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Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
this is possibly an area where training would be handy , i would say the manufacturers / wp should be involved, there is a lot of one man bands/engineers/muppets/ who are good at their job – but could do with a customer skills course .. ?
ally
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
kwatt wrote:“I need to order parts” despite never having called, having a remote clue what the problem is then you order a motor, module and inverter card and play parts bingo till you get it right. Yup, you’re a muppet.
Then bill back all the spares because you can’t be bothered to send the ones you didn’t need back. And, like anyone with an ounce of common sense doesn’t know that you’re at it, don’t have a clue what you’re doing and are a muppet
K.I’m afraid you (ISE) and other manufacturers might might suffer this not from useless engineers or ‘Muppets’, but from actual fear of the engineer losing money.
IMO, some contracts have forced engineers in to a kinda, ummm, ‘Self Pretect‘ Mode and saving the client money goes out of the window for ALL contracts. No one is there with a large credit card to bail me out, so I’ll try my damnedest to ensure a first time fix, regardless of cost per job.
If clients want a cheap cost per job, PAY FOR 2 VISITS!!!!!!!! Then we can go diagnose correctly and repair accordingly.
Simples.
Regarding comments made to consumer… I agree… No one wants to hear that their latest £200 dishwasher purchase from Asda is sh1t.
Pre- Ordering, asking ‘Heads Up’ advice etc for any repair I would not call ‘Muppet Material’, slagging the product off to the consumer, quite plainly is.
Ade 🙂
Ade
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
washdoctor wrote:If clients want a cheap cost per job, PAY FOR 2 VISITS!!!!!!!! Then we can go diagnose correctly and repair accordingly.
Seriously, a ‘Diagnosis’ labour payment together with a ‘Repair’ payment would SLASH cost per job. Because spares fits would dive! Even at £50 per repair, does that cover the cost of 2 visits (Assuming Mr Manufacturer wants a correct diagnosis and effective repair) and warrant a 30 Day Guarantee?
Nada! How many threads have we seen here where people state it’s at least £22 to knock a door?
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… Over to the ‘Blocked Pump’ Scenario, where it is a simple £50 FTF… They are rare! As call centres are trying to take the easy stuff away!
Call avoidance? So… Mr Manufacturer says ‘Hey… It’s give n take’… Ok… Then he employs Call Avoidance. Where’s my ‘Take’ gone? Now it seems 90{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} Give?!
I don’t blame ANY self employed engineer for pre- ordering and trying to get a FTF. Even if parts are fitted where they ‘Might’ not be needed. You imagine sending that motor back and it recalls 26 days later, motor fault. How sick would you be! Or sending the motor back and being refunded a month after you’ve paid for it… Or sending the motor back and getting only 50{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} Back because you’ve been charged a re-stocking fee?
I’ll end this rant with this… This game, is a mugs game. End of.
Ade
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
Pigs s88t will become more valuable than gold before that happens.
Van stocks and pre planning are all basically guessing, but it narrows down the risk.
I think its about time some WP’s and Brands went back to school and studied history of our industry as their main core subject. Maybe then they could work it out or at least accept it into there business plan or just learn to :
WALK AWAY.
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
washdoctor wrote:I’m afraid you (ISE) and other manufacturers might might suffer this not from useless engineers or ‘Muppets’, but from actual fear of the engineer losing money.
Not at all.
And, in fact, the majority of repairers are spot on.
washdoctor wrote:IMO, some contracts have forced engineers in to a kinda, ummm, ‘Self Pretect‘ Mode and saving the client money goes out of the window for ALL contracts. No one is there with a large credit card to bail me out, so I’ll try my damnedest to ensure a first time fix, regardless of cost per job.
Yes, I can get that completely, especially on lower labour rates.
But what that says to others could be construed as, it’s okay for the repairer to lie, cheat and spank the client up in order to try to turn a profit, turn the client over. But, it’s okay to do that because of the circumstances, that justifies the behaviour?
washdoctor wrote:If clients want a cheap cost per job, PAY FOR 2 VISITS!!!!!!!! Then we can go diagnose correctly and repair accordingly.
That’s a step back in time. Used to happen, doesn’t anymore.
One of the reasons, although many repairers see it differently these days, is that your’e actually better off if the rates are set correctly. If the rate you accept is too low then yes, I can understand that sentiment.
One example was a repairer that called up one day asking for an extra job charge to do bearings or something. I politely said that would be okay but, if you want that then I would reduce all the other calls by £5-10 a call for all the easier ones to balance it out.
He chose the one call, one charge system.
washdoctor wrote:Regarding comments made to consumer… I agree… No one wants to hear that their latest £200 dishwasher purchase from Asda is sh1t.
🙂
No and you don’t want the comments you make being twisted into a “The engineer said…” conversation kicking off and you getting the blame for something you didn’t even say.
washdoctor wrote:Pre- Ordering, asking ‘Heads Up’ advice etc for any repair I would not call ‘Muppet Material’, slagging the product off to the consumer, quite plainly is.
