06/11/2021
Good morning, friends!
We know it's been awhile since you've heard from us here. {Sorry about that, but we are the team you don't always need, and never know you will until you do. ;-) }
With that in mind, Summer is here. Time for tips to surviving the search for vendors and services.
Today: Can we talk about being the customer that actually gets a call back during the busy season?
We understand that you have a situation on your hands that's urgent for you and your household. WE are NOT going to diminish your emergency in any way. We ARE going to help with perspective versus reality and give you just a few tips to help the vendor prioritize your service.
This is Summer time. THE BIGGEST issue of the season is household temperatures. The first thing YOU need to have clear knowledge of is who is responsible for maintenance to your residence and how to obtain vendors. NOT to be rude, but be very careful of Angie's List, Home Advisor, and HomeSmart. These companies may be able to provide you with a free service, but they charge the vendors for every referral, whether the client signs on with them or not. That vendor then has to recover costs, and it reflects; eventually; in their rates and fees to other clients. Talk to friends and family and do your own calling through your local businesses. WE do not charge anyone to assist in finding you a vendor for you project, but we DO ENCOURAGE LOCALLY OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES FOR EVERY CLIENT AND EVERY PROJECT.
If you live in an apartment, make sure you have the correct phone numbers for your maintenance team in your phone. Also get familiar with your tenant web portal if your complex has one. Make sure you know the parameters for after hours emergencies. If your schedule does not allow for you to make your own calls during normal office hours, set up an authorized rep with your complex office. It's not always magic to get maintenance requests handled, but it is a matter of finesse and compliance with the complex policies and your lease terms.
HOMEOWNERS; this includes condos and townhomes: If you are part of an HOA, get their list of approved vendors and what things the HOA covers the cost of. If you are not part of an HOA, the whole enchilada is in your lap; and coming out of your pocket. Or is it? Get familiar with you home appliances. When were they made and purchased? Are there warranties? (They should have transferred when you bought the house if they were already in the home.) Every HVAC system and water heater should have an id plaque on it. Take a pic and research it. Put that info somewhere handy.
Now you're set. You know who to call, when and why.
NOW the A/C, which is part of an HVAC system has stopped working properly and you need help. This is the emergency we are going to cover here.
Every vendor has a receptionist and possibly an answering service. MOST of the time, the frontliners cannot give you technical advise, but they will ask you seemingly technical questions. We realize this problem is HUGE for you, but the frontliners cannot help you if you're freaking out, talking super fast, not listening to and not answering their questions. They WILL NOT ask you anything that the professional they work for did not ask for. They WILL NOT be selling your info to other companies. The questions you are asked are meant to get the clearest possible pictures of who you are, how to contact you, where the work needs done, and what kind of assistance you need, as well as the urgency for getting you an appointment for service.
The first question you will be asked is "what type of service do you need?" This could be HVAC (heating or a/c), Plumbing, Drains (for clogged lines or backed up sewer), and/or Electrical. {Make sure the vendor you call is listed to cover the specific problem at hand.}
Then you will be asked "Who am I speaking with?" They are not asking who the original account is under or who will be called back. They are on the phone with a person and want to be personable with that person. As they go through their list they'll get the contact person's name and phone number; among the rest of the relevant info. The quicker you answer their preliminary questions, the quicker they can get to discovering how to help you.
If you got ahold of the office and the receptionist they may get the make and model of your failing equipment. BUT WAIT until they ask. Don't overwhelm them by pouring out info. ON the same token, answer their questions completely. If you get their answering service, 9 time out of 10, you will not be asked for the make and model of the equipment; but have the info handy for the tech that calls you back.
What the frontliners will need to know: HOW is the failing equipment not working. Does it not come on at all? Is it noisy? What kind of noise is it making? Are you getting strange odors from the equipment? Does it come on then shut down before it's been effective? Is it leaking? Is the a/c blowing warm air or the heater blowing cool air? The technician wants to know these things in order to start troubleshooting and expedite your service appropriately.
Personal household questions you may be asked are not to get nosy. They are to help prioritize your service. Are their elderly persons in the home or persons with medical conditions that require strict environmental temperature control? Are there children under the age of 7 in the house? (Especially infants.) Are there any pets in the home at risk?
Once the mini interrogation is done, you're going to hear phrases you may not like that you want extra explanation to. An in office receptionist can make an appointment for you. An answering service or service dispatcher cannot. Doing battle over what the receptionist says is available will not help or change the roster. If you're appointment is further out than you like, ask to go on a waiting list for a call should there be a cancelation. The dispatcher will explain that your call will be delivered to the appropriate person/team and they will be reaching out to you. The answering service/dispatcher will NOT guarantee your call back or appointment turn around time. They do NOT have that authority. They will move your call on according to company protocol for their service. IF you don't like the operator's answer, you can always ask for their supervisor, but not much will be different than when you spoke to the original operator.
The main thing to remember, no matter how big your emergency: KEEP IT TOGETHER!! The people answering your call really do care and really do want to help you. To be the most effective they can be they have protocols in place to streamline their service to you. Yelling at the answering service only gets your steam up. It doesn't fix the original problem, change company protocols, or magically transport the technician to your home. Often times it will get you dubbed as difficult to deal with and you will find it hard to find vendors and get appointments. Plumbers are competitive, but they are also a clique. They talk to each other. You will find this with most professional tradesmen/women.
Once you get off the phone, shop around if you feel the need. But give each team time to respond to you. Calling 3, 4, 5, or 6 times in a day does not expedite your service. It might actually earn you a rejection or denial of services. NEVER BE VERBALLY ABUSIVE TO THE VENDOR'S STAFF; OFFICE OR AFTER HOURS TEAMS.
To sum it up: When you call for a vendor, remember that you are not the only person needing their service and they might have a client whose emergency is a tad more urgent than your own. Providing the info you're asked for calmly and concisely helps get the frontliners off the phone and put you one step closer to getting help. Amiable communications and a calm demeanor/attitude helps everyone work toward a positive solutions to your problem.
To get the most valuable, maximum service from any tradesperson sometimes we need to be a good customer. A successful project has cooperating participants from both sides.
Good luck with the impending heat wave and enjoy the Summer.
Until next time.
