I work for a major comapany. I have over 25 years in this business.I have a service route of over 100 units spread over 90 miles. There is no possible way that I can get to half of the jobs and do proper maintenance even at a minimal level. Management is AWARE of this yet this practice seems to continue. We have over 35 other service mechanics in our dept. which have similar situations. Does this go on with any of ya'll out there?? Just for my own curious nature please respond. I have to remain anonomous for obvious reasons. How did it ever get to this point where profit seems to be the only objective? By the way, I just found out I will be getting 3 more new units off construction next week. At least I have a job. Signed, ????????????????????Impossible/frustrated..........

-- (), August 01, 1997

Answers

Dear Jammin'

Sounds like the industry in our area when I worked in the trade from '87 to '91. Sometimes we walked in the front door & signed in, strolled thru the building & signed out. That seems to be the new industry standard.......impossible to maintain without shortchanging the customer. Feeling very fortunate (hope my mechanics agree) to run a University shop, where there's no profit motive and thus no incentive to cheat on service. We have 4 route mechanics to service about 250 units (plus 3 mechanics for repairs). Though we certainly have to control costs and watch our bottom line, we don't have to charge customers for any service they're not receiving. What a concept ! The whole industry needs to do a turnaround on this issue but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

-- Patty Erickson (internet:erickp@fm.facm.umn.edu), August 01, 1997.

same

It's ther same way here in boston+area.Read July Elevator World article by Walter Brawn.The whole industry has become whoars.Customers are starting to wise up.At least here they are.

-- anonymously answered, August 09, 1997

lack of maintainance

Hi Johnny,

You say, "The customers are catching on". Yeah, maybe so, but as I see it, in a lot of cases the customers are as much at fault as the companies.

It seems to me that most customers are just shopping for the least expensive maintainance contracts they can find. I find it hard to believe that they really feel they can get the quailty of maintainance they got years ago when the more inportant thing was proper maintainance and not "the bottom line"

I don't think any company should sell "full maintainance" if they can't do the job for the quoted price. On the other hand a customer who buys a contract at a price that is obviously priced below what it will take to properly job the job is just burrying their heads in the sand.

It's a shame to have to work that way but it seems to be "the way things are" today. Sooner or later it will catch up with someone, just hope it's not us .

Dave Cremins

PS. Johnny... Are you still downtown ?

-- Dave Cremins (D.Cremins), August 10, 1997.

you're right

Hi Dave,i'm still downtown.You are right about the customers.they are constantly trying to cut.Lot of changes @ Beckwith.Some left otis to.Drop me a line .Hows retirement?Keeping busy?Take care.J.Rush

-- john rush (jrush10509@aol.com), August 12, 1997.

Try submitting green sheet with 40 hours of actual work instead of completed green sheet. This practice cannot continue if we do not participate or cooperate. We can institute but the International must address and implement an industry wide standard. Aren't the companies making us perpetuate fraud by deceipt? It doesn't take an attorney to know that fraud is illegal.

-- (basser@redrose.net), August 13, 1997.

100 hr a wk service route

I am a mechanic but to understand what has happened you have to be a bean counter or at least try to think like one. A route mechanic in Los Angeles typically carries $18-20,000 a month in service billing. That works out to 120-160 or more units depending on the type of equipment. His cost to the company w/truck insurance and ect is around $7,000 a month. The rub here is that you don't have enough control over your route to give minimal effective service. You are perpetrating a lie by getting a time ticket signed. If the company would change the contract wording so the customer were paying a retainer then the jobs that you could see every two months and do the service if you got a troublecall, say It would make everyone alittle happier and you might even have time to do some cleaning. What I see happening is more Government oversight with inspections occuring about every 6 months and with the elevator company being cited and fined for substanderd performance. That will shake out the companys that are after only profit. It might help the stress we all feel about our work. We can and should push the IUEC to get more involved.

-- Fred Baltes (Elman101@aol.com), August 31, 1997.

Service short change

Just picked up a new job on my route, 20 elevators no more than 45 minutes per unit per month. Five of these are 12 stop gearless tractions.Just had a good chukle over that one. Called our office and asked if it was a joke they said "we are'nt sure do you really need more time." Oh well just do what you can in the time they give you and after that they can call and complain that you are spending to much time on the job, when they do that you have ask them if they have ever seen an elevator. Oh the 5 traction cars are MP1200MDU U.S. and they can be good or very bad depending on the install(as always)So far so good.

-- D.C (camper684@cs.com), November 02, 2000.

First never get a ticket signed if you didn't do the job . I have found that alot of my customers will not pay the bill unless the PM ticket is signed maybe those are the jobs you shouldn't make it to. Seems to me the fieldmen are helping the companys out alittle. If we give in they win and when the elevator fails it's our fault and they have tickets to prove it. If everyone did there job everyone! you know who you are the companies couldn't get away with it .Everyone you don't make that wage because the company want's you to beleave me . And if your GOLDEN your turn will come. Also don't turn in billable work if you don't have the time to do your PM .

-- anonymously answered, September 01, 1997

100 units

I'll trade ya most of us out here on the West Coast are running 200 units.

Good Luck, Jim

-- Jim Collett (pattijim@redshift.com), August 17, 2000.

your luckly!

I have 167 units 29 traction 9 stops and the rest hydros covering the same area, I've become a great juggler!!!!!!!

-- bryce (beachman@home.com), January 15, 2002.

Response to '100 Hr service route for 40 Hr week'

I work as a lift engineer in the UK and laughed out loud when I read your message. I thought the US industry was much more professional than our own but now I realise it's probably pretty much the same everywhere. The only upside of doing too many hours is the money involved is generally excellent for good engineers. The problems in the UK stem from the low numbers of new apprentices taken on over the last 15-20years by companies who are only interested in profit. This is frustrating for those who take it seriously and want the industry to become more professional. There are moves over here to introduce training modules for electricians etc. to fast-track them into the industry, but it all strikes me as a knee jerk reaction.

Anyway, I hope things improve for you soon!

-- Lee (ljcooper@btinternet.com), June 24, 2002.

100 for 40-do ya one better.

From the info. I've received, Schindler is offering a $25/ month service contract, with 1 call free. I don't want to hear any comments, I heard the gory details from a state inspector who answered a building owner's complaint. Sad but true.

-- Steve (eastlion@pacbell.net), July 06, 2002.

100 for 40

In Ontario we are required to leave a log book in the machine room and sign it that we did such and such. The gov inspectors check this book when they do their anual checks. How does this compare to other places? I get the distinct impression that the rules are almost missing in some places out there.

-- hex (hex1073@hotmail.com), July 07, 2002.

IN RESPONSE TO 100 FOR 40:

I AM A NYC ELEVATOR MECHANIC...HERE WE AVERAGE ABOUT 60 UNITS PER ROUTE IN MANHATTAN, AND 80 UNITS IN THE OUTER BORO'S. THE INDUSTRY HAS DEFINITELY DECLINED IN QUALITY OF SERVICE OVER THE YEARS. HERE IN NY, THE REAL ESTATE MARKET DESIDES HOW MUCH THEY WILL SPEND, NOT THE ELEVATOR COMPANIES TELLING THE BUILDINGS HOW MUCH IT WILL COST. THESE BUILDINGS ARE GETTING EXACTLY WHAT THEY DESERVE, POOR SERVICE. THE OLD SAYING, " YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR." LET'S JUST HOPE THAT NO- ONE REALY SUFFERS FROM THIS LACK OF MAINTENANCE. THE CITY CRITERIA CONSTANTLY CHANGES DUE TO ACCIDENTS, NO ONE HAS STUMBLED ON THE REAL ISSUE. THIS ISSUE BEING THAT TOO MANY UNITS FOR A 40-HOUR WEEK, MEANS LESS TIME PERFORMING PROPER PREVNTATIVE MAINTENANCE. HERE IN NYC WE ARE GIVEN A STANDARD OF 1-1/2 HOUR PER CALL OR PER MAINTENANCE. THIS DOESN'T SIT TOO WELL, WHEN THERE ARE 11-ELEVATORS IN A BUILDING. WHAT CAN REALLY BE DONE IN AN HOUR AND A HALF?? BY THE WAY, THIS ALSO INCLUDES TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE JOB. SO IT SEEMS THE STANDARD HERE IN NYC IS NO BETTER, AND I THINK IT MAY TAKE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN ORDER TO AT LEAST BEGIN TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. MAYBE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN MAKE A MINIMUM CONTACT TIME WITH EACH ELEVATOR, ON A MONTHLY BASIS, AS PART OF CODE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH MAY BEGIN TO SOLVE THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS PLAIGING OUR INDUSTRY.

SIGNED, FRANK FROM NYC

-- FRANK DICARLO (FRANKBRENDA2000@AOL.COM), March 21, 2004.

I have changed over to Luna Elevator for some time now and I am so happy with the great service they provide. Professional honest and reliable contact them at 718 392 2480

-- frances Monica (mjciroc@netzero.com), May 04, 2004.

Honest????...Professional?????.....reliable????....someones got you fooled....I dont know of ANY elevator service company that can be called ANY of those tags.

-- dayle (daylebrenda@iprimus.com.au), May 05, 2004.

I just left the largest elevator company in the world. To many bean counters, and not enough time to remember what service is really about. It's really ashame! And, a theft on the industries part. Shame on all of them.

-- Peter Brown (Represez@aol.com), September 17, 2004.

the companies don't want you to finish each month, they want you on a 6 week or an 8 week month. all you can do is what you can do in 8 hours. do your best and no one can say anything. when the phone rings in the office, let your supervisor and your salespeople straighten it out. your customers will know its not YOU if you provide good service.

-- (kickyoass4fun@aol.com), September 18, 2004.

Hello, Here in Brussels in Belgium, we make contracts avce guaranteed result. The customer entrusts to us his apparatuses for one 20 years period. At the beginning of the entry into force of the contract, an inventory of fixtures is established and work necessary to the correct operation is completed. The company begins to ensure a perfect operation of the apparatuses with material given to nine and to maintain this state for one 20 years period. Only the technological development of materials does not take into consideration. After 20 years, a new inventory of fixtures is established and the customer can measure the effectiveness of our service. This contract is of the omnium type with guarantee of result, and that functions well. Marcel BAVAIS

-- bavais marcel (bavais.m@belgacom.net), January 17, 2005.