How to Organize a Field Service Day
A practical routine for field technicians: prepare the night before, plan the route, manage each call and close out the day so tomorrow starts clean.
Hourly Pay vs. Billable Rate: Why a $30 Technician Bills at Over $100 an Hour
Customers see a billing rate far above the technician's wage. Here is the math that connects the two: loaded cost, unbilled hours, overhead and profit.
Ohm’s Law for Technicians: The Formulas You Will Use Every Day
Ohm's law links voltage, current and resistance. Here are the formulas, worked examples on real equipment, and how they help you troubleshoot in the field.
Technician Utilization: What It Measures and What a Good Number Looks Like
Technician utilization shows how much paid time is spent on jobs. Learn the formula, the difference between utilization and billable hours, and how to improve it.
Seasonal Planning for HVAC and Service Businesses
How seasonal service businesses can plan the year: preparing for peak demand, filling the slow shoulder seasons, managing cash and keeping technicians busy.
How to Set Your Labor Rate as a One-Truck Service Business
A step-by-step way for owner-operators to set an hourly labor rate: what to pay yourself, your overhead, realistic billable hours, break-even and profit.
In the Customer’s Home: Etiquette Every Field Technician Should Follow
How technicians should behave in a customer's home: arrival, protecting floors, communication, privacy, cleanliness and the small habits that earn trust and reviews.
Warranty Work: How to Track It and Stop It Draining Profit
Warranty repairs cost a service business labor it often cannot recover. How manufacturer and labor warranties work, how to process claims and how to track the real cost.
HVAC Unit Conversions Every Technician Should Know
A reference of common HVAC conversions and formulas: BTU, tons, kilowatts, horsepower, pressure, airflow and water flow, with worked examples.
How to Write a Service Estimate Customers Understand and Accept
What a written service estimate should include, the difference between an estimate and a quote, how to present options and how to protect yourself when the scope changes.