Women Are Better Technicians
Pretty bold statement, huh? Think about it. Women do most things better than men. Men have the edge on strength, but that's about it. In this job, finesse is used more often than brute strength.
Women commit more to a task than men. Heck, women commit more to most things than men. Ever heard that men are afraid of commitment? A woman is serious about all aspects of the job she performs, not just getting it done.
Details, Neatness
Men never seem to get all the information they need from the job. Oh sure, there are exceptions. I'm speaking of model/serial numbers and parts used on every ticket. When a female technician can't get the information from the equipment, she will get it another way. She'll ask the customer if other paperwork exists, or she'll ask the dispatcher for it so she can complete her ticket.The male technician just ignores the blank spots on the ticket. It's almost as if he enjoys having the female back at the office chew him out about his incomplete paperwork. How much does this cost the company?
There are times a male technician will have the information on the ticket, but it's worthless! You can't read it for the dirt and oil all over the ticket. The tickets that are clean either don't have complete information or you can't read his writing.
When asked how the company is supposed to order correct parts for the equipment, he shrugs his shoulders. He doesn't think about that because it's not his responsibility.
The female technician takes pride in the fact that she has done her best and leaves a testament to a successfully completed task. She is proud of her accomplishment and that it was done to the best of her ability.
The male technician just swaggers around boasting he ran eight calls in eight hours. I wonder how many the female technician will have to run as callbacks?
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Dedication, Communication
The male thinks of himself most of the time. "When can I knock off? I've already run three calls today and one was a motor replacement. How many more calls do you have left for me? Who else is still working? Why do I have to run this call?"Sound familiar?
The female technician wants to know if there is anything else she can do. She'll pitch in and go help another technician.
Male technicians are not very adept at dealing with customer concerns and answering questions. Many get defensive thinking the customer is questioning their expertise.
The female technicians are quite comfortable entering into a discussion with the customer. This is the most natural thing in the world to them. The female realizes conversation is crucial to the customer becoming comfortable with the technician and their recommendations.
Male technicians do not look at situations from the other person's position. They're just glad the problems are somebody else's and not theirs.
Female technicians are truly concerned for the customer and therefore explore all the options for them. They naturally ask questions to determine what's in the customer's best interest because they empathize with them. By doing this, the female technicians come away with higher ticket amounts and more replacements.
Check and see which one handles the important tasks at home. I'll bet you it's the wife. She balances the checkbook, pays the mortgage, utility, and vehicle bills. Why? Because she makes sure they are legible and correct, as well as on time.
Guest columnist Mack Heaton has assumed the seminar and consulting practice of the late Tom McCart, No Secrets Inc. He can be reached at 803-318-2383; mack@nosecrets.com.
Publication date: 10/18/2004