Certifications for spa techs...Everyones input

[stuart]

This should get a discussion going...I think all techs should be certified or licensed. It would weed out he shade-tree techs that have no insurance, no real training, no on-going education and no factory support.

I understand the struggle with regulating things and opening ourselves to government control but look at were the Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC industries would be if they didn't need to licensed.

Right now anyone can buy a van and claim to be a spa tech. We actually have a company here that claims the electronic packs are bad in lightning storms so they approach insurance companies for business. When they go out on spa that's been hit by lightning they charge them to pull all the equipment (usually $1700) and replace it with air switches and relays, replace fuses in the electronics and sell them on Ebay and often don't even have high limits. 

So what do you think? To Certify or not to Certify...that is the question?

[Vinny]

Well, I am a service tech but not in the spa industry. In my industry you can get certified and the techs who do wear it as a badge. Since I repair medical equipment a certified individual would need to pass a test that includes physiology and medical terms. I am not certified.

My background is in Electrical Engineering - 3 years into it before life took over. I am not a degreed Engineer. I have knowledge of electronics and decent mechanical aptitude. I don't know anything about physiology except what I've picked up through the years. But I know how a piece of equipment is supposed to work and how to troubleshoot it. And I will work on almost anything.

I have had managers say that some of their worse techs were certified and some of their best were not.

I have to say that in my industry I would prefer to have people who actually can repair items than people who claim they can. In my career I have "proven" design engineers wrong in their design and they redesigned the item for it to work correctly and have had a company rework it's service manual because the manufacturer didn't know how it's product is supposed to work and how to test it. I have also explained some good techs how to troubleshoot electronics and explained Ohm's Law to them where I haven't studied it in over 20 years.

I will say that I have thought about becoming certified but honestly it isn't worth my trouble. I guess if it was mandatory it would be a different thing. I also resent people who are certified looking down at people who aren't - some of us are better than others!

[Summitman]

Well, I am a service tech but not in the spa industry. In my industry you can get certified and the techs who do wear it as a badge. Since I repair medical equipment a certified individual would need to pass a test that includes physiology and medical terms. I am not certified.

My background is in Electrical Engineering - 3 years into it before life took over. I am not a degreed Engineer. I have knowledge of electronics and decent mechanical aptitude. I don't know anything about physiology except what I've picked up through the years. But I know how a piece of equipment is supposed to work and how to troubleshoot it. And I will work on almost anything.

I have had managers say that some of their worse techs were certified and some of their best were not.

I have to say that in my industry I would prefer to have people who actually can repair items than people who claim they can. In my career I have "proven" design engineers wrong in their design and they redesigned the item for it to work correctly and have had a company rework it's service manual because the manufacturer didn't know how it's product is supposed to work and how to test it. I have also explained some good techs how to troubleshoot electronics and explained Ohm's Law to them where I haven't studied it in over 20 years.

I will say that I have thought about becoming certified but honestly it isn't worth my trouble. I guess if it was mandatory it would be a different thing. I also resent people who are certified looking down at people who aren't - some of us are better than others!

I couldnt agree more Vinny.  Very well said.  This is off the subject a bit, but Im a bit of a Patriot and the more we regulate the less free this country is and will be in the future.  People just need to use common sense with who they let work on their equipment.  Its pretty easy to do research and find the best local service companies anymore.

[stuart]

Thank two for your input...I really don't disagree with you but I also have horror story after horror story I can give you of people that call themselves techs and yet really have no ability charging a 1/3 of what most dealers are charging.

This is growing alarmingly lately with the economy and craigslist. We have more shade-tree spa service people on craigslist than we have professional ones in the phone (online or not). I've got a few guys out here that bypass high limits and pressure switches when they don't work. I've seen someone completely bypass the filter when working on leaks. Everyday I hear a sob story about how they found "some guy" on craigslist, he took their money and ripped them off.

Yes I know they will eventually learn but now they trust no one or don't want a spa any longer. This is bad for the whole industry....

In the last few months we've even had spa's catch fire from these hack artists....one even has a 50,000 theft conviction from his last employer but is selling and repairing spas under an alias on craigslist.

When the American settlers gained their freedom from England they still had laws and rules...We as an industry have very few. IMO, we cannot call ourselves a profession without having a gage for what a professionals is in our industry and policing that.

