More customers diagnosing their own furnaces

Customer 1 She calls Thur and says her heat works sometimes, other times it doesnt. I go Fri morn and she is telling me whats wrong and swears its the thermostat because its electrical?? I check the 16 yr old T87F. Its fine and looks like new. Downstairs is the 16 yr old Bryant 398A furnace we installed way back. It too looks like new other than its had most of its parts changed over the years like all the 398's. It has a leaf in the intake pipe causing the burner to stay off. I go up stairs and she asks me if I changed the stat yet???? I said, "Hold on". Out to the truck for 2 diff digital and prog stats. She picks the digital programmable. I install it, charge her for the call, charge for cleaning the pvc flue and the diagnostic. Go figure. As they always say, "The customer is always right"

Customer 2 Sat the calls start at about 4pm. New customer in town has no heat. Just blower. Go out and find a 13 yr old Coleman 90% CUG furnace. Igniter but no 24 volts to gas valve. The W/R ignition module is bad. Then I notice, the module is 11 months old. Still under warranty. I told her I can change it but I use H/W S8610U's and it wont be warranty. She says, "OH, I guess I'll call Dave from the other end of town. I found him at the bar. He does some A/C work". WTF!! hehe. I collect my $100 Sat trip charge and she pays with a smile. "Go figure"

Customer 3 Old guy with Apt complex. Tennants heard noise last night???.......and he just calls me at 4:30pm today?? Sure. Why not. Makes sense to me??? His buildings have older boilers with series 100 circulators. He tells me, "now you do know we have complete pumps, circulators, and pump couplers in the parts room up there?" Hell, whaddo I care. I'll use his pumps, charge him Sat rate including a flat rate new pump price like anyone else and just subtract out the pump price. He gets absolutey no warranty and thinks he is saving money. I just smile when the check comes. It's all in a days work. Merry Freaking Christmas to me. :-) Bubba

Reply to
Bubba
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Those heart-warming stories just make me want to lick a window!

Merry Christmas, Bubba!

BTW: I hope you put your sticker on the equipment and covered up the other service co's sticker. Don't forget the charge them for the new sticker and the time to clean off the old one. I'd stick one on their thermostat too, just for good measure!

We can't help it if your customers pay too much!

I have a similar view on my employer: If they are so stupid to hire me, I make sure they get exactly what they pay for. I can't help it if they hired someone like me!

Reply to
Oscar_Lives

And you sound proud of the way you dealt with the customers??? Did you feel no obligation to fully inform them of the results of their decision? It is one thing, if after having been informed by a professional (YOU) of what was needed, they still want unnecessary repairs done. But you sound like you delighted in letting them make the wrong decision. I am sorry, but it is behavior like yours that makes customers suspect of those in your trade.

I hope you have a "Merry Freaking Christmas" none the less.

Reply to
Ken

You tell then whats wrong, and they *still* insist that its a bad thermostat (didn't have anything to do with the original problem), you change the stat to make them happy. You collect your money and move on. It happens a lot more frequently than not. There are a lot of folks out there that have their mind made up and you can't change it with the facts. But then again, your not in the trade, and probably not even in a service business. Before making judgements, you might want to walk a mile in our shoes.

Reply to
Noon-Air

Get real Ken, the customers ONLY want free advice and the cheapest service, Get with the real world, if you don't believe me, just ask them

"Do you want to have professional service and pay a premium price for it or would you rather use Dave who you met at the bar? ""

Many would say, heck, if I could save a few bucks I would let Dave at least have a stab at it,

Ken, you aren't living in the real world. I have had people coming to my house on weekends to ask where the guy lives who puts furnaces in on the side!!!! You don't have to believe me, but its the truth.

Reply to
geoman

Go on 30 yo heat pump, maintenance man changed out thermostat, must be the thermostat, it has to be the thermostat! Start looking, thermostat not even close to being wired right, fix it but still no joy. Look some more, find transformer out in air handler. Replace transformer. now I have air handler but no condenser. Start troubleshooting condenser, take cover off, no high voltage to contactor, low voltage to contactor is 73v. Go to open disconnect, get the shock of my life! Start tracing wires back to breaker, one is broken, I happily volunteered to be the other leg when I touched the disconnect! Repair that, now look back in condenser, cap is oozing electrolyte. Replace that. Did I forget to mention how many times I told lady that "you should not put any money in this thing".? System is now rumbling along, customer is happy, utility company is real happy, my boss is happy (he would be real happy if she bought a new system), everyone's happy! Merry Christmas!

