WE MESSED UP (IT HAPPENS)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- Mistakes happen, and how we learn and grow from those mistakes is the important part, in the end all was well.
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You said it right. Coaching moment. Instead of just yelling at people about what they did wrong. Good management skills.
Good managers correct employees in private and praise them in public.
Nothing wrong with maintaining a high standard of excellence. I like the idea of these training videos . Training was seriously lacking when I was learning the trade . Of course integrity is indispensable in any of life’s endeavors.
There are two types of employees doing such job: one that needs to learn better and one that needs another job. Good boss is the one that can tell the difference.
We all make mistakes, we're only human. But, if one learns from his (or others mistakes), it's good. And it's a good practice to admit to those mistakes.
Also, there's a reason we don't wrap stranded wire and use designed connectors. Not only it provides better connection, but look good. One of my "fears" is someone someday looking at my work and thinking to himself: "what a botched job...".
In my opinion as a master electrician and a short period of 7 years in refrigeration, I have always enjoyed your vids. You are a true craftsman and your high quality work is impressive to say the least.
A lot can be learned about a person when things go wrong. Not so good that a person did that standard of work but how it's handled makes a difference. Chew the guy out, have him leave and at the next job do the same, or make it a learning opportunity. I still occasionally hear of instances where a sparky has screwed up royally and burnt the wiring, including the lead-in (think about that!) and then said 'It just burned up' and blamed it on an equipment fault. Take responsibility for your screw-ups and learn from them.
As an Electrician, while using a connector is Best Practice for terminating stranded wires, it is possible to safely wrap them around a screw terminal IF you do it correctly...
Part of the trick is to tightly twist the strands together so they stay braided as the screw is tightened down, as long as all the strands are trapped under the screw flange, it's good...I've done that for years and never once had an Inspector scream at me for it nor have I ever had to go back and fix a fault caused by strand-and-screw connection failure...
IMO, owning up to a mistake and telling the customer that your company did wrong does nothing but give your a better reputation. They'll see that you're willing to own up to everything and to make things right without additional unnecessary overages. Maybe they won't see it the same way I do, maybe they will.
Thanks Chris! The trick is to strip your stranded wire,then strip a small piece of the jacket and pull it to the end of the wire to hold the strands together,100% acceptable .Try it youll like it
If you do that, however, you really need to keep a set of really fine flat wire cutters to snip off the length sticking out of the screw. I just take a little longer to make sure it's twisted right, then tighten slowly. I don't do it enough that the extra 10 seconds eats up too much of my life.
Learning moment for me: Make sure that your level is working correctly. I was using a cheap one where the tube has become misaligned, only noticed it because the person standing behind me said he sees a slight angle.
13:45 - I had previously typed that same advice, and then decided against it because I changed my opinion on the matter. I am in full agreement with you. Crimp terminals cost a few cents per unit, and if I were in your shoes, I'd insist on their use as well. ESPECIALLY in a vibration-prone area, because it's easier to torque down on a crimp terminal than clamping down on copper strands that compress and squeeze out under the head of a screw.
Good on you for showing the mistakes, and showing us that you corrected them. Kudos for eating the cost as an honest businessperson! (Customer retention is crucial!) You could have just as easily swept this under the rug, handled it solely in-house, and none of your 160k+ subscribers would be the wiser. Actually, it would have been easier to hide it, because you spent time and effort recording and editing a video. Mad respect!
Having been a Supervisor and Assistant Manager before, I've found your method is the best - addressing the employee's errors can be either a negative experience or a positive experience, it all depends on the approach. If you make corrections confrontational, your employee is on the defense from the beginning, and less-receptive to that correction. If you approach them in a friendly, yet firm, manner, you're much more likely to get positive results - especially when done in a method that is also supportive and encouraging. You can actually INSPIRE employees to take pride in their work if you show them that you care about their quality of work and want to help them improve. Positive reinforcement can be quite a powerful motivator.
I'm not going to say which method - coaching or yelling - is more apt to build a strong rapport, encourage high morale and mutual respect across the team, and lead to a higher overall success rate. It's rather self-explanatory, isn't it?
I 100% agree, thanks for the nice words !!
