Here's Some Statistics For All You Techs, and Non Techs

[BrewHobbyTech]

Don't know how much this has been discussed on this forum in the past, but the topic I'm going to talk about(just a little) is fixing the customer's original complaint/problem......and/or getting call backs, or the least amount of call backs. Everyone has their own experiences and opinions, so this definitely has a high rate of debatability.....is that a word?? LOL  Since this is in the DIY thread, anyone and everyone can express their opinion(s), so I'm not just putting this out there for techs to respond. 

I'm an independent repair tech with my own business.....I'm a lone wolf, just me and my pygmy pony.......and my cell phone and my service van........just trying to eek out a meager existence on this third rock from the sun we call Earth. I started on this trek back in the early 90's when some bastard actually hired me and lent be one of their trucks, with parts and whatever other stuff was on it at the time.......and started sending me out to people's homes that had a broken appliance.....hey, imagine that.....and imagine the agony and all the BS I've had to encounter over the years.......plus all the miles I've driven, and I can't even give a ballpark guess as to how many times I've said bad words over the last twenty five or so years, let alone the earlier parts of my life(well, I think it actually started when I was born, coming out the chute.....my first words then, even if I couldn't say them I was definitely thinking them, was f##k and s##t).....I've made up some great swear words over the years driving on the road,......they were awesome, but I always forget to write them down. Normally when I say them though.......it's usually when some dumb f##k cuts me off or some other crap happens and it seems like a major accident is imminent.....and I'm the likely recipient of it, and either great bodily harm and/or death to myself seems very likely for a split second or more.....and it's never my fault.......but at those times, I just never think about writing this stuff down on paper....But, when I did have an answering service, and was talking to them on the phone after being paged.......I said some very bad words after being cut off big time(had to slam on the brakes and everything in my van flew forward)......some asshole had to cut directly in from of me while I was doing 45-50, and they had to turn into a parking lot for some store right then. Yeah, I'm guessing they still have that one recorded and on file. I'm sure we all have plenty of stories like that.

Anyway........on to the reason I started this post. My employer that first hired me in this business was a hillbilly.....in every sense of the word....but I tell ya what, he was the best technician I ever knew. He was a prick at times but I owe it to him.....he taught me how to feed myself for life.......The biggest thing I can thank him for is teaching me refrigeration, they even paid for me going to a trade school(part time, while I was working full time 60+ hours a week). I learned how to engineer and design mostly heating/cooling, both commercial and residential, and I am EPA certified universal. Anyway.......enough with the BS, I'm just a poor boy working my butt off.........on to the main event.........

My old employer, let's call him Bob(it would be funny if his name really was Bob)......he was a trip but he loved to read just about anything and he loved to read technical stuff. I used to have a lot of debates with him. He self educated himself like no other person I ever knew, and I respect the heck out of that. I'm actually trying to do the same thing, as are some of you. He was idiotic(common sense wasn't common) in some things but he was incredible in other ways.....and I could never do some of the things he did. I definitely respected him. Anyway, one of the meetings we had one morning with all the techs in the room, he was talking about getting call backs. If I remember correctly, we were getting a rash of them, actually a ton of them(very few on myself)....he was going through the numbers and stats.......

And here is why I'm posting this......and this is just for a reference, and opinions and questions, and maybe a general discussion and debate. 

During this meeting, and I also did my own research on the actual numbers he was giving us......and he was right, or at least very close.

He said that the average rate of call backs for a good/very good technician(however you want to rate it) was somewhere between 7-9%. Average stats nationwide. And I did research it to back up what he said, plus it pretty much correlated with my own experiences, and knowing approximately how many call backs other techs in my shop had. 

Those numbers are probably pretty accurate for back in the 80's and 90's, and maybe the early 2000's. 

Unfortunately......those were the "good old days"......and those days are gone.....forever. 

What we have to deal with now are multiple computer boards, multiple speed motors, multiple sensors.....and generally space shuttle technology on appliances that worked pretty good for many decades without all this stuff......and now almost nothing is made in this country. Most things......especially appliances are crap.....they are freaking junk......but we have to deal with it........

Bottom line......this is my best estimate of percentage of call backs for a good tech nowadays.......just my opinion, but I open this for debate/discussion........