Which is fine when the guess and, it is a guess, is reasonably accurate.
But what I’ve seen and this happens more not from the vast majority on here I will point out, is they order up a motor, module and inverter card or, bearings, drum, heater, outer tank and so on.
What that says is, either there’s massive problems with the machine, which is highly unlikely in multiple cases. Or, the machine has been abused. Or, the engineer hasn’t a clue or hasn’t done any diagnosis at all.
What I’m trying to point out here is how this sort of stuff looks to others. I can get why a lot of this sort of thing happens fully, but that doesn’t mean I have to condone it.
K.
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
the worst ones i come across is when the customer knows they have bought a pile of crap , and they give you the old pals act
ie oh we bought this as we just came back from holiday and didnt have the money etc – then try and get you to agree that its cheap rubbish,other ones are customers who have been bullsh{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}ted in to buying a budget appliance or they have chosen to buy a budget appliance and then discovered its nowhere near as good as there last appliance – these customers are the worst as they will bitch and complain and phone up once you have been or phone in after week with another fictitious fault,
the engineer is on a hiding to nothing in most of these cases –you cant blame the customers to much as well , we seem to be conditioned to thinking a £200 appliance is just the same as £500 one , i get it all the time – customer will say oh i bought a cheap one as my last one was £400 and i had nothing but trouble ..bla bla bla
maybe the w/p – manufacturers should provide a leaflet etc that engineers can hand out when they face these situations – or provide a hotline where the customer can speak with trained personal. i really dont know whats the best situ but it doesnt look like its going to get any better with the current climate ..
you also have to take into consideration that the poor old engineer may have 4-5 calls per day where customers are in some way/shape or form not satisfied with there appliance, which can be somewhat demanding – mentaly draining , you cant expect them to be in top form all day with all the right answers..
what springs to mind is a saying i heard recently
train conductor announces on tanoy – would all passengers please mind the gap between the train timetable and realityRe: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
The stupidest comments I have heard engineers make have been at the Coventry meetings when they say..
“Barrie, do you want another beer?” :rolls:
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
funkyboogy wrote:
you also have to take into consideration that the poor old engineer may have 4-5 calls per day where customers are in some way/shape or form not satisfied with there appliance, which can be somewhat demanding – mentaly draining , you cant expect them to be in top form all day with all the right answers..Smack on the money!… That was one of my thoughts earlier, but didn’t know how to put it!
Ade 🙂
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
bazza500 wrote:The stupidest comments I have heard engineers make have been at the Coventry meetings when they say..
“Barrie, do you want another beer?” :rolls:
Says Mr 1st to bed 😆
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
bazza500 wrote:The stupidest comments I have heard engineers make have been at the Coventry meetings when they say..
“Barrie, do you want another beer?” :rolls:
like daaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
I wonder how manufacturers these days train and manage their field service engineer workforce? How Indesit would deal with reports of their engineers admission that the product they’ve purchased is cr&p, or that they get loads of these going wrong?
How they deal with guys that constantly get recalls or order an abundance of spares beyond normal van stock issue? By that same token what of British Gas or small indies with a handful of engineers on their workforce?
I suspect an Indesit guy has only got to slag off a few machines customers own before he is brought in for questioning. An easy task for management to quickly eek out one of the ‘muppets’ surely?
W/P’s very quickly latch on to their game by withholding job payment. And unless the manager latches on quickly then in no time at all they find job sheet/invoices never get paid.
It all boils down to good basic workforce training and management I suppose.
Quick question : The term ‘Muppet’ is a curious choice of phrase in this context isn’t it? After all (and perhaps pertinently) a ‘muppet’ is controlled by having someones hand up one’s backside…..!!!!! 😈
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
Martin wrote:
Quick question : The term ‘Muppet’ is a curious choice of phrase in this context isn’t it? After all (and perhaps pertinently) a ‘muppet’ is controlled by having someones hand up one’s backside…..!!!!! 😈
nothing wrong with that big boy … oowe chase me … :rotl:Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
On the other hand Muppet
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
funkyboogy wrote:nothing wrong with that big boy … oowe chase me … :rotl:
Oooooh you are aaawfull…..but I like you!
Re: The Most Stupid Things Engineers Say
Without thinking this evening Martin, I sent this in an email which a certain Mr Dales can verify…
kwatt being a muppet wrote:It’s a pity I was such a bloody dim witted muppet I didn’t suss it at the time!
Like I said, we all have our moments.
It is intended as a particularly derogatory term, as you seem to have assumed. It’s just a friendly/jovial/nice way of saying you’re being an idiot, suffering a blond moment, being a dummy… whatever.
And, oh so often, there have been times when I wish I hadn’t opened my gob and said what I said, then chastised myself for being a muppet.
The point I was making was that, rather than continuing to be a muppet or indeed allowing yourself to be a muppet in the first place, you learn from other’s experiences and avoid it.
Regardless of what you may think or assume, I don’t see learning as being a bad thing at all.
K.
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