I will discuss this on my livestream on TH-cam this evening 4/24/23 @ 5:PM (pacific) come on over and check it out th-cam.com/users/liveg7_emG3FE1E
My boss is like you. When I made a mistake at a customer that was gonna take an hour to fix he said I have to make sure that the customer doesn't get billed for that hour (I was doing the whole days work there so could easily had just billed the whole day). He still pays me for the time which is nice.
He has to pay you for your time it's illegal not too, it's not nice. Simps man
Great video, Chris. Sounds like not only are you great with equipment, you're great with people too. You sound like a really good person to work for and learn from. I really look forward to your videos.
I'm 100% with you. That is a bad install. That install is really really rough. I would not allow that to pass inspection
I like your Teaching style. It is sad today that not a lot of Businesses see things like you shown in this video. Quite a lot of the time it is a race to the bottom of price which breeds sloppiness and I'm glad that take your time and put in your effort even though you may pay a little more overall for the service but that comes with getting someone who is trustworthy and maintains good standards. Yes the employee made mistakes but if you talk to them and they improve, then all the better for you and your company. If the Employee doesn't improve over time then it is time to let them go but I'm glad you didn't throw them under the bus. Besides I always learn better from my mistakes as I don't want to make them again and I want to be always learning.
Honest guy which is nice. You have someone you trust to expand your company. But you're owning up to the mistake of someone else and fixing it at your cost. Finding honest owners is becoming harder to find these days but I support your channel bc you are.
I know it doesn't apply here but most techs don't know that on multi belt setups it's not just same part number belts. High quality belts are measured after manufacturer and on multi belt setups you should use marched size belts
hey.. it happens.. but now it is a teaching moment. as for the fan pulley alignment... there is a real inexpensive tool that does a good job at aligning pulleys.. its about $20 its callled the Hog Slat Laser Fan Pulley Alignment Kit.... I use it on my poultry houses when I have to replace motors and pulleys and try to realign things. it is 2 things one is a laser and the other is a target and they are made so they fit in the groove of the pulleys... it's cheap, simple, small and it works.
I remember my first boss telling me something along the lines of. If you dont have time to get it right the first time we certainly don't have time to come back and do it over a second time. Take the time the first time so there isn't a second time.
Wish I could work for someone like you, great perspective as an employer!
I wish our company gave us as much time as needed for a job to make sure its done the best. They are more interested in cramming as much on our plate as they can in a day.
Great video Chris. I have learned a lot from your videos. Did not know about using the connector for the stranded ground wire. Thanks for sharing.
Sometimes things happen and as a training purpose its good to have some issues from time to time and admit the fault to have some corrective actions.
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I put stranded wire on screws all the time. I'm very careful about how I do it. That said, there is NOTHING wrong with your insisting that you always use a crimp connector. It's your company, and you want a consistent appearance. You also CARRY the crimps that you use on a regular basis. My crimp connectors are all in my workshop - I don't carry them with me to various customer sites unless I know I'm going to do that. (I'm an IT consultant)
So, thumbs up on the insistence on a consistent behaviour, especially when it was that messy.
You can use the level if the fan isn't level as a gauge for making the motor and fan shafts parallel. You put the level on the fan pulley and see where the bubble is. Then you put the level on the motor pully and align so the bubble position matches. I have a high precision level that measures to 0.0001 of an inch made for working in machine shops that would work better and more precise, but your eyeball will be very good with the average level.. Just match the bubble on both pulleys. Yes, the straight edge is the trick for pulley elevation alignment. Even if the pulleys are different thicknesses you can hold the straight edge on the higher (thicker) one and then use your eye or something else to measure the distance the straight edge is away from the lower pulley forward and aft on the pulley. If the distance is the same you're lined up. Just a little common mechanical sense.
Chris..... honest and perfectly said, and with that mindset as you know that is how you keep your customers, and happy customers at that. Great video as always.
Thanks for being honest and sharing this video. Excellent fix.
Hey Chris I always enjoy your video’s always educational and focused on quality work
I work on all types of exhaust fans and motors and alignment of pulleys and belts can be a pain
Good job and work ethic Chris.
Amazing video. Thanks for sharing.
Im a flo aire distributor captive aire basically in south texas we have altered to direct drive motors
At 8:39 you have your straight edge resting on the pulleys. As an alternative, you could change the position of the straight edge so that it is sitting on the belt, behind the left pulley and in front of the right pulley (check status of level), then in front of left belt and behind right belt (and check status of level) (should be exactly the same as the first section of this test, but will show up any misalignment of the motor relative to the fan shaft). This way you can check the actual level of the belt, regardless of the thickness of the pulleys. Have you ever considered this????
