With a few service calls under my belt, I am finally starting to get past my initial fear of going into other people’s homes and fixing some appliance that I have never seen before.
Honestly, I have a long way to go before I feel totally comfortable, but I was surprised at just how nervous I felt on those first few calls.
Confidence can’t be learned in the classroom, and there is no substitute for the real world. But being prepared by scheduling calls for the next day and doing my research ahead of time was actually my best defense for those first call yips.
I service appliances in a rural area and people around here never have a problem with me scheduling their repair for the next day as long as it isn’t an emergency like a non-cooling refrigerator or freezer. In fact, they consider that very good service.
I think keeping the calls within a 24-hour turn around will be acceptable in most service environments. It actually projects a busy repairman. People want a technician who is busy but not too busy for them, so I go ahead and play that hand. That then gives me time to research the customer’s problem.
I start by getting the service manual for that particular machine. Fortunately, Uncle Harry has a library of 5,000 manuals online that I have access to which came along with buying his course.
Once I get the manual, I review Uncle Harry’s videos on that particular repair.
I will then search for various online repair forums to see if they have anything on that subject.
When I arrive on site, I have a clear idea of where I’m going to start troubleshooting.
When you first ring that doorbell, although the customer assumes you are going to be a competent and experienced technician, they then spend the next ten minutes scrutinizing that assumption until they feel confident that they have made the right choice hiring you as a repairman.
Having a fresh review of that particular appliance and its problem gives me something intelligent to say to the customer when I enter the house and keeps me ready for their questions. I think that makes me look like an experienced technician to the customer.
I always try to have my meter out and working on something as quickly as possible. People are watching you the moment you walk in the door even when they are in the other room in front of the television or a computer.
The lesson is simple to me. Always be prepared, and that will defuse the nerves and fear. Get that new customer confident in you early and it will pay off big in a smooth running service call.