how much is a good heating professional worth to a company

steveo

perry, i worked in the hvac field for about 8 years . i just started with a great company. i think pay should go by what a person can do for the company. i used to be just a tech.but now i have to sell as well as install what i sell. i get payed very,very,very well and i can make even more money based on my sales...... i love being able to talk to the customers and hear what they have to say. in most tech. jobs you are just sent to do the job and nothing else. i think there would be alot more business making more money and keeping tech. longer if they let their techs not only do their jobs but get them involved in sales and how they can help the company grow.. i'll close by saying you get what you pay for.......

allenleo

ok ok ok

so maybe this is the 50,000 dollar question. how do companies determine what they are going to pay each service tech. ?
how much are we really worth to our respective companies, and what are they really willing to pay us ?
why do companies cry that they are in the poorhouse when we confront them about a raise in pay ? could it be possible that they are telling the truth ? how is it possible to find out if what we are told, reguarding what they say they are able to pay us, is true ?

ANDREW_12

HOW MUCH CAN YOU PRODUCE

I have a company with 4 full time tecks, I base there pay on there production, quality of work, being ontime, ability to learn/Wanting to learn. The whole picture. With that said many companys will try to pay the lease as possible, which in my opinion is near sighted. If you work for one of those, the only way yuo will find out wath your worth is by looking for another job. When you tell your employer that you have been offered more money, He will either try to match it if he thinks your worth it or you will have a new job. But there are other important thing other than money too, time off, benifits, work enviroment, training ect. take these things in to account.

Perry_3

What kind of Production?

A good technician is worth a bunch; no doubt.

Someone who can go into a persons house, explain their system to them, explain what needs to be done to make it work, offer them options (good, better, best) and get a sale for a repair to a major retrofit is worth a Lot More.

Maybe a person with the second set of skills works on one install a week to keep their skills up - and acquires several other jobs a week for the company that keeps others busy.

Of course, for the second to happen you need to be working for a company where the manager or owner can accept that someone else might have better sales skills than they do.

What can you really do - or what should you be learning to do?

How much are you worth... Depends now - dosn't it.

Perry

allenleo

i think this is a very case sensitive subject.....

perry, i think you make a strong point, but there are exceptions to the sales part.

in the company that i work for, the owner does not want his service technicians trying to SELL new equipment to the customer. he believes that most techs. will cause the customer to shy away from sale opportunities and also that the customer may become suspicious of the company in general if a tech. is trying to sell them something that they DON'T BELIEVE they need (example a 25years old system upgrade).
despite this rule, i actually do sell a lot of equipment, because the boss trusts my judgement. i only added this part because i agree with you that a person that can create leads and generate follow up work is an asset, but i don't believe that it should reflect in his paycheck if he doesn't sell equipment; it is not his job. i think that it is more important for a service tech. to have good troubleshooting skills, personality, and work ethic. i also think it is important the the tech. like the work he is doing and strives to learn as much about the industry as he can, because these are the things that show through to the customer when the tech.( the companies best advertizement tool) is in their house. these qualities are also the most important tools a tech. can have for generating profit for the service department, because the tech. can finish jobs quicker and more efficiently.
but my question still is, how does a good tech translate these skills and other skills if he has any, into a larger paycheck ?

rjm

slow down al..

As a service tech, in a company very much like your, I get paid what the company thinks I should be. It all comes down to what are worth. I know some poeple are paid to much others need a raise, but it all comes down to.. actually didnt we just have this conversation...

JohnNY

Your value.

You set your own value. You need to make enough money for the company at the end of every day to cover the expenses incurred hiring you, training you, paying your salary, benefits, transporting you and about $10,000 worth of tools and materials from place to place, your share of the company's overhead, do what's best to keep the company's reputation intact, and add about 20% on top of all that.

A good business will keep those expenses under control.
Then you do your part.

Under those circumstances, no one should be telling you they can't pay what your skills are worth.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

mikea23

> You set your own value. You need to make enough

> money for the company at the end of every day to

> cover the expenses incurred hiring you, training

> you, paying your salary, benefits, transporting

> you and about $10,000 worth of tools and

> materials from place to place, your share of the

> company's overhead, do what's best to keep the

> company's reputation intact, and add about 20% on

> top of all that.

>

> A good business will keep

> those expenses under control. Then you do your

> part.

>

> Under those circumstances, no one should

> be telling you they can't pay what your skills

> are worth.

>

> _A

> HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=

> 290&Step=30"_To Learn More About This

> Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in

> "Find A Professional"_/A_



Nobody in this business can pay good techs what they are worth and if they did they would go out of business.The rates in the industry are way to low.

