Should techs sell?

Danimal

Very possiable.. I think a tech with a little bit of sales skill, is better than a salesman with a little bit of technician skills. Sound Like a good job for when i get old!!!!!!!

John R. Hall

Very debate-able

I caught a lot of heat when I posted my views about tech selling on another website. I am following it up with a column in next week's NEWS (12/11). What's newsworthy about this? My boss has an opposing view so it is a point-counterpoint fisticuff with him calling me a four-letter word. Ouch.

What a way to treat a guy on his birthday, no less.

Plumdog_2

\"techs\" selling

I have heard feedback from a good number of customers regarding the way "techs" present themselves and the type of service they provide. First they joke about the term "tech" as it applies to a serviceman; or a plumber. Then they laugh about the big laminated price menu book. Then they run the guy off and call someone else.

Craig R Bergman

I sell

every day of the week. First and foremost, I sell my company. I also sell furnaces. If, I am working on an older unit and the needed repairs are going to get into the $400.00+ range I will talk to the homeowner about replacing the unit.

Bergy

hr

Unless

you have a sales team or person, who else presents the options to the customer?

hot rod

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Rob_16

techs sell

John they have to sell. What if they find a problem on a routine maintenance call that should be taken care but the unit will still run. They have to sell the repair, we track how well the tech handles these sales this is how we make our money. We also track it to make sure they are not selling just to increase their own numbers. We also find that most of our clients will beleive a Tech that they have developed a relationship with over a salesmen the tech starts the new install process then others follow up.

Robert O'Brien

By

Selling do you mean,selling a new piece of equipment when it is needed or called for or runnning a business where the goal is to turn every service call into an equipment sale? Two very different things

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John R. Hall

There is a difference

I'm talking about selling replacement equipment (new).

jim_57

Techs selling?

Most of the time, unless it's a cold call from a prospective customer, the tech sets the tone of a sale. It can start with a casual conversation regarding different brand names and proceed from there. If the tech speaks well of Brand A or says Brand B really isn't very reliable, etc, the stage has been set for the salesman. Techs are usually regarded as more trustworthy than salesmen so their opinion can carry a lot more weight.

A conflict can occur, however, if the tech gets a commission on sales. It's good for the Tech and rightfully so if he (she) is honest. Bad for the homeowner if the Tech has questionable ethics.

Techman

Should techs sell?

Hi John! Happy Birthday!I say the tech should be a tech!In HVACR-residential/light commercial ,in almost any situation it perfectly o.k. for the tech to say "The compressor is shot and I recommend a new condensing unit!"Now bring in an old furnace/airhandler;R22 vs. R410; sizing of existing units vs. proper sizing;new unit dimentions vs. ductwork and a few other things!And pricing!I know it is hard enough to be a good tech and even harder to be a great tech so let a tech concentrate on his profession! Fixing things ,finding out why a unit is misbehaving!
In most small companys the owner usually makes those decisions.In companies that do have a so called "salesperson" who sells after the customer was first handled by the tech is normal! BUT I don't like "salesmen" because all they do is sell and customers know that also! So an "adviser" would be a better description.Based on "company policy" the adviser advises the customer on several choiches of ways to repair/replace/upgrade/addon of the system.The "adviser" MUST be a mechanic/tech at heart in order for the mechanical parts to be removed and replaced smoothly, because it is his responsiblity !!!The tech said "this" the salesperson said "that" and once the Boss finds out ,you know what he is going to say!!!Since the customer called my company ,they have acertain amount of trust to begin with, they also trust my tech and if everything goes according to plan the customer should trust the "adviser" also .WE(tech/advisor/Boss) all want what is best for the customer, and that IS what IS best for the profit line!

Ragu_5

Around Here...

Most of the techs that I know personally, were clam or sea worm diggers a couple of years ago, and then went to a 2 night per week "training school" for 3 months under the State-funded "Fisherman's Retraining Act", and got a job as a "tech" for the local oil company: end of training. These are the guys that are sent out on cleanings, service and no heat calls. The average wage is $8.00-$10.00 per hour, with minimal benefits. Do these guys know their trade? I don't think so. They should not also be asked to do selling; they don't even get fairly compensated for the work that they presently do. Just my opinion.

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David Sutton_6

Did you know...

That if you are a tech and you do outside sales you are not intittled to over time pay!! Check with the US dept of labor, this came from them!!!Just found out the hard way!!!!!!


David

Plumdog_2

That is what I'm talking about.

Some of these outfits hire good-looking young fellas, send them to Vegas for two weeks paid training, and call them techs and send them out to sell bottles of Magic Septic Cure and other worthless products. They can't fix a leak or purge a system; but they talk people into buying stuff they don't need. Word is getting around on these guys and nobody in the know will call them a second time.

