My editorial in the July 23 print issue of The NEWS concerning the NBC “Today” Show sting showing dishonest HVAC technicians seems to have hit a nerve, a raw nerve. I received emails from two veterans of the industry who agree with me that something is really wrong with the supposed professionals that represent us in the homes of unsuspecting customers.

Al Veeck with the National Air Filtration Association felt we needed more integrity and more character from the employees. He related what he had been taught by his parents, “Do the job like you owned the piece of equipment yourself”. He ended by saying, “We forget sometimes that we have to teach core values to the next generation.”

Russell Tavolacci with Next-Tech Solutions said, “We need to take proactive measures rather than simply hoping that contractors see the broadcast.” His idea was to conduct similar sting operations to get a better idea of the seriousness of the situation, then document it and share it within the industry. He also suggested a training program in the basics of customer communications, interaction, and integrity.

Al and Russell…I’m with you my friends. Let’s do this thing!