On Call

Kevin_26

Just wanted to wish everyone on the Wall a happy long weekend while i'm on call. Oh well thats life.

Kevin_26

On Call

Just wanted to wish everyone on the Wall a happy long weekend while i'm on call. Oh well thats life.

clammy

hey dudie

Hey kevin don't feel so alone i also am on call i also had new years thankgivings labor day 4th of july .It seems every holiday i,m the guy with the beeper is it not the greatest ?yeah right peace and hopefully it will be a warm and slow easter weekend peace clammy

Tony_8

you could be

the owner of a 1-2 man shop and ALWAYS be on call..... or be laid off... or be the maintenance guy at McD's....

Count your blessings, not your sorrows.

REF

On call

I am the owner of a small shop, however, we are looking. I have always tried to rotate people that are on call during holidays because it is the right thing to do. We should be thinking about technicians in that manner. The fact is on call really is a drag. I would much rather spend the time with family. The thing is that on call is part of the deal, and my wife always says,"just think if that was us without heat." Then I give her the keys to the truck and say you go do it. NOT REALLY, but someday I will muster the guts to say it. Hey, have a great weekend.

Very respectfully,

Richard Fox
Hometown H&C INC.

J.C.A._3

As long......

As I know I will be on call, there are very few problems. When it's sprung on you 1 or 2 days before hand it becomes a thought process.Do I have to cancel plans? Will I be paid appropriately for it?

The company where I first worked, the bosses son had the pager all the time, unless his plans changed at the last minute. After being the victim of abuse too many times, I decided that it was only fair to have 2 days warning if the pager would be passed to me.The old company would also call at all/any hours if they couldn't get him to respond.

I also have a life outside of the company. If I could respond, I would. But on a Friday evening, when the jerk had the pager, and was on a bender they would call me. How about some common courtesy? Maybe I also was out and about, and wasn't really qualified to be driving at that point.

The only way to deal with an on call situation is to have a schedule, stick to it and PAY the person responsible for it accordingly. After all, we have to put our own time out for it, shouldn't we be fairly compensated? JMHO. Chris

REF

Chris

You are 100% on. I am impressed by your post, and we would be lucky to have someone of your caliber. Best of luck. I take call all the time right now, and never would just spring it on someone. I am sure that (moment notice)is one of the reasons you no longer work at that company. One way to lower the likelyhood of getting called out is to ensure everyone does a quality job the first time out. If callbacks are high, then call out will be too.

Respectfully,

REF

Boiler Guy

REF I tried

your suggestion a few years back. I still have scars to remind me of my stupidity :-)

jim lockard

Boiler guy

Hope you heal ok. I tell her who ever answers the phone runs the call--only fair.

GaryDidier

calls

I Am the owner and main service Teck for my company. I am basically on call 24/7. Do I like it, not always. Weather you like it or not offering timely emergency service is an important part of this business especially to my senior customer base. My response time is usually less than 2 hours. My customers have a level of comfort knowing we will be there if needed.

From A business perspective good service helps create loyal customers. It is up to the owner/ manager of any company that offers emergency service to work out a fair plan for all involved. It is also an indicator if a rotation schedual is not worked out fairly from the start, then this is a company you won't want to work for.

Gary from Granville

clammy

no more on call

Left the shop early with service manager knoweledge and went in this morning and was let go oh well i wish them luck grabbed all my stuff threader dies power tools dropped them off at home grabbed all there uniforms and cell phone and dropped them off .So now i think i'll try to find some where the owners know more about the business then i or at least they should i would think plus after nearly 2 years of being the only service guy and doing all the install with no vacation or holiday i need a break and as the weather warms start getting ready for conversion jobs and some a/c install and service work even when i,m not working for some one full time there,s always loads of word of mouth jobs that come my way so now i guess i'll have alot of catching up to do peace clammy no mre oil hurray

Boiler Guy

Jim

Don't say you weren't warned )

Boiler Guy

Well Clammy

Look at it this way; you should be able to spend this holiday with your family. Sorry to hear about the "punt". Hope you got ALL YOUR STUFF since it doesn't sound like an amicable parting. Been there and collected the T shirt on the way out!

disgruntled

hello everybody!! hey clammy was it just a layoff or did something happen???? was there a good reason?

