Service Call Reimbursement, field repairs [RE-wrenches]

[William Miller]

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Friends:

This has been a recurring problem for us.  We have had problems with a 
small percentage of virtually every manufacturers products.  What galls me 
is I have been told by one manufacturer that we should add a surcharge to 
every installation to cover call backs that result from manufacturers 
defects.  This is a great idea, but I'm not the one that should be covering 
the manufacturer's defects, they should!

I've also adopted the policy that I don't open inverters in the field and 
replace parts.  I had a defective temp. sensor in a VFX inverter 
recently.  They apparently have had a lot of these as the replacement 
included a tidy instruction sheet.  The sheet instructed me to tape down a 
ribbon cable if it had come taped down.   It had not and I did not.  I 
pinched the cable and released the smoke (only from the cable, 
fortunately).  I got lucky and did not ruin the new inverter.  I had to 
spend an extra hour opening the inverter again and splicing the ribbon 
cable. I could not leave it like that so I had to go back and replace the 
ribbon cable.  The worse case scenario with field repairs is that the 
inverter becomes damaged, leaving the system disabled, the customer 
inconvenienced and myself looking very stupid.  I won't risk 
that.  Recently a manufacturer's engineer tried to shame me about this 
policy, but I won't accept that.  Engineers work in rarefied 
environments--  in the shop with the parts department next 
door.  Manufacturers need to consider the tribulations of the field installer.

I don't sell the major components, I'm only an installer.  My bottom 
line:  I give each manufacturer one free service call.  I notify them when 
that occurs.  After that, it's up to the vendor, the manufacturer and the 
customer to decide who pays my bill.  I hear those conversations are not 
pleasant for anyone involved.

William


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