Service technicians repair major appliances, such as ranges, refrigerators, washers and dryers. They assess appliance malfunctions, provide an estimate of the costs of repairs, and correct any malfunctions. Service technicians are employed in repair shops, retail repair departments, and in wholesale appliance outlets. Technicians specializing in major appliances may conduct house calls and work out of their vehicles.
As a service technician, you start by talking to customers about the problem. You then examine the appliance, conduct tests with electrical equipment, and refer to manuals to help in your diagnosis. Once the problem has been identified, you determine what parts are broken or defective, and refer to manuals to see how the problem can be fixed. You may use small hand and power tools and soldering equipment to take apart the appliance, replace or repair necessary parts, and put it all back together again.
Depending on where you work, pay in this job can take the form of a salary or an hourly wage. With larger companies, comprehensive benefit packages may also be available. Service technicians work a regular forty-hour week.
The certification you need will depend on which appliances you focus on. Major appliance servicing requires community college experience or apprenticeship training. In some cases, specialization extends to specific types of appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, microwave ovens, or washers and dryers. Appliances are always changing and unless you have an in-house training program, it's up to you to remain current on technological developments. You should be prepared to update your skills as new appliances appear on the market. Upgrading courses are available at local community colleges or through appliance companies if training is not offered by your employer.
To be successful in this business you have to build up your client base. The only way to do that is to build up your reputation.
You must be mechanically inclined to do well in this business. You should be able to understand a problem quickly, diagnose the cause and communicate your assessment clearly to the customer.
Considering that many service technicians make house calls, you should be well- groomed and good in dealing with the public. Being able to organize service runs in an efficient manner is important, especially is you cover a wide territory.
Working with electrical equipment and power tools demand that you pay attention to safety procedures, especially when working in customers' homes.