Frequent readers of this column are aware that I am extremely concerned about the image of our industry. Having been involved for as many years as I have, I have seen that image change and improve very significantly over the years. I am also aware that it doesn’t take many negative occurrences to negatively affect that image. Certainly the sting operation filmed by a TV station, which then appeared on the “Today Show,” does not help our image. However, as that was a one-time incident, it probably didn’t do much permanent damage, especially given the credibility of the contractors caught on camera. Nevertheless, negative things like that against our industry really bother me. It will not come as a shock to you then how upset I am about an instance that occurred recently here in the St. Louis area. Our company was directly involved so this isn’t a case of second- or third-hand reporting.
One of our sales engineers was called to a home because the homeowner had been advised by a competitor that his furnace had a bad heat exchanger and needed to be replaced. When the sales engineer arrived, he had an extensive conversation with the homeowner regarding the circumstances that led him to believe