9 Secrets You Should Know Before Calling a Service Company

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TOP SECRET – Do you know who’s coming to your house?
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SECRET #1:
Ask the company you are calling if the technician being sent to your home has been background checked and drug tested. Recent Statistics validate the need for concern:
• Over 11% of service technicians have background discrepancies that could potentially place an end-customer at risk.
Within this group:
• 75% of dispatched technicians have suspended or revoked driver licenses
• 25% have criminal records of which half involve sex offender-related crimes
• 90% of independent service providers do not carry general liability insurance
• 57% of independent service providers do not carry worker’s compensation insurance.

In order to address the increasing risk associated with customer service events, The Appliance Doctor requires all of their technicians who enter your home to be background checked and drug tested thereby assuring you, our customer a safe and secure experience.
Why talk to an answering machine?

SECRET #2:
Make sure your phone call is answered by a live person during normal business hours.
During normal business hours, consumers should not have to follow a series of pre-recorded prompts before speaking to an actual person. Automated systems are useful to business owners but do not meet the needs of the consumer requiring immediate attention. How can you make sure your call is answered by a live person?

If you Google Dial-A-Human Shortcuts, you can find tips to outsmart the automated systems of some major consumer companies.

At The Appliance Doctor, you will always speak to a live person during normal work hours. You will be greeted by someone who is patient and prepared to assist you in scheduling an appointment to have your major appliance serviced. If you have an appliance emergency after 5:00 pm, give us a call. You will have an option of talking to a staff member or you can leave a message on our answering machine and a technician will contact you the next day between 8:30-9:00 am Monday through Friday. That’s what I call service!
Why lose a day’s work waiting around for an appointment?

SECRET #3:
Schedule an in-home service appointment with a 4-hour window giving you enough time
to come home from work or run your errands before the technician arrives.
At the customer’s request, a reputable company can call 30 minutes before a scheduled appointment; significantly reducing the time spent just waiting for the technician. It is up to the customer, however, to leave a number where he/she can be easily reached.
CAUTION! Ask “How long have you been in business?”

SECRET #4:
Everyone has to start somewhere, but if you can find a company that has been in
business (under the same name) for many years, it’s an advantage to you.
The Appliance Doctor is celebrating 30 years in the industry, evolving from a home business (with one technician operating out of his parents’ garage), to a reputable and well-established company. We employ 15 technicians, some of whom have been with the company for over 16 years. Daily operations are run by an office manager who has been with the company for 29 years! The office of the Appliance Doctor is equipped
with the latest computer programming designed specifically for the appliance trade, to deliver better products and services to you, the consumer. Longevity has its place and with 30 years of service, The Appliance Doctor has established itself as one the best in the small business industry! You can always find a company who will beat a quoted price BUT does that company use OEM or Aftermarket Parts?

SECRET #5:
Be sure the company uses original equipment manufacturer (OEM) equipment parts.
A key issue that arises during the servicing of an appliance is the desirability of using original equipment manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts. During the course of the appliances ownership, the need to service and replace parts is inevitable. Businesses are already challenged to deliver maximum profits and, with a slow economy, undercutting a professional legitimate quote using aftermarket parts is becoming an everyday occurrence. It’s tempting for the consumer to be influenced by the low price but you must ask if the price is for generic or aftermarket parts. What you as the customer needs to know is that OEM parts deliver a variety of benefits that aftermarkets can’t touch. For warranty, food safety, and liability protection and to maintain energy approval ratings, replacement with OEM parts is key. OEM parts are the only true way to preserve the warranty of the equipment itself. The Appliance Doctor uses only OEM parts because we know that’s the
professional way to keep your appliance running safely and smoothly.
Does the company working in your home have accident insurance?

SECRET #6:
Be sure the company working in your home has accident insurance. Since the tragedy of 9/11, accident insurance for companies has become a major concern. Many New York City building owners have a minimum insurance requirement that must be met before a service company can do work for them. Ask your service person/technician to provide documentation of valid insurance. This serves to protect you and your property in the event of an accident.
FOR BEST RESULTS! Beware of Internet Advertising!

SECRET #7:
Be sure you are dealing with the actual company that will be servicing your appliance.
In the age of the Internet, it is hard to tell if you are actually in contact with a qualified
appliance repair service or if you are connected with a marketing service acting as a middleman selling their leads to local repairmen. What can you do when three weeks later the same problem occurs? Who would be held accountable for shoddy work? The marketing service cannot help; they are not qualified technicians and the local repair technician or company may no longer be on their list of contractors. At The Appliance Doctor, you will speak directly to a company representative who will dispatch one of our own qualified technicians for a repair. If the problem recurs within 30 days of the repair, we will have a technician make another service call at no cost to you.
Free Service call if you have work done?

SECRET #8:
Avoid the “Free Service Call” scam. Some service companies run Yellow Page ads that read “Free service call with work done.” This is one of the biggest and unfortunately, one of the most effective, consumer scams. We all would like to save a few dollars by shopping around for what we think is a fair charge for a service call, but the truth is most companies are giving consumers the illusion of a lower price for a service call. For example, if one company charges $89.95 for a service call and another says there is no charge for the service call, know that the company that does not charge up front will build in the cost of the call by charging more for parts and labor. Ultimately, the cost to you will be about the same no matter which company you choose. At The Appliance Doctor, we let our customers know in advance the charge for a service call plus parts and labor. That is the honest thing to do.
Insist on Fast Service

SECRET #9:
Don’t wait a week to ten days for a service repair! Well, that is the average wait time for an appointment with large manufacturers. What is the secret to getting around this? Contact smaller certified repair companies who can provide same day or next day service.
Remember: You are the customer and companies should do everything they can to accommodate you! ALERT!