Before you start

• •Dispatch ticket with customer info, complaint, and access notes
• •Stocked truck (capacitors, contactors, refrigerant scale, gauges)
• •Tablet or paper for invoice and photos
• •Parking awareness — no blocked driveways, no lawn damage

The procedure

Step-by-step, in order. Each step has the action and the reason it matters.

1. 1

   Pre-arrival call

   Call the customer 15 minutes before arrival. 'Hi Mrs. Lopez, this is Mike from ABC HVAC, I'm 15 minutes out.' If they're not home, do not arrive — reschedule. Document the call in the dispatch ticket.

   Why: Pre-arrival calls cut no-show rates by 80% and warm the customer up before the tech walks in.

2. 2

   Park clean, walk to the front door

   Park on the street if the driveway is tight. Don't block their cars. Walk to the front door, ring the bell, step back two paces from the door. Smile. Introduce yourself by name and company.

   Why: Customer's first impression of the company is the tech's truck and the tech's posture. Both matter.

3. 3

   Ask the customer to walk you through the issue

   Don't dive into the equipment. Stand in the doorway, ask: 'Can you tell me what's been going on?' Let them talk. Take notes in their words. Repeat back: 'So the upstairs has been hot since Tuesday and the downstairs feels okay — that right?'

   Why: Customers who feel heard upfront are 4x more likely to approve the recommended repair without pushback.

4. 4

   Verify the complaint at the thermostat

   Walk to the thermostat together. Note current temperature, set point, mode (cool/heat/off), fan setting (on/auto). Cycle through to confirm the system attempts to call. Photo the thermostat.

   Why: 30% of 'no cooling' calls are thermostat config issues, not equipment. Catch them at the thermostat before going outside.

5. 5

   Inspect the indoor unit

   Pull the air handler door. Filter check (date + condition). Coil check (clean or dirty). Drain pan check (water level, mold). Blower motor running (yes/no, normal sound, vibration). Document with photos.

   Why: Indoor unit issues cause the same symptoms as outdoor unit issues but cost the customer differently. Always check both.

6. 6

   Inspect the outdoor unit

   Disconnect off, panel off. Capacitor visual + measure with meter (μF reading vs. label spec, ±6%). Contactor inspect for pitting and burning. Compressor amp draw at startup. Refrigerant pressures at the gauges (only if leak suspected — pressures are not the first diagnostic).

   Why: Capacitor is the single most common failure on residential cooling. It's a $30 part and a 10-minute fix. Always check it.

7. 7

   Diagnose, then write the estimate

   Once you've confirmed the actual fault, write the repair estimate with line items: part, labor, total. If multiple repair options exist (capacitor only vs. capacitor + contactor preventive), list both with prices. Photo the failed component as proof.

   Why: Customers approve photos. They argue with verbal diagnoses. Always photograph the failed part.

8. 8

   Present the estimate to the customer in person

   Walk back to the customer. Show them the photo of the failed part. Walk through each line item on the estimate. Pause and let them ask questions. Don't push the upsell — present it once and accept the answer.

   Why: Pressure-selling HVAC kills lifetime value. The customer who said no this visit comes back next time only if you didn't bully them.

9. 9

   Complete the repair and run a 15-minute system test

   After the repair, let the system run a full cycle. Verify the symptom is resolved. Take temperature split readings (return air vs. supply air, should be 18-22°F on cooling). Document in the invoice.

   Why: Tested-and-verified before leaving prevents the same-day callback.

10. 10

    Closeout — invoice, payment, follow-up

    Write the invoice with photos attached. Walk the customer through what was done, what's still recommended, and what to watch for. Collect payment. Email the invoice with the photos. Schedule any follow-up before you leave.

    Why: Customers who get a photo-documented invoice leave 5-star reviews 3x more often than those who get a paper carbon.

Verify when done

• ☐Pre-arrival call logged
• ☐Photos of the failed component on the invoice
• ☐System test completed and temperature split documented
• ☐Customer paid and emailed invoice before tech left

Common mistakes

• ✕Skipping the pre-arrival call
• ✕Diving into the equipment before talking to the customer
• ✕Diagnosing pressures without checking capacitor first
• ✕Verbal estimate without photos

Trainer notes

New HVAC techs skip the indoor unit because the customer 'said it's the outside one.' Train them to always check both. The fastest way to a comeback is to diagnose only what the customer pointed at.

Common questions