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The Reliant Air Conditioning Blog

How to Spot a Technician Working On Commission

There’s an old saying in the business world that “you get what you pay for.” When it comes to HVAC technicians, though, that saying couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, when you’re dealing with a technician who’s working on commission, you might not be getting what you’re paying for at all—and that’s a problem. Here’s a quick primer on why commission-based technicians can be bad news and how to spot them so you know what you’re getting into.

The Problem With Commission-Based Technicians

When a technician is working on commission, they’re motivated by one thing and one thing only: making money. That might not seem like a big deal at first, but it can actually lead to some pretty serious problems down the line. First and foremost among those problems is dishonesty.

It’s not that all commission-based technicians are dishonest, of course. But when someone’s job depends on them generating a certain amount of revenue per call, it creates an incentive for them to be less than truthful about what’s actually wrong with your system. After all, if they can upsell you on a new AC unit when all your system really needs is a $50 part, they’re going to do it. It’s just good business sense.

In addition to being incentivized to lie to customers, commission-based technicians are also under immense pressure to generate revenue. If they don’t meet their quotas, they can get fired—plain and simple. As a result, they might cut corners or take shortcuts just to get the job done quickly so they can move on to the next call. That might mean using subpar parts or skipping steps in the diagnostic process. Either way, it’s not good for the customer. 

How to Spot a Commission-Based Technician

Fortunately, there are ways to spot a commission-based technician so you know what you’re getting into before you even open your door. Here are some red flags to look out for: 

  • They try to sell you things you don’t need: This is the most common sign that a technician is working on commission. If they try to upsell you on services or products you don’t need, chances are good that they’re more interested in their bottom line than yours. 
  • They rush through the job: Commissioned technicians are under pressure to generate revenue, which means they might try to hurry through jobs so they can move on to the next one. 
  • They have a hard time answering questions: If a technician seems evasive or unable to answer your questions directly, it could be because they’re trying to hide something—namely, that they’re not being completely honest with you about what’s wrong with your system. 

At Reliant Air Conditioning, we believe that our customers deserve better than commissioned technicians who are incentivized to lie and cut corners. That’s why we have a no-commission policy—it ensures that our technicians are focused on doing the best possible job for our customers without worrying about meeting quotas or selling them things they don’t need. So, if you’re looking for an HVAC company that puts its customers first, give us a call today!

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