Doing The Best Job Possible

First let me say I have always enjoyed the content that has been provided to your readers.The Newshas always shown its readers the new products, unique thought, as well as nice visits back to the basics. For that, I thank you.

Now...let us set the stage. It was the October 18 issue of The News. I was wrapping up a somewhat lengthy porcelain study period when I happened upon the Our Insights section (page 39). Specifically, I am referring to the column titled "Women Are Better Technicians." I'm going to have to take an educated guess and say that you have had some responses to this. Actually, you left me wondering if you were doing some kind of a reader check to see how many of us are reading all the way to the back page.

Guest columnist Mack Heaton is listed as the author of this masterpiece and was allowed to make this mistake in sharing his opinion with the readers.

One of my biggest issues with the article is that it is written as though it is fact, yet I do not see any reference given to even one study or customer survey. The article goes on to say how men are sloppy and uncommitted, and females go the extra mile, and basically will accomplish everything better than us poor, dumb men. This dribble continues and attempts to try and sell the reader by referring to our homes and that the woman of the house probably pays the bills and balances the checkbook.

Isn't there an even more common thought (yet just as ignorant) that all women want to do is shop and spend money, and that if it was up to them, everyone would be broke? OK, maybe that was too strong, so let's try another.

It is a fact that historically the HVAC industry is male dominated. So if all of these women that Mr. Heaton is talking about are so great, weren't they probably trained by men?

Being a family man, I find myself wondering if this article would have been printed if all of the gender references had been reversed. Was somebody trying to shock us? Well, I'm shocked and honestly more disappointed than anything.

Mr. Heaton, there are still plenty of men in the field that take pride in knowing they did the best job possible and enjoy putting in a productive day's work. Maybe you just need to screen people better before you hire them (male or female).

Bill Miller
Building Inspector, City of Racine
Racine, Wis.

Good Points On Women Techs

I got my [Oct. 18] issue ofThe News, and went right to [Mack Heaton's] column about women techs. Heaton made very good points, and it's a great discussion topic. I hope we as an industry can do a better job of recruiting and welcoming the fairer sex into our midst - at all levels.

Scott Robinson
Apple Heating Inc.
Ashtabula, Ohio

Send letters to Reader Mail, The News, P.O. Box 2600,Troy, MI 48007; fax to 248-362-0317; or e-mail to chrisking@achrnews.com.

Publication date: 11/29/2004