I would rather the industry pull together and ostracize these people but we can’t all pull seem to pull together to even inform the public of who we are without arguing let alone take a stand against wrongs.

Without laws and rules you have anarchy.....

[Chas]

I have faith in the free-enterprise system. These hacks can't stay around long. I know one day seems like too long, but people will begin to find out and send their business elsewhere. My hope is that we can scale back the government and wake up as citizens. Check licenses, get references, etc.

I don't eat at restaurants without hearing about it from a friend, I don't send my cars and trucks to a mechanic that I don't know. I don't like to see more government doing what we should be doing for ourselves. It always costs more and never ends well to have Government move into an industry. If somebody cheats me, I take it to small claims court and I have never lost a case. Of course, I don't know that I have ever collected on a judgment either, but that's another story.

Having said that, I'm embarrassed to admit that I just checked on my contractors license number and found that it is expired!! I have to send in a check, and get my bond renewed! Thanks for bringing this up.

[Vinny]

Thank two for your input...I really don't disagree with you but I also have horror story after horror story I can give you of people that call themselves techs and yet really have no ability charging a 1/3 of what most dealers are charging.

This is growing alarmingly lately with the economy and craigslist. We have more shade-tree spa service people on craigslist than we have professional ones in the phone (on-line or not). I've got a few guys out here that bypass high limits and pressure switches when they don't work. I've seen someone completely bypass the filter when working on leaks. Everyday I hear a sob story about how they found "some guy" on craigslist, he took their money and ripped them off.

Yes I know they will eventually learn but now they trust no one or don't want a spa any longer. This is bad for the whole industry....

In the last few months we've even had spa's catch fire from these hack artists....one even has a 50,000 theft conviction from his last employer but is selling and repairing spas under an alias on craigslist.

When the American settlers gained their freedom from England they still had laws and rules...We as an industry have very few. IMO, we cannot call ourselves a profession without having a gage for what a professionals is in our industry and policing that.

I would rather the industry pull together and ostracize these people but we can’t all pull seem to pull together to even inform the public of who we are without arguing let alone take a stand against wrongs.

Without laws and rules you have anarchy.....

If anybody takes a service person from craigslist, my opinion is they got what they they deserve. What Chas says is correct.

Like being on the internet and taking info that we receive as "the truth" - it just might not be the absolute truth. Forget the internet - since we are talking spas, even dealers are not the same. Not every one of you guys gives the best service, some can't even sell. I have said when I was looking for a spa the local dealer had called me an idiot for not buying his spa.

I think the problem is everybody wants to get something for nothing ... think Ebay. I have seen products on there bidded higher than the price at a local store or Amazon. How stupid are people? Apparently some are very stupid.

When I shop for services I look and talk to the people before plunking down my money. I have had some good luck with my siding and furnace and believe I listened to what was being told to me.

You can't save everyone who doesn't think twice. Why would someone go to craigslist if a local dealer is available? I understand that maybe that dealer doesn't service the brand but maybe they know of a independent who can service their spa.

This is my true story ... I was at a hospital for 17 1/2 years running the Biomedical department when the hospital had a turnover in administration. I had a great repour with the staff and an in-depth knowledge of the equipment. I was told by the person who I reported to that his boss commented that he had never worked in a hospital where the Biomedical department was looked upon so favorably. The new administration didn't care, they just wanted change and has gotten rid of anyone who was not new to the organization. Moral of the story, it ain't uneducated people who are stupid - stupidity comes from all people!

[stuart]

I have faith in the free-enterprise system. These hacks can't stay around long. I know one day seems like too long, but people will begin to find out and send their business elsewhere. My hope is that we can scale back the government and wake up as citizens. Check licenses, get references, etc.

Again if we don't stand together as an industry "one day" will be to long for many. I'm betting that if some kind of regulation was enforced tomorrow you would get more service work than you ever thought you were losing....

Having said that, I'm embarrassed to admit that I just checked on my contractors license number and found that it is expired!! I have to send in a check, and get my bond renewed! Thanks for bringing this up.

I only brought it up to help you remember 

[Chas]

I thought I said this in my post, but I left it out - hire only licensed contractors.

[hottubdan]

Minimum standards needed, at least.  Business license.  Insurance.  Workman's Comp.

[Chas]

Workers Comp only for employees. Owner-operator pays his own bills, trust me.