Bob Sweet

I guess the option to

the tech selling would be to have a dedicated salesmen do it.To me this is not a good option, not only are they going to be commission based but they are going to promise the world to the customer, and then it's the responsibility of the tech to make it all work within the time frame alloted and monetary scope that the salesmen who has no experience in the trade ( not all but most ) had decided upon. I'd rateher see the tech sell.

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Techman

Salesmen

Walk the gangplank ye lying bugger!!Precious revenue is lost by having the tech do un-tech things ,like selling.A tech has to invest 3-5 hrs of research to get all the info to do a sales job and turn it into an actual sold job . To methat's part of the "salesman's"job .This is where the tech's and salesperson's language MUST be the same.Each has to work together and with each other for a smooth job! ANY bump in the road will bring the two side by side ,to see where things went wrong ,to make the next job easier and more productive.NOT ,being on the same page is costly.When EACH knows their part a "working together" atmosphere is so much more productive.I think!

mtfallsmikey

If you are a one man shop

Then you HAVE to sell!

Techman

1 man shops

HI mt.falls mikey, I TOTALLY agree with you! But,as a 1 man shop we also have to wear many differant "hats".Tech,Boss ,Sales,Parts go getter,Answer man, and Floor sweeper. May I ask, which hat you have on while making the sale?

Supply House Rick

Since Life is Sales

I guess the answer is YES but only if you wish to be a successful and profitable company...

Rick

Ragu_5

Further Thoughts...

The tech who responds to the call, diagnoses it promptly, and fixes it correctly the FIRST time: that is the guy who earns the respect (and trust) of the customer. Yes, I would ask that guy for advice re: upgrades, replacements, etc.

I guess what I didn't iterate in my previous post was that by and large, those good guys are not allowed to make suggestions re: upgrades (at least in my area). This is more the fault of poor management and poor training, rather than the fault of the techs involved.

A lot of companies (mostly mid-sized) are mising the boat on this issue. The guy in the field is the #1 guy; he needs to be way better respected, trained and compensted.

I think that (as so often happens), it comes down to delegation of authority, and many companies are not willing to do this, thereby keeping themselves at a sub-par level. My opinion only, and no offense meant. Heck, if the big guys who I used to work for ever made an attempt to upgrade my work life, I NEVER would have gone into this potential insanity of self-employment; however, since my name is on every job now,things get done the right way or else I won't take the job. And yes, I sell, because my customers and I have a relationship now.

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Paul Pollets

A Tech Who Can't Sell....

...has only learned half of the business.

This is not a hobby. It's a very serious and risky business with large expenses attached to operating and overhead costs.

I wonder how many one-man shops pay themselves over $100K a year and enjoy abundant family and vacation time?

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Leo

Everyone's good at something

Everyone is good at something that's what makes the world go round and makes us all different. I know that without sales there would be no economy, nothing in the market place would move. I feel at this point in life my place is technical and I work with the tools. If I wanted sales I would pack up the tool box and wear clean clothes. As a tech I advise customers that an upgrade may be beneficial. I only "sell" when they absolutely need it like a safety valve or unservicable electrodes or ignitors. If after advising them they show interest I let the person who sells kow to either expect a call or make a call. I once interviewed with a company that was structured that the techs had to bring in a given volume of sales in a given period. Didn't have any interest in going to work under those conditions and that company always had openings.

Leo

Rick_59

I am amazed

That this question keeps returning to the wall. The answer is yes today and will be tomorrow. If you have integrity, confidence and knowledge, sales is actually fun and very rewarding.

It makes the world go round not wrenches...

Rick

GW

I too

am amazed.

I am a reformed knucklehead. I spent good money going to people much smarter and wealthier than me to learn new ways.

For those people that don't want to better their business practices and their W2's "number that matters", just keep doing what your doing, so your neighbor whose doing this stuff will eat your lunch in the years to come.

There is a trend on this web site: we're all small shops with small shop mind sets!

There will always be the one man shop, but as years go by, I'm pretty sure we will see trends that the small hardware stores experienced, and auto parts stores. Look at Harley Davidson, 20 years ago you would be afraid to bring your small children into a HD shop, but now they're all "retail" and very "family friendly". That was not by accident, or so I'm told.

So it will be for the plumbing and heating guy 10 or 20 years from now. There will be the one man shops and the power houses that pay their techs so much money it will be foolish to work for a small shop


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Bjorn_2

A (good) technician (will) sell replacement

Also a good boss should reward a good technician, a good technician will sell replacement
Very possible.. I think a good tech with a bit of sales skill is better than a salesman with a little bit of technical skill. Sound Like a good job for when i get old!!!!!!!

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