When your residential HVAC is on the fritz, you might feel tempted to choose the first repair company you find in the phone book. This technique, however, can end up costing you time, money and the health of your HVAC unit. You should interview your service tech candidates and look for characteristics that make them worthy of caring for your HVAC unit and home.
Characteristics to look for in an HVAC Service Technician
- NATE certification: Offered by the North American Technician Excellence (NATE), the NATE certification program is the only one of its kind that’s operated, owned, developed and governed by the HVAC/R industry. When a residential HVAC tech holds a NATE certification, you can have confidence that this individual is highly experienced, well-trained and knowledgeable in his or her field.
- Appearance: When it comes to establishing trust and making a good first impression, looks do matter. A professional HVAC service tech should have a clean uniform or work clothes that are appropriate for the job.
- Grooming: Good grooming can be a reflection of an individual’s attention to detail. If a service tech doesn't care much about his or her own personal grooming, there is a chance that he or she will not care about the minor yet important details related to your residential HVAC unit.
- Boot covers: When a professional residential HVAC service tech is customer-focused, this individual treats a customer’s home as if it were his or her own. This means that a quality service pro takes the necessary steps to help minimize the work you need to do after the service call such as cleaning your home. Boot covers are a sign that an HVAC tech respects you and your home.
- Timeliness: A professional service tech arrives on time to an initial consultation and has a good reputation for timeliness. When shopping around for an HVAC service provider, ask about each company’s history of showing up to a job on time and completing a project within the estimated amount of time originally quoted.
- Prepared: Forgetting tools or equipment is a bad sign in a residential HVAC service tech. A professional contractor evaluates your needs so he or she can be fully prepared to focus on your home. A quality service pro doesn't like to waste time.
- Cleanup: A professional service tech knows that homeowners hate picking up after contractors. A good contractor leaves the area he or she worked on in the same, if not better, condition than how it was found. Thorough cleanup after completing a day of work is a sign of professional integrity and respect for the customer.
- Eye contact: Good communication skills are essential for any contractor that you invite into your home. Eye contact and a willingness to explain and provide details if requested are signs that a service tech is confident in his or her abilities, wants to understand your needs, wants you to understand the options and values your business.
- Longevity: Consider the length of time a residential HVAC service company has been in the business. A company that has been in business for several years should be able to provide you with solid references and trusted, experienced workers. Longevity is an indication of the company’s professionalism and provides confidence in a company’s fairness to its people and the community, meaning they can be trusted.
- Vehicle cleanliness: A vehicle’s appearance is just as important as a service tech’s personal appearance. A clean vehicle is a sign of company pride, good organizational skills and a commitment to continually impress its customers.
Looking for a professional residential HVAC service tech is not just about finding a company that will simply give you a good deal. It's worth your while to find a company who will give you the quality, professional work that you deserve without taking advantage of your trust. Anything less will result in wasting your hard earned money for inferior work. Give us a call if you want a quality, professional service technician that has all the characteristics described above.
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