Skills That Make a Field Technician More Valuable
The technical and personal skills that raise a field technician's value and pay: electrical diagnostics, communication, documentation, and how to build each one.
GFCI vs. AFCI: What Is the Difference?
GFCI devices protect people from electric shock. AFCI devices protect buildings from fires caused by arcing. Here is how each works and where each is used.
Maintenance Agreements: How They Work and How to Price Them
Maintenance agreements give a service business steady income and repeat customers. Learn what to include, how to price one from your costs and how to run it well.
How to Calculate Job Profitability in a Service Business
Find out whether a job made money. A step-by-step method for calculating direct costs, gross profit, overhead and net profit on a single service or install job.
Heat Safety for Field Technicians: Working Through Hot Weather
Attics, rooftops and summer service calls put technicians at risk of heat illness. Learn the warning signs, how to prevent it and what to do in an emergency.
Apprentice, Journeyman and Master: What the Trade Levels Mean
The skilled trades use three traditional levels: apprentice, journeyman and master. Here is what each one means, how you move up and why the rules vary by state.
How Dispatch Affects Technician Productivity
Dispatch decisions set how much of a technician's day is spent working and how much driving. Practical ways to route, match and schedule calls more effectively.
What Is a Trip Charge and How Should You Set One?
A trip charge covers the cost of getting a technician to the door. Learn what it should include, how to calculate it and how to explain it to customers.
Superheat and Subcooling Explained for HVAC Technicians
Superheat and subcooling tell you what refrigerant is doing inside a system. Learn the definitions, how to measure each one and what high or low readings mean.
Digital Service Reports: Moving Your Field Team Off Paper
Digital service reports replace paper tickets with records created on a phone or tablet. Here is what they should include, the benefits, and how to make the switch.