, and there are other issues that they did not realize.
I do not find a 3 hour time frame unreasonable.
Here is what I do. Most of the time only half of the people will be home any ways so you stagger the calls when the people are home through the day with lots of time between. If one job is taking longer you can still get there on time, if done early go to one that the person is not home. The other jobs only need to be completed the day you said they would (preferable before they get home).
Now geography has to be planned in your strategy.
I have found that this works pretty well.
To me a 3-hour window when someone is taking time off work is not acceptable.
Depending on the customer needs you can work it so you can get there at a precise time.
Of course things can happen to screw up your day but that is what a cell phone is for, if you are going to be late and you let the customer know most are okay with it.
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So some of you have said this but, for the industry folks...How many service calls do you think a tech should be able to do in a day?
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Depends.
Travel time
type of call
access to spa
What hours are they expected to work
quality of work
When a service tech tries to take on more than they can handle, sometimes the work gets shoddy because they are just trying to get out to their next call.
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So some of you have said this but, for the industry folks...How many service calls do you think a tech should be able to do in a day?
Average 7 in a 10 hour day back the day, now I am old so I sit at a desk most of the time.
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So some of you have said this but, for the industry folks...How many service calls do you think a tech should be able to do in a day?
Our territory is very large, encompassing most of NE Texas and NW Louisiana with a lot of drive time. We group service calls (when possible) for certain areas on certain days (Tyler area on Mon, Longview Tues, Lufkin Wed, Shreveport Thurs, freelance on Friday).
Being fortunate to have carried HotSpring Spas for a number of years, most of our service calls have involved cleaning filters and removing air locks for customers. The last year has been dominated by replacing auxiliary control panels, but those are dwindling as we've gotten most everyone taken care of. Our guys usually do 8-12 service calls/day. One of our guys did 15 one day.
Terminator
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So some of you have said this but, for the industry folks...How many service calls do you think a tech should be able to do in a day?
6 is reasonable in a 8 hr day. Unless of course leaks are involved or the calls are spread out over all of hells creation.
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1. How well do you like your technician?
Don't have a tub tech but have others and it's a mix but most are good
2. Does the tech's hair length or physical appearance play a part in your opinion of them when they get to your house? This may sound crude but do crooked teeth, scars or other appearance items make you feel differently about how good they would be at fixing the spa?
Absolutely! If people don't take care of themselves and have poor hygene then that tells me how much care they are likely to take of something that isn't theirs. No thank you!
3. Does age play a part in your opinion? Do you feel a young tech in his early 20's would not be experienced as an older one or would you prefer a young energetic tech to someone in their 50's or 60's because you feel they are sharper?
No, I couldn't care about age or energy - I want someone knowlegable that can fix the problem.
4. How much per year would you think a spa technician should make? For those of you that are tech's in other fields feel free to PM me with what you make along with industry people PM me with what you pay/make. For consumers remember that most warranty reimbursement is between $40 and $70 for the entire call, that means from the support staff in the store taking the call, the parts storage mileage time and everything.
$15-$20/hour
5. Do you feel you need to be at home when the tech arrives or, for industry people, do you require someone there before your tech comes out?
No, but if I'm not I would want something telling me what was done and why and if the problem was resolved and how left for me. Think laptop with portable computer or laptop with wireless email capability.
6. As a consumer what time frame do you think is reasonable for a tech to be at your house from the point of calling it in? What about a weekend call, if you call on a Saturday do you expect a tech on Monday considering most service departments won't get the call until Monday morning?
24-48 hours. Weekends are tough since that's when you want to use it the most. Personally, I'd pay a surcharge for service on the weekend.
7. If you have a friendly dog do you feel the tech should be as comfortable with your dog as you are? Do you always put your dog in during service?
The dog is always put away and I would never expect a stranger to be comfortable with her.
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Mr. Stuart,
"So some of you have said this but, for the industry folks...How many service calls do you think a tech should be able to do in a day? "
I'm a big believer of quality over quantity. Nothing like having to go back and pick up tools, close someone's spa cover we left open, overlooked one of the problems on the repair ticket, etc. Get'er done, take water to be tested at the store, and do it right. But 6-10 per day.
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I think the number of calls a tech can do per day depends on the type of call. If you are doing strickly warranty calls, the sky is the limit. Warranty calls are very easy to diagnose/ easy to replace parts- most are straight forward repairs not requiring a great deal troubleshooting.