[Steve Ruch]

We've been having a bit of trouble with our A/C and called a service company to come look at it and our only option was to request a call back. We did (2pm Monday) and six days later still no call. We called a different company on Wednesday (8am) and were told the dispatcher wasn't in yet and would call back. At noon I called them again and was told the dispatcher was on the other line and would call back, again no call back. We then called a third company that answered right away and scheduled an appointment for the next morning.
The problem was quickly diagnosed and we were given the option of replacing a control panel for $600 or rerouting the wires like they would have been before the control board was installed for $297.
Which one do you think we'll be calling back?

[weazletoe]

I've been in HVAC since I was 15 years old. I'm 39 now. I promise you, withe the heat wave, companies are SWAMPED!! Currently I work as a territory manager for an HVAC  wholesale company www.webbsupply.com
 I know a fare share of scam artists out there, but for the most part, we are there to help. We understand your frustration. It sucks in this weather. My contractors are working 12-14 hour days. I know not getting a call back is frustrating, but I have to go to bat for them on this one.
 I'd be curious to have more details on their diagnosis.   

[theDarkSide]

A call back would have been nice, even just to say it would be a week before they could get there. 

Funny how these things always break at the worse times, huh?  All this stuff usually happens to me on a Sunday when nothing is open.  Like running out of CO2 in the kegerator...now I always have the spare on hand.

[Steve Ruch]

I've been in HVAC since I was 15 years old. I'm 39 now. I promise you, withe the heat wave, companies are SWAMPED!! Currently I work as a territory manager for an HVAC  wholesale company www.webbsupply.com
 I know a fare share of scam artists out there, but for the most part, we are there to help. We understand your frustration. It sucks in this weather. My contractors are working 12-14 hour days. I know not getting a call back is frustrating, but I have to go to bat for them on this one.
 I'd be curious to have more details on their diagnosis.

The weather when I called was in the low 70s and cloudy, no heat wave, not a busy time at all. Last year we had a problem in a heat wave and we had to wait to get our unit fixed, which was understandable then. We got a call back then in a shorter time.
I called the second place several hours after I was told the dispatcher wasn't in yet and was then told the dispatcher was on the other line and would call back when done with that call. The call back came six days later and we didn't answer. The first one still hasn't called back.
The third one we called will be getting all our business in the future.

[weazletoe]

Six days is a little bit out of hand. Guess they figure have plenty of work already. 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Visor]

   I spent 28 years working for HVAC/Sheet Metal contractors and never got over how some would routinely ignore calls from potential customers when we were swamped, not even having the courtesy of a call back to explain that we were too busy at the moment but appreciated their call. Then when things slowed down and we needed work they would cry the blues about how unfair it was that we were out of work. They never seemed to make the connection. There are folks in all trades and professions that suffer from this myopia.
   As a side note I did learn to be wary of the guy who can be on your doorstep at a moment's notice when all the other guys are up to their eyeballs with work, there might just be a good reason why he's available.

[Slowbrew]

   I spent 28 years working for HVAC/Sheet Metal contractors and never got over how some would routinely ignore calls from potential customers when we were swamped, not even having the courtesy of a call back to explain that we were too busy at the moment but appreciated their call. Then when things slowed down and we needed work they would cry the blues about how unfair it was that we were out of work. They never seemed to make the connection. There are folks in all trades and professions that suffer from this myopia.
   As a side note I did learn to be wary of the guy who can be on your doorstep at a moment's notice when all the other guys are up to their eyeballs with work, there might just be a good reason why he's available.

That was my thought too.  If the market is swamped with work and he's not busy there may be another problem.   

I've called many contractors in many fields and they really run hot and cold.  Some don't call back.  some call back but show up.  Some show up and then never come back with a quote.  A few work very hard to get and keep your business.

Paul

[Steve Ruch]

   As a side note I did learn to be wary of the guy who can be on your doorstep at a moment's notice when all the other guys are up to their eyeballs with work, there might just be a good reason why he's available.

That was my thought too.  If the market is swamped with work and he's not busy there may be another problem.   
Paul
[/quote]

The market was not swamped when I called, so it was surprising about no call back from one and six days later from the other.
The guy that was available right away was new in town and trying to build up his business. He was very knowledgeable and quickly fixed the problem. I can see in the future him getting real busy. His service call fee was also less.

[Visor]

   Then by all means use him again if you need him, who knows if and when he does get real busy he may remember the folks who helped him get his feet on the ground and make a point of taking care of you. Yes, some of those people do still exist in the 21st century.

[Steve Ruch]

   Then by all means use him again if you need him, who knows if and when he does get real busy he may remember the folks who helped him get his feet on the ground and make a point of taking care of you. Yes, some of those people do still exist in the 21st century.

Hopefully we won't need to for a long while, but our unit is around 19 years old, so who knows.
Yes they do, the operator of the pro shop in the nearby bowling center is a good example. My grandson started bowling in the junior league and was recently given a better ball than the hand me down that his uncle used to use and Mike plugged and redrilled the thumbhole on the better ball for no charge.