November 2014
News Letter
Heating and Air Conditioning
Issue # 39
Mission Statement:
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Hutchins HVAC Inc is a
full Service and Mechanical
Company committed to
providing quality workmanship
and professionalism.
Scott Wyckoff
A Message From Bill
Proper Care
Customer
Service is
Imperative
Soft Skills Aptitude Needed to
be a Better Technician
Is having excellent customer service skills
important for a refrigeration technician? The
only answer to this question is yes. Having
excellent customer service skills not only
makes you a better technician — it makes
you a better employee. If you are an
owner/operator of your own service
company, these skills help to retain the
valuable customers you worked so hard to
get.
So, how do you improve your customer
service skills? First, you need to become an
effective communicator. When speaking
with customers, clearly explain the required
repairs in terms they will understand. Avoid
using complicated industry terms such as
superheat and subcooling when discussing
a problem as these phrases may only
confuse them. Answer any and all questions
they have in terms they will understand.
When the job is complete, be sure to go
over the repairs with them, explaining any
warranties offered or any further
maintenance you recommend. Technicians
should also ensure that their handwriting is
always neat and legible on all reports they
Appearance also counts in refining your
customer service skills. Always keep your
appearance neat and clean. Wear clean
company-issues clothing, if provided, each
day. It is a good idea to keep an extra set of
work clothes in your service truck just in case
you run into a dirty job during the day (or spill
your lunch on yourself). This way, you can
change into clean clothes before meeting the
next customer, if necessary.
Scott completed trade school at Lincoln
Technical Institute. As a first year apprentice,
he has performed at a skill level exceeding
his formal training. Scott goes beyond what
is required to ensure our customers are
satisfied with the service we deliver. Scott is
a widely known devotee of “Clash of Clans”.
are required to fill out, and that all salient points are
covered. This could go a long way in avoiding
customer concerns and organizational questions in
terms of work that was performed, or the disposition
of materials.
Fair Treatment
Superior customer service skills also means
treating customers fairly and honestly. Dishonesty
never works out in the end. Customers will quickly
pick up on a dishonest technician. They may not
understand how the system operates or how to
repair the problem, but they can tell when a
technician is not being totally honest. Just relate
this to when you deal with a technician for a home
or car repair. You can tell when another technician
is not being completely honest with you, and so can
your customers.
Another extremely important aspect of
customer service is how you treat their
property. You should always treat a customer’s
property as if it were your own. In fact, you
should treat it better than your own property. If
you dirty it, clean it. If you take it off, put it back
on. If you replace it, take it away. If you move
it, put it back. If you break it, fix it. Refining
your customer service skills is all about
building trust with a customer. You definitely
want to be the technician that a customer
requests by name. It’s a great compliment
when a customer calls for a repair and says, “I
want Pete to come and repair my system.”
However, the opposite is something you
definitely want to avoid: A customer calling for
a repair and saying, “I need my system
repaired, but please do not send Pete.” This is
not good for your career.
Trust is most definitely earned, not given. You
earn trust by treating a customer the way you
yourself would want to be treated. You earn
trust by listening to the customer, going the
extra mile for them, showing up on time, and
having the proper attitude. A bad attitude will
cause you and your company to lose
customers, and it could also cost you your job.
So, remember, the next time you are in front of
a customer, think about your customer service
skills. Be the technician that customers want
on their properties repairing their systems. It
will go a long way in helping you advance in
the industry.
Joe Marchese – Publication date: 10/6/2014
November 2014
News Letter
Heating and Air Conditioning
Issue # 39
Honoring Our
Veterans
Veterans Day is an official United States
holiday that honors people who have served
in the U.S. Armed Forces, and is observed
on November 11. It coincides with other
holidays such as Armistice Day and
Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in
other parts of the world and also mark the
anniversary of the end of World War I.
(Major hostilities of World War I were
formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th
day of the 11th month of 1918, when the
Armistice with Germany went into effect.)
Veterans Day is not to be confused with
Memorial Day. Veterans Day celebrates the
service of all U.S. military veterans, while
Memorial Day is a day of remembering the
men and women who died while serving.
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first
proclaimed Armistice Day for November 11,
1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said "To
us in America, the reflections of Armistice
Day will be filled with solemn pride in the
heroism of those who died in the country's
service and with gratitude for the victory,
both because of the thing from which it has
freed us and because of the opportunity it
has given America to show her sympathy
with peace and justice in the councils of the
nations."
The United States Congress passed a
concurrent resolution seven years later on
June 4, 1926, requesting that President
Calvin Coolidge issue another proclamation
to observe November 11 with appropriate
ceremonies. A Congressional Act (52 Stat.
351; 5 U.S.
Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938,
made the 11th of November in each year a
legal holiday: "a day to be dedicated to the
cause of world peace and to be thereafter
celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."
In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks
from Birmingham, Alabama, had the idea to expand
Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just
those who died in World War I. Weeks led a
delegation to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who
supported the idea of National Veterans Day.
Weeks led the first national celebration in 1947 in
Alabama and annually until his death in 1985.
U.S. Representative Ed Rees from Emporia,
Kansas, presented a bill establishing the holiday
through Congress. President Dwight D Eisenhower,
also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on May
26, 1954. Congress amended this act on June 1,
1954, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it
has been known as Veterans Day since.]
Although originally scheduled for celebration on
November 11 of every year, starting in 1971 in
accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act,
Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of
October. In 1978, it was moved back to its original
celebration on November 11. While the legal
holiday remains on November 11, if that date
happens to be on a Saturday or Sunday, then
organizations that formally observe the holiday will
normally be closed on the adjacent Friday or
Monday, respectively.
MAKE LIFESTYLE CHANGES
Be an ambassador for your company by
presenting a neat, clean and professional
appearance.
Be well rested and get enough sleep.
Eat nutritious meals.
Stay well hydrated.
Get exercise.
Maintain an elevated mood.
Give yourself motivations.
Reward yourself.
Answers to Last Issue’s Quiz
Start with the number of hours in a normal year
8760
Subtract the number of hits Pete Rose had
during his Major League Baseball career 4256
Subtract the number of consecutive games Cal
Ripkin played in during his MLB career 2632
Subtract the number of minutes in a day 1440
Subtract the number of games during the 2014
regular NFL season
256
Subtract the number of keys on a piano
88
And the correct answer is 88
BEING MORE PRODUCTIVE AT WORK
????? Question ?????
MAINTAIN EFFICIENCIES
Do the Math
Keep a clean, orderly, uncluttered work space.
Maintain a full complement of tools.
Keep your tools clean and in good condition.
Keep your truck well serviced and fueled.
Maintain a consolidated work schedule.
Eliminate personal distractions.
Use your time wisely.
ENACT EFFECTIVE WORK STRATEGIES
Break your responsibilities into manageable pieces.
Communicate clearly and listen intently.
Leave domestic issues at home.
Maintain focus and keep a clear mind.
Concentrate on the task at hand.
Think one step ahead.
Plan wisely.
Take the length of an NFL football field in feet..
Subtract the number of Monday night football
games in 2014…
Subtract the number of Thursday night football
games in 2014…
Subtract the number of inches in a yard…
Subtract the number of home runs Roger
Maris hit in 1961…
Subtract the number of times an MLB player
has hit 50 or more home runs in a season…
Subtract the number of moons Saturn has…
Subtract the number of moons Jupiter has…
And the answer is…
Knowledge is power!