 

I'm guessing.......depending on what appliance(s) you're working on.....and if you do refrigeration system jobs....it can definitely vary.....I'll say anywhere from 15-25%. I know 25% seems pretty high........but don't ever underestimate the junk they're actually selling at the stores and trying to pass them off as some quality product......it's all crap....... 

 

I welcome all opinions......what say you?? 

 

 

 

[Hiroshi]

I got rid of the van long ago, 8 cylinders is too much gasoline! I used a 4 banger pick-up with a nice access cap for the last few years I was in the field, but now I ride a desk ( the desk gets impeccable gas mileage). This thread is the very reason the fundamentals the Samurai espouses are at the heart of success in this business, and truly, at the heart of success in anything: a clear and present understanding of ALL the factors and variables in a situation.

I would add that call backs should be categorized in several ways:

1) genuine misdiagnosis/ improper installation (my fault)-- if you can keep this 10 percent, or less, you are doing your job well, I wager

2) client ignorance/erroneous logic (customer's fault)

3) defective parts (manufacturer's fault)

4) engineered malevolence (formerly known as planned obsolescence) also (manufacturer's fault)

 

[BrewHobbyTech]

On 9/9/2016 at 3:12 PM, Hiroshi said:

I would add that call backs should be categorized in several ways:

1) genuine misdiagnosis/ improper installation (my fault)-- if you can keep this 10 percent, or less, you are doing your job well, I wager

2) client ignorance/erroneous logic (customer's fault)

3) defective parts (manufacturer's fault)

4) engineered malevolence (formerly known as planned obsolescence) also (manufacturer's fault)

 

Those are all good points and explained well. The numbers I put down take all those factors into consideration. I warranty my labor and service call for 90 days, so any callback on that appliance for any reason in that time frame is considered a callback, just to clarify. I used to have about a 5-7% callback rate, which is outstanding in any sense of the imagination in the repair business. I don't know exactly what it is now but it is higher than that. With all the crap out there now, if I can keep it below 12% I think is pretty good, if not excellent. If I had techs working for me and their callback rates were somewhere around 15% I would say that's acceptable.

You're also correct on the fundamentals the Samurai espouses, and I'll be joining with a professional membership as soon as I have the money to do so. Lots of great stuff on this site and well worth the price of admission. I've been learning as much as I can searching the internet, youtube videos, talking with other techs at my parts supplier, etc. for years, and also learning as much as I can out in the field. Things have changed so much in just the last 15 years it's incredible.

As an independant I can't talk to other techs in my shop every morning, so I have to know as much as possible when I'm out running calls, I have no back up to lean on. It's a lot stress and a lot of work but.......that's what alcohol is for. 

 

[TurtleRock]

I been in this business for 25 years and I have to agree with you that my call back was around 10% or less years ago. BUTTTT time has changed and that's why I decided to join Appliantology and enroll in fundamentals course. 

[BrewHobbyTech]

Here's an example of a callback I got this morning on a refrigerator and took care of before noon today, and they were happy with my quick response. Last Wednesday worked on a Frigidaire refrigerator with a defrost problem. Both heater and defrost stat checked out good.......replaced the defrost control #5303918476, which is a very common replacement part. Went back this morning and defrost t-stat was bad........my bad, should've changed that at the same time I changed the ADC. I do change them about 40% of the time but for some reason I didn't this time. Hey, I paid the price of a callback. It wasn't so bad though, it was only a mile away and it took me less than an hour to defrost the evaporator and replace the t-stat. 

Was it my fault for the callback?? I'd say yes.....my fault.....but they were very happy.....I came out right away and they said they will recommend me to anyone they know that needs an appliance repaired. At least they know I warranty my work and am prompt on my service, plus I'm sure they were at least a bit impressed that I replaced an extra part and didn't charge them anything. 

Lesson learned........I'll have to go back to replacing defrost t-stats more often(plus they're cheap), just to keep any possibility of extra callbacks down to a bare minimum........Since they're making the contacts out of cheaper metals now, I'm almost going to make this a requirement now for myself on all defrost problems that use a bimetal stat. Sometimes you have to re-learn old stuff........not because we're lazy, but heck, we're busy and we have a lot of stuff to try and remember. This is one thing that I'll always keep in mind from now on, and hopefully is good advice to everyone out there. 

Just an FYI.......I effed up......and admit it........don't YOU be a statistic too........

.....hey.....time for a brewski........