How can we pay a top tech 80 to 90K a year with bennys give him top of the line equipment and new trucks and do service calls for 100 dollars. The numbers dont add up. Its simple math we have about 260 working days in the year thats 346.15 a day plus another 75 for bennys and health insurance(not a family plan). Thats 421.15 per day cost labor only now add a good company insurance policy, trucks, phones, advertising,Tools and training TAXES the list goes on and on. Most busness plans have payroll at 30-40 percent of costs so looking at a basic business plan with techs making 90K a year each tech would have to PROFIT 1263.45 per day thats 157.93 per hour PROFIT 8 hour day. Keep in mind that number is after materials and all other expenses are deducted. So until we get our industry out of the stone age techs get stuck with 20-30 doll per hour. I think one day things will be better but dont hold your breath.

MIKE A

mikea23

Nobody in this business can pay good techs what they are worth and if they did they would go out of business.The rates in the industry are way to low.

How can we pay a top tech 80 to 90K a year with bennys give him top of the line equipment and new trucks and do service calls for 100 dollars. The numbers dont add up. Its simple math we have about 260 working days in the year thats 346.15 a day plus another 75 for bennys and health insurance(not a family plan). Thats 421.15 per day cost labor only now add a good company insurance policy, trucks, phones, advertising,Tools and training TAXES the list goes on and on. Most busness plans have payroll at 30-40 percent of costs so looking at a basic business plan with techs making 90K a year each tech would have to PROFIT 1263.45 per day thats 157.93 per hour PROFIT 8 hour day. Keep in mind that number is after materials and all other expenses are deducted. So until we get our industry out of the stone age techs get stuck with 20-30 doll per hour. I think one day things will be better but dont hold your breath.

MIKE A

Ken D.

Worth

It's the eternal conundrum. Mechanics think they are worth more(they are), and the employers think they are worth less. Most customers think the mechanics are worth much more- until it is time to pay the bill, that is.

Perry_3

As explained below...

the wage a company can pay a tech is limited by how much they can charge per hour for a job.

Fact is... It is quite limiting.

My point was that someone in sales may very well be able to make more money... even significantly more money... because you are providing a service that has a different pay scale.

Good salesmen do not make their living by just an hourly wage... They also make a commission on each major sale. In fact, some work on pure commission.

Some of the highest paid people I know work on commission. They sell an honest product with an honest pitch - and do very well. Many of the best are selling products that they started out installing.

I also once did pure commission sales; and was starting to do well when I developed some health issues that prevents me from continuing in what was the most enjoyable work I ever did - in an enviroment that I thrived in (and setting my own hours too).

So if all you want to be is a techician working for someone else your salary is limited. If you can sell an honest product with an honest pitch you have an ability to make a lot more.

Now you indicated that you do some of this to help your current company. Good for you. But where you go with this is up to you.

Perry

Steve Garson_2

But the mechanic who wants to make more will take the risk and start his own business and then leverage the effort of others to make more. But he better know how to sell, as well.

Perry_3

Exactly...

You describe the exact situation I was trying to present.

You get paid for what you can produce... and sales is another kind of production - a very important part of production. Since you can do it - you get paid very well for doing it along with your technical labor.

But the person who only does the technical labor is limited in what they can make. Of course sales people often are too... its just the limit is much higher... unless they change to another kind of sales. The best sales people literally make millions per year if they wish to enter the right kind of products and services sales (this is all honest legal ethical products and pitches).

Perry

Keith_8

indirect vs direct

When it comes to sales it's not only the direct sale a tech can participate in but also an indirect one. In my opinion a technician that doesn't keep his eyes and ears open is only doing 1/2 his job. It's great if they have the technical skills but if they don't communicate with the customer and the office it makes it harder to put his skills to use. The ability to verbally communicate is priceless. Those that understand that simple fact earn more.

Sorry, but if you ask me how much a tech is worth I am going to ask you, What are you doing for the company? How are you helping us be more profitable? What have you done to deserve a raise? How much responcibility are you willing to accept?

Your attitude,level of proffesionalism, conduct and skill level all play into it. When a tech comes to me looking for more money it's not about how little I can pay it's about what they are worth. It's not a secret or a game and we are all adults. We all have bills to pay and dreams to pursue.


Keith

ScottMP

Well Said Kieth

I feel thats a good healthy atitude for a growing compnay.

Scott

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Dick_3

Allen Leo,

Listen to Steve, he makes a very true statement.

Consider this, good service mechanics are in high demand and in low supply nationwide. It doesn't matter what the company or owner says to you, the fact is sell your time to the highest bidder. How many owners really tell their employees the truth? When was the last time an owner said they had a super year and made a ton of money? How many owners buy luxury items, second homes, etc., but cry poor mouth when it comes time for a raise? Face it, it's part of the game - get use to it. Owners do deserve the high pay and luxury perks, they took on the risks and earned it straight up themselves, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.

If your truly a sharp service guy, you can go anywhere. A decent service mechanic can make 75K to 100K plus a year, plus a full benefit package. Sell your time to the highest bidder and don't be afraid to move around, there's good companies willing to pay well. Don't sell yourself and your family short.

The logic that we can't pay you well because we can't charge enough is the reason so many start their own shops and add to the local competition list, an age old catch 22 in this trade.

Don't get discouraged, just keep looking.











To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

allenleo

those were all good responses

thanks for the input everyone...