An Embarrassing Story I Must Tell

An Embarrassing Story I Must Tell

Steve Stone
Contributing Writer
ShuBee®

I realized a long time ago that I’d rather learn from someone else’s mistake – it’s cheaper! So, I feel like I’ve got to tell this story because it could prevent someone from making the same mistake. I’m sure there are even techs making this embarrassing mistake as we speak.

It was my turn to ride with a tech and we had a call for a leak. We arrived at the house and introduced ourselves. The customer explained that the pest control company said there was a leak under their house. We put our coveralls  on and crawled under the house. All of the sudden the tech reached in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette lighter and struck it. Needless to say my hair stood up and my face turned red. I asked where his flashlight was. The tech said he lost it the week before.  I then asked how in the world was he running service calls without a flashlight? We then quickly went to the hardware store and got a flashlight. Seeing this situation unfold immediately begged the question “ What other tools are my techs missing?”  If a tech does not have all of his tools, his efficiency goes down and his task time goes up, which costs more.

When a tech is hired, they are responsible for bringing some of their own tools with them to use. Whether it’s HVAC, plumbing or electrical, there are a certain number of hand tools the tech supplies. The company will furnish the bigger equipment such as sewer machine, cables and drills. So how do you know your techs have the right hand tools on them at all times?

I went back to the office and took a 4×8 piece of plywood and cut it half, so it was then in 4×4 sections. I cut a hole where I could grab it like a handle. Then I outlined with a marker the tools my techs needed to have with them for every job; like plyers, a flashlight, gauges, or an amp meter. I drew an outline of the tools on both sides of the plywood.

So when everyone came in to work the next morning, I laid this piece of plywood behind a tech’s truck. I asked him to put his tools in each spot I outlined.  You will find out real quick if your techs keep the right tools on them at all times. You can even create one piece of plywood for the tools your techs should supply another for the tools you supply. Hopefully you are keeping a list of the tools you are supplying your techs.  Do a “tool check” once a month or once a quarter to see if your techs have lost their tools and not replaced them, or if they have lost the tools you supplied them.  The tool check method is also good for when a tech quits or exits to ensure you get all of the tools you furnished for him.

Remember: technicians have a hard time spending their own money on tools. I can’t stress enough the importance of sending report cards to your customers; giving them a chance to rate or grade a technician after a service is completed. I incentivized getting “good grades” on report cards by placing money in the tech’s tool account when they received good reviews. Doing this will help ensure your techs are keeping the proper tools on hand because they can only spend that money on their tools.