clammy

yeap

Yeap there was and that's the end of that story i do believe that it was time to move on and i know i,m a slightly diffucult person at best i'll survive as i always do .When one door shuts another one opens and i'll find some where to call home or just be .plus i believe at this point in my life i need some thing better instead of feeling like your spinnin your wheels peace clammy

Boiler Guy

I echo your sentiments

I too am in "spin mode". I really like what I do and a select collection of customers but some changes are required to keep me interested in staying where I am. Who knows maybe I'll get the push come April 15th. Time will tell.

disgruntled

good luck.... in my experience anyone that admits to be a little difficult is usually a total headache. your previous post stated you were the only service man. what are they going to do now? sounds like bad blood

tommyoil

Clammy

You'll find a place to hang your hat. Your work always has and will continue to speak for itself. Maybe its your former boss who is the only "disgruntled" one and needs a cold glass of water in the face to wake him up. The knowledge you carry around is not so easily found. Good luck wherever you land. It will be to someones advantage.

clammy

thanks tommy

Thanks tommy are you all healed and back to work yet?I would gather from them that my knoweledge,work ethics and craftmanship does grow on trees and the postion that they are in is only of there doing and attuide that only carries over directly to employes and they get bad attuides.All things like life come to a end and when that happens you pick yourself up maybe a bit wiser to know what you can change and what should be left as is without disturbing to run it's course .Hopefully for them it will all work out for the better and they'll find some one to easly fill my shoes no doubt. peace clammy

tommyoil

Disgruntled... the only bad blood

seems to be coming from you and why the bogus email address? What it sounds like to me is that Clammy forgot more than his "boss" knows and that fact alone probably rubs the "boss" the wrong way. Usually a guy with Clammys talent butts heads because he knows what he is doing is the right thing EVERY TIME as opposed to the hurry up and screw the customer method of heating. He probably cant stand to be doing quality work for a company who will never appreciate his level of expertise anyway. Its probably better that he moves on rather than work for such a place. Clammy no doubt will land on his feet. I wonder where his former "boss" will land when his customers find out where Clammy will be working. People recognize talent and will miss it when its gone. Good luck Clammy!!

STEVE N

The bottom line is...

The bottom line is this... There are some really good business men who remember what it was like to work in the field. They remember and appreciate what you go through every day. Then there are the ones who figure as long as they are paying you... you have no right to complain about being called out at 2 am. Now the other side of the coin... there are good techs who really care and are happy. Then there are the ones who if you gave him a job installing gold pipe and told him to keep the scrap... he wouldn't be happy. Its a 2 way street and it has to be give and take... on both sides.

Steve

REF

Steve

that was very well put, and that's all I have to say about that.

Respectfully,

REF

J.C.A._3

REF,Steve and everyone else.

> that was very well put, and that's all I have to

> say about that.

>

> Respectfully,

>

> REF

Boiler Guy

You are correct Steve

Unfortunately there are far too many business owners who do not appreciate the dedicated staff they have. I now realize just how much I was being taken for granted. My accounts were used to getting preferred service.
Over the last few months, I, like Tommy have been off with a broken ankle since December. I told each and every tech and management to contact me if they had questions. No calls until they were up to their proverbial asses in crap. The customers were calling me direct!
Now I am scheduled to return to the tools mid April.
I know of 3 large corporate accounts who have not renewed their contracts as a result of poor service. I have been advised directly by all three "if I return, they will consider using the Company again, only if I do their work."
There will be BIG changes expected before I pick up my keys!! If it doesn't happen, I have 2 alternatives come September. Fortunately I do not "have to" return for the summer.
Heck, I just might go visit Tommy, over the summer to boot.

J.C.A._3

REF,Steve and everyone else.

I love what I do also, but refuse to be where I'm not appreciated for what I do, and the reasons for the way I do them.

My current employer had me sit down with him and explain what my goals were, and I listened to what his goals were. I was lucky enough to find someone willing to hire me, that had the same aspirations that I had. Call it what you will, but I find myself on the lucky side of the coin.

There is a post happening right now about "resumes". I think that a qualified technician can prove himself worthy of dealing with customers AND underlings/employers, yet not have the sources to string together a "resume", because he's so good that time doesn't allow for it. However, I also feel that an employer should be straightforward, and explain what will be expected of a future employee when it comes to "on call" strategies.

