Tech of the Month: Oct. 1, 2018
Name: Chris Bailey
Title: Senior Technician
Why He’s Tech of the Month: Bailey started off as a salesman, working for two different HVAC suppliers before switching to the service side.
“I was talking to the technicians coming in all the time … I felt like I wanted to be on that end instead of the supply end,” he said. “I wanted to be able to take care of the homeowners.”
He started at his current company, Ellis Air Systems in Killeen, Texas, in 2004. Since then, he has progressed from install helper to senior technician, servicing residential and commercial systems and refrigeration equipment.
“If it has a motor, evaporator, or a compressor, this man can fix it,” said Mason Ellis, CFO at Ellis Air. “He is a jack-of-all-trades and wears a ton of different hats. He typically takes the jobs that no one else wants — with a smile and a fantastic attitude.”
Bailey enjoys being able to help people, and he said Ellis Air gives him the opportunity to do his best work.
“With a lot of companies, they rush you in, rush you out,” he said. “With Ellis Air, the customer really is the No. 1 priority. Being able to go in there, be your own boss … it’s being able to really be a technician, not just a parts changer.”
Bailey’s care for the needs of his customers is relentless.
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“It’s unmatchable,” said Ellis. “If they have allergies, he finds a solution. If they have bad airflow, he’s your man. He won’t leave a customer’s home without finding the underlying cause of the customer’s issue. He has what we call the ‘Chris Club’ of followers — from millennials to elderly folks — that can only have Chris come out: not because they have had a bad experience with other techs, but because they enjoy Chris so much they want him back.”
One example: A large firm in the area — around 500 people — was having issues with IAQ, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was threatening to close them down if they could not get those issues resolved.
“After calling two other HVAC contractors with no luck, needless to say, they were squirming,” Ellis said. “That is, until Chris Bailey walked through their doors.”
Bailey was able to put together an extensive IAQ solution. At a time when they were in fear of having to shut down, Bailey got the company back to operating at full capacity.
Looking ahead, Bailey aspires to move up the chain and become service manager.
“I want to be that guy who oversees the sales, oversees the technicians, and helps them,” he said.
In the meantime, he continues to do 40 to 50 hours of continuing education a year: North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification, equipment testing classes, and education on new products and tools coming in through the manufacturers.
“His passion to learn more in the field is incredible, and he never stops wanting to learn,” Ellis said. “He is well-spoken, courteous, and an invaluable member in the fastest growing HVACR company in Texas. His willingness to learn and teach is incredible, and we are so proud — not only of him, but to have him on our side.”
To nominate an HVACR technician for Tech of the Month, click here or email mariataylor@achrnews.com.
Publication date: 10/1/2018
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