While hiring is always a gamble, one common mistake that managers make is focusing too much on a candidate’s resume, and not enough on skills or personality traits that aren’t neatly displayed on the page—but that could be crucial to the job. Reduce the risk by looking for these five traits when evaluating new field service techs: 

Understanding of Customer Service 

Most people think of field service as a skills-based job. And it is. But service techs also deal with clients every day. That’s why it’s also important for them to be well-versed in people skills.

To keep reading, click here: Hiring a Field Service Tech? Look for these 5 Attributes

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Who knows what will exist tomorrow? The range of information techs need to know continues to grow. That means training is critical. But your technicians can’t keep up if you don’t put in the effort to help them. 

So, how much importance should you place on training? Can you make your techs pay for it themselves? Here’s what you need to know.

To keep reading, click here: The Importance of Tech Training (and Why Service Organizations Should Pay For It)

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Too often, however, one question that service organizations fail to ask is whether or not the techs they hire have the proper people skills to deal with customers on a daily basis. 

Now, let’s not confuse a field tech with a salesperson tasked with converting a skeptical prospect into a customer. While field techs don’t have to worry about being persuasive like their sales team counterparts, good customer service skills are important for any employee who interacts regularly with clients. After all, if a customer finds an interaction with your tech unpleasant, you may lose a client even if the tech did a great job. 

To keep reading, click here: 4 Simple Service Rules Every Field Technician Should Follow

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I don’t use the word “old” lightly. From a career standpoint, the U.S. government defines “old” as any employee over 40. Meanwhile, the average age of repair and maintenance technicians in the U.S. is 42 years old. What does that mean for your company? It means that if you don’t make it a priority to keep these older members of the workforce happy (or at least satisfied), you could lose employees with years of irreplaceable experience.

Here are five ways to keep your long-term employees happy.

To keep reading, click here: How to Keep Tenured Service Techs Satisfied

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What do you do? How do you handle it?

Use Checklists to Prevent the Mistakes at the Beginning

Last summer, the water pipes in our neighborhood had to be updated, and this meant that our water was shut off. We knew the water would be off for a few hours, but after six or seven hours without water and not a workman in sight, I called up the water company. Oops, they had left for the day without turning the water back on. 

To keep reading, click here: Whatever You Do, Don’t Let a Customer Service Mistake Fester

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Dealing With Inappropriate Customer Behavior

Lauren Hough described her career as a “cable guy” (her description), in a Huffington Post article. She described an unclad housewife who was surprised that Hough was female instead of male. They laughed together and the lady got dressed. It’s a funny story.

However, today you can’t afford to send your techs, male or female, into this type of situation alone and without guidance about how to respond. Should they call it in? (Hi, this is John, just want to note that the lady of the house opened the door in her lingerie.). For their safety and the financial stability and reputation of your company, the tech needs to call for another person, or perhaps walk away.  

To keep reading, click here: When Your Technicians Encounter Awkward—or Dangerous— Situations

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You know who didn’t stop? Field service technicians. They were still out there, fixing furnaces, power lines, oil pipelines and other critical equipment.

When fires destroy and hurricanes dump water over entire cities, who is still working? Yep, field service techs.

They can’t call it quits when it’s too cold or their area is flooded — and they deserve our thanks.

To keep reading, click here: It’s Employee Appreciation Day: Thank the Techs Who Work Through Anything

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That’s how a lot of businesses operate, but there’s a problem: stressed-out managers are bad for everybody at the company. Here’s why you’ll be better off keeping stress down.

Stress Is Bad for Health

Stress can lead to all sorts of physical and mental health problems. From heart problems to depression, stress can be a key cause. When your managers are sick, they can’t perform at their highest level, and if the stress is really bad they may have to take time off. Employees who are out sick or need to take a leave of absence to deal with health problems are not going to make your business grow.

To keep reading, click here: Managing Your Managers’ Stress Levels

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Managers Have Power Over You

Your manager may be a brilliant and skilled technician who can guide and direct you to do a better job. Or your manager might have zero experience in service. Most likely your manager is somewhere in the middle. Regardless, managers have power over you. They can influence (or simply choose) which assignments you get, what holidays you get off and when you get to take vacation. In other words, when you make her mad, you make your own life miserable.

To keep reading, click here: Listen Up: Managers Aren’t Infallible, But Tune Them Out at Your Own Risk

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