As a service person who’s been in the HVAC/R trade for the past 17 years, I know what it’s like to sit in the truck for 5-10 minutes. People may be wondering what I’m doing, but I’m actually just using my truck as an office. I’m eating, ordering parts, making bids, and occasionally watching YouTube videos to remind myself how certain equipment works. During this time of year, I’m usually cooling down in the A/C after coming out of a 130°+ attic before going into another.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. At many larger companies, there’s a lot of information I have to enter into various apps. I have to check in to the system, log my arrival time, review the job description, make a list of items and tools needed, and mentally prepare to go knock on a stranger’s door. I might even grab a snack.
I’m usually also doing paperwork, checking email, returning phone calls, YouTubing how to do the job, and documenting my day. I’m looking at reminders of why I’m at the house I’m at and making sure I have everything I need.
All of this can take a few minutes, and some of it is necessary to make sure the job is done right. So the next time you see a service person’s truck parked outside your home for a few minutes, know that there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye.