Running Service Calls & Owning a Plumbing & HVAC Business Challenges of Hiring Technicians Revealed

From Godzilla (edited for character limitations)
Pipe Doctor Commandments :

Learn the ToolBag
(This will help you be more efficient, keep track of tools and avoid leaving things behind)

Learn The Names of All Tools
(Mike gives some of them his own name, scratchy paper lol)

Learn the Truck
(He will send you to the truck and expects you to be back by a certain amount of time, if he has to come out there you’re in trouble)

As soon as you get in the Van, turn on the better charger

Do yourself a favor, (In the morning when you first get there and they’re smoking their cigarettes talking shit, Make sure all batteries for tools are charged, the nipples tray is full, the fittings are stocked up, even check the shop inventory and let mike know if you’re missing anything)

He doesn’t have corona, he just smokes a lot
(Don’t be concerned with the coughing)

Do Not Make the Same Mistakes Twice
(He doesn’t just say things for his health, he doesn’t want to repeat himself)

Take an inventory of what was used during each service call
(This will ensure that you will always keep par levels in the truck. Believe me, you don’t want to have something missing from the truck on a job and have to go to the supply house)

Take Notes of each service call
(Mike usually has you recording him so you can always look back at the video and see how things were done)

Make a step by step list in an organized place of all processes
(Whether it be threading pipe, pulling a vacuum, or charging a system, read these notes prior to the service call so you know what materials you’ll need and the order in which you’ll need them.)

If you see something that you want to learn, ask. (Make sure it’s the first and last time you ask)
(Mike wants you to take initiative in lithe hands on learning, first couple times he’ll do it but eventually he’ll want for you to get in there and get your hands dirty)

Ignore the haters
(There are tons of trolls out there that sit behind their computer and talk shit. They’re all probably fat ugly and get cheated on so just keep pushing forward despite the harmful remarks. Focus on the people that are trying to give you constructive criticism, they really do help)

Tomorrow is another day
(You aren’t a tech yet, you’ll have hard days when you do dumb shit. I cut the wrong line set once and let ALL the refrigerant out of the wrong system. Learn from it and never have it happen to you again.)

It isn’t personal.
(Mike has his days, pressures of being the boss and a lot of the daily stresses of life. Just let him have his cigarette and he’ll calm down)

Own up to your shit
(We all make mistakes and if you refer back to the videos, I’ve made plenty. Don’t make excuses. You can’t bullshit a bullshitter in this trade.)

Mikes Old
(Plenty of times he’s said he’s taught me something and either he hasn’t or probably taught the other apprentice and thought he had taught you. Calmly just remind him that this is the first time you’re learning it and he’ll usually calm down and explain better)

The day doesn’t end when you clock out
(Go home and go over the day, it’ll make your other days that much easier. TRUST ME)

Have a secret stash of cigarettes
(Currently I have some under your chair and a couple of other places which you’ll probably discover as you move forward. The day he’s stressed and doesn’t have a cigarette. Those secret stashes makes a difference.)

If it’s a navien, bring soapy bubbles. It’s probably the heat exchanger
(Try to learn the error codes and model numbers, it’ll save you tons of time)

If you get a refrigerant burn ask mike for ascend topical cream. Those burns are serious and Painful! (Silver Sulfadiazine Cream)

Practice your videography and think of catchy titles
(You will be holding that camera, get good at it haha)

Work smarter, not harder

“A Good Technician is Observant of his Surroundings”
(Don’t rush into the service call, check around the surroundings. If you’re doing a tune up, check for burnt wires, dirty condenser coils, a humming contractor, faulty disconnect. If you’re doing a boiler, check where the switch is, is it hydronic, steam, or radiant?)

Left Loosey Righty Tighty
(Get yourself a Godzilla shirt, but also think about how you’d screw on and off a bottle cap from your soda, check the orientation as well, so you’re not fighting in the wrong direction and end up on camera with your own saying like me.)

Stretch Daily
(You’re going to be the runt, you’re doing the dirty work. Make sure you’re in optimal shape to accomplish these things and not be too sore to do it all over again the next day)

Avoid other cars when driving the Work Vans
(sorry Kelvin haha)

Last but not least
Have fun with it man!
You’ll have long days that are easy, and you’ll have short days that are hard. This trade really does throw wrenches at you daily but every day you learn something new. Good thing about that is that the second time around, it won’t take you as long to diagnose and correct.

Видео Running Service Calls & Owning a Plumbing & HVAC Business Challenges of Hiring Technicians Revealed канала Mikey Pipes - Pipe Doctor Plumbing & Heating & Air