Like I said in my first post, rules have to be followed by both sides. If an employer has to hide the fact that I or YOU will be the only call guy after hours, they should state that up front. Laying it on you or me after the fact is horsedroppings.

This is a very interesting subject. The worker bees are now getting the king/queen side of this sometimes sore subject. I have the privelage of spending 20 years seeing this subject from 2 sides and am happy that it has a fine place like this to show the differences from BOTH sides.

Clammy, I think you hit the nail on the head brother. One door closes, another door opens. Sometimes it's a winfall and other times it's the consolation prize. You play the game, you takes your chances.Hope you find someone who deserves you. Chris

clammy

Thanks to all

I just want to end this post by saying thanks to you all and i,m sorry that that the post went off in a not to good direction .Thanks to you all for the postive thoughts and encourageable words and knoweledge that all of you share uncaringly you all truely make this field a better place i am taking a good vacation with the wife first one in years and will regroup in a couple of weeks and go from there i always have a offer or two waiting .Thank you all again you guys are the best that's why your here peace and happy easter peace clammy

REF

I think not having the time

is not a good enough excuse to not have a resume. It's like saying I didn't have time to fix it right the first time. How does a perspective employer learn about a job seeker? I give a written test and a one day field evaluation. I pay for the persons time, however, it is nice to see the skills aquired over time.
We all want to see this trade become better, so why is it that we cannot put our money where are mouths are. Not to sterotype; I know most of us have one.
When I first came out of the service with a family to boot, I put together a resume. If you don't know how, it's not hard to figure it out. We can all troubleshoot system, but can't do a resume. HMMMM? I do understand that a resume does not make a good technician, but it does make a good technican more professional.

As always,

Respectfully,
Richard Fox
Owner/Technician who takes all the calls for now.

Weezbo

Great way to begin the new enterprise..steer to the future...

You sir have a future. you worked your self, tested the limits and have had to push that whole works Up the hill...you are someone to work with and anyone who knows what that means is the way to roll. if the guy says i am looking for an employee say i am looking for someone to work With...either we are making a go of this deal or another opportunity will arise where someone of your caliber will work with me...not to dwell on the past buh here are some pictures of my last installs...your work is way to skilled not to be finding some decent soul to work with....it is time for some things to be comming your way...good luck an have some fun for me while your at it at Least i Know someone who has a vacation *~/:)

D Logan Ireland Oil Co Inc

Prima Donna

Boiler Guy, If you think that you are the central employee to the company you work for it may be time to venture out on your own. Obviously you feel they can't survive without you so take the bull by the horns and start your own business. The Customers you speak of will surely follow you whatever you decide to do. Owning your own business might give you a different perspective on employees. Hire guys like yourself and you will become successsfull beyond your wildest dreams.

Boiler Guy

Dave No Prima Donna here

I think you missed the point. I recognize everyone is expendable. I also know the Company can survive without me. And, I DO NOT want to start out on my own. Been there, done that very successfully for 14 years. I chose to be a "hired gun" with this Company for the last 7.5 years.

You are correct about customers following a tech. That is the easy part.

The point I was trying to make was; I offered my assistance to maintain continuity with the customers. If you were given the opportunity to approach a situation with freely offered advice, which could make your job much easier, would you not take advantage of it? Why make a fool of yourself and aggravate the customer before making the call? What do you say to a customer when they phone to ask; "Does this "fool" know what he is doing"? OR "Why am I charged for 6 hours for something I know took only half that time to repair on another unit"?

After servicing the account for an extended period of time, I am pretty sure I know what must be addressed immediately and what can be done as time permits and where the short cuts might be. It is very disheartening to find out that clients I have worked hard to retain for a number of years can be chased off by shoddy work and laziness, in just a few short months. Especially, when there is no good excuse for it. The other senior tech has only 2 years less than my 34 years of experience. He has made a conscious choice not to keep up with the changes in technology and instead relies on "razzle dazzle" to fumble his way through a problem. Unfortunately for him, his act is not very polished. I know the complaints have nothing to do with the Company itself, but everything to do with attitude, work ethics and workmanship!

I have absolutely no aspirations that I am any better than anyone else. However, the customer knows when he is being fed BS. I am sure you would feel exactly the same once you realized you were being fleeced.

As usual there is always more to the story than initially meets the eye.