Getting the Most From Fall Service Schools

Autumn is traditionally a time for changing weather, changing leaves, and of course it''s hard not to think of ''back to school,'' when thinking of fall. And not just for the kids, because fall is also a time when many of your distributors are holding service schools, usually as part of a larger sales event. So we thought we would share a few ideas with you as to how to get the most out of the service school experience. One of the first things you should do as a smart card or coin laundry operator before attending a service school is to sit down and ask yourself, ''What do I want and need to learn this weekend?'' The answer to that question will depend on the level of experience you already have, and the level of experience you feel you need to have. Laundry owner''s needs are as different as their faces, and what works for your peers may not necessarily be what works for you. Suppose you operate a laundry in a rural or resort area. The nearest qualified service technician is hours away, and travel time hours are billable hours. In that case, you may occasionally find yourself needing to perform major repairs. Yet another operator who owns three busy laundries in a metropolitan area may be in a position to call a technician out for the big jobs, and needs only to worry about the smaller tasks like cleaning out gravity drains, swapping out an inlet valve or changing belts. So really assess what your needs are. Naturally, your equipment mix will be a factor as well. Perhaps you are already pretty sharp on your top loaders, dryers and your big front loaders, but you have a changer that could generously be described as temperamental. Obviously, that is where you should direct most of your attention. So, you should be focused. Concentrate on that which will benefit you and your operation the most. Conversely, even though we recommend a focused approach, it is also not wise to attend a service school with tunnel vision. Most every laundry owner has had that one machine that is acting up and seems to defy a proper diagnosis. So the owner shows up at a service school determined to pick the brain of the service technician running the class. First of all, realize that the school may be well attended, and the guys who teach the classes only have so much time to answer many questions, and it''s a safe bet you aren''t the only one there with a peculiar situation. We are not suggesting that you don''t ask questions, but simply not to show up with ''blinders'' on and miss something you might wish you hadn''t in a few months when something breaks that was covered in class, but you weren''t paying attention. Again, think about the questions you would like to have answered at service school before you go. Perhaps you are pretty savvy with the electrical side of your machines. Things like thermostats, level switches and timers are easy for you, but you feel a little less skilled on the mechanical side with things like pumps and bearings. As was stated earlier, this goes back to thinking about your particular operational needs. Having the right questions in mind before you get started will ensure that you leave with more of what you need. You can bet that other operators are facing some of the problems you face, and in a good class there can be great interaction between the technicians and the attendees. In that same spirit, be prepared to share what you have learned the hard way with others. Even the sharpest factory trained service personnel still have room to learn. There is one other benefit you can get from a service school. Suppose your laundry has had ''Brand X'' machinery for years, and quite frankly you have gotten pretty good at fixing just about anything that goes wrong with them. But now the time has come for you to think about a major equipment upgrade, and the guys from ''Brand Y'' are offering what seems to be some very competitive pricing and incentives. Perhaps attending a ''Brand Y'' service school will prove to be very useful. That way, you will have the opportunity to see the service and maintenance procedures for the ''Brand Y'' machines before they become your machines. Even if you don''t absorb everything there is to know about a new type of equipment on the first pass, you will have a much better picture of what you are getting into before you get into it. In this type of situation, try to learn not only what the most common service issues are with ''Brand Y'' but also look to see which maintenance procedures are simple and which are real chores. Finally, keep in mind that if the service school you plan to attend is part of a larger event, it is almost a certainty that your distributor''s parts department will be open. Make sure you have the correct manuals for your machines, and also any specialty tools that may be needed if you plan on making major repairs. These would be things like spanner wrenches and such that you might not find at your local hardware store. In short, think about what you want out of the service school before you attend, plan a little, take notes, learn a lot and hopefully in the long run you can save a lot.