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- All the free heating and air answers you want!

Reply to
Al Moran

You sound like you don't know that a lot of customers are nothing but cheap fucks. They will spend a thousand to save ten in a New York minute.

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- All the free heating and air answers you want!

Reply to
Al Moran

I do NOT disagree that a customer wants to pay as little as possible for the repair. My guess is that if YOU hired someone to repair something you could not repair, that YOU too would want to pay as little as possible for the repair. That is simply human nature.

What Bubba said however was: "It has a leaf in the intake pipe causing the burner to stay off. I go up stairs and she asks me if I changed the stat yet???? I said, "Hold on". Out to the truck for 2 diff digital and prog stats. She picks the digital programmable. I install it, charge her for the call, charge for cleaning the pvc flue and the diagnostic."

Now if he had said: "I have repaired your system and it does NOT need a thermostat. If you want one, I will replace it for you as I have some in the truck." There is nothing wrong in replacing a component at the insistence of a customer. But it sounds like the customer did NOT realize the problem was repaired and did NOT need a thermostat. The scenario is like a patient going to a doctor and when the doctor asks what is wrong, saying he thinks his appendix needs removal. Following Bubba's procedure, the doctor would remove it even if he knew the patient only had stomach gas.

Finally, although I am not in business for myself, I have dealt with customers seeking to have items repaired. It IS true that they often THINK they have an idea where the problem lies. But since they called me to solve their problem, they have already admitted that they lack the ability to fix their problem. I felt it was my obligation to explain that they were wrong in their diagnosis, if that was the case. I can't tell you how many times a person has said, "I think it is just a bad fuse." I did NOT keep replacing fuses until I found one that wouldn't blow because the customer thought it was the fuse!!

Reply to
Ken

Ken, You're a total f****ng idiot and you havent a clue about the service industry. You wouldnt last a week in this business. Same thing happens in the summer. Customers call. "My A/C is running but its just not cooling well at all and its hot in my house. I think it needs freon". When you arrive at the call the customer reiterates the same thing. "Its not cooling well, I think it needs freon". Check out the A/C. Air filter is clogged and condenser is filthy. You clean the system, check the refrigerant and it is working like new again. No parts. Just cleaning. Its 95 degrees out and the house is 85 degrees inside. You finish and talk to the customer. You tell them what you did. First thing out of their mouth is again, "Did you put freon in?" Let me tell you. 99% of the time, if you didnt tell the customer that you added "freon" you will get a call back until you put it in. Ive tried it the other way. It doesnt work. They want what they want. What do I do you ask? I charge them for 2 lbs of refrigerant that never gets installed. Im not about to argue with them when thats what they think they want. The "sane" customers get a cleaning and no further charge. The "Nuts" get exactly what they wish for. Come back her after about 20 yrs in this field KEN and then tell me your words of wisdom. Until then, go preach your babbling shit somewhere else. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

So you admit STEALING from your customers. How nice.

Reply to
Black Dragon

I woulda called it "renaming the repair".

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

So you're a THIEVING asshole too.

In Western NY somewhere are you? Who do you work for? I'd like to let them know personally at least one of their employees STEALS from their customers. If they manage to condone your actions, I'll happily put them out of business.

HTH

Reply to
Black Dragon

To the assholes (like you) that would insist on the "freon". YES. Exactly. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

YEAH, JESUS MUST BE PROUD...

Reply to
Oscar_Lives

I hired professionals to install, maintain, and repair my systems, and do what they recommend because they have a great reputation for not only knowing what they're are doing, but for being trustworthy also. You, kiddo, ain't nothing more than a dishonest, thieving hack, and have to steal from your customers only because you lack the wherewithal to be a professional with some integrity.

Don't fret it though, you soar with your very own kind in this very newsgroup. Enjoy.

HTH

Reply to
Black Dragon

I dont think you know what I am but i think you may be a Pedophile. Sucks to be you. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

For evidence, we point to the HO's who ask for free fixit advice on alt havoc.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

That much has been obvious for a while now.

By your own actions it's very clear who you are, thief. A rather stupid one too.

Reply to
Black Dragon

Stormy says; Pick Me! Pick me!

Reply to
DIMwit

Bubba, fwiw I would had just told them I added freon and not charged them for it, fixed the real problem and been on my way. Everybody is happy.

Reply to
Power's Mechanical

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