Geeze what genius installed that motor? I agree, occasionally things happen beyond our control, but call-backs are unacceptable when it’s caused by poor quality work.
You made it right with the customer and taught the employee so they'd know how not to make the mistake in the future. You have a customer who knows you'll do right by them and an employee who is now better at their job. Other than the time you had to spend doing that, it's kind of a win/win. Mistakes are going to happen. This is how you handle them. A very good manager told me long ago that they never found yelling at somebody ever improved their future performance. I've practiced that myself since. Even on occasions when I've had to fire somebody, it's been a calm discussion usually with the employee agreeing it wasn't the right job for them in the first place.
we all make mistakes.. as long as nobody is harmed and we learn from it its no problem at all.
Two thumbs up to you Chris.
you did align it in the other video. i just saw it. My guess is that the bearings you changed is not tightned enough. Anyway it is good that you take responsebility for yor work.
Chris, is it possible that the fan sunk a littlte bit and that this lead to the misalignment?
The eyechrometer :D
using an dial angle finder would work(cheap) or digital to check angle of blower shaft(between bearings) and set motor shaft to match or the sheave at 90 degree offset. 😁
leave the level for other things, on the ground, indoors, etc. probably nothing remotely close to level on a roof, due to being installed by eye and sagging with age.
Perfectly handled IMO... I'm in two minds about whether to send a tech out for a callback or attend it in person. I can come up with pros/cons on either side. I guess it really depends on the relationships between the customer and the business, and the employees and the business - Probably not a single-solution issue.
Great stuff as always!
Lol I always make it to the end of the video 🤪..
I am not going to say anything coz I been in your shoes an know EXACTLY how you feel!! Customer is happy? That’s all that matters..
Too bad that the motor mount doesnt have slots instead of mouting holes.
You handled this beautifully! Awesome post!
Wrapping a wire can be for quickness for testing and return with a crimper tool or eyelet
Stranded wire should not be wrapped on a screw. It does not create a good, solid bond. Every strand that is not secure is more load potential to the other strands to handle. It's just not how stranded wire is designed. That could lead to larger problems electrically. Thankfully it's a ground and not as significant in the short term but it could create a ground failure when it was needed. I fully support your way of managing your staff in coaching them vs being a hard-ass about it. If I lived in Cali, I'd apply for work with you lol. We're similar in how we approach our work
Or did the fan drop?
Mistake happens,but it depends who make the mistake,if it is someone who have a experience,this is not good,
Movie trailer voice: in a perfect world...
Awesome content 👍🏿
When the pulleys aren’t level You can use an electronic level on your phone to check level on both of those pulleys. The electronic level is not as good as a spirit level because it can easily be that the sensor inside is crooked and so all the readings are off.
However the electronic level will show you how far off the pulley is from level in decimal degrees. So if you measure parallel on both and get the same reading then they are tilted the same amount and so are aligned.
The easiest way to get a bubble level on android is to go to the search box and type bubble level (or use voice search) and it’ll show one. There are apps too but they are crapware and filled with ads.
Kudos
If those bearings have run dry...they are toast...they will survive longer if you don't grease them now.
thats all fear for him good one chris
On point, sir!
Dont be like me if a bearing sounds bad replace it i had one fall apart on me mind you it was on a scooter not an exaust fan but still great video also
That was too funny. You put a level on the motor well the motor is not level. I talk to the video put the level on the other sprocket. Well the entire fan is not level. Called it LOL Do not take it as an insult just engagement.
they still aren't level.
use a tube with water in it best level made
Those adjustable pulleys suck.
someone's gonna have a bad day
You did a good job fixing your employees mistake, but that was such a hack job, did anybody even teach him the basics before letting him go at it alone?
Never use a plastic level throw that in the bin 🚮
what a bunch of screw ups! 🤣🤣
clowning 🤡 around of course, poo happens and not a human on earth is perfect.
We get educational benefits, peace of mind......and some of the peeps out there....sexual gratification.
That kid literally did nothing right on that job..
This is why union training is so important. Jabronis are out here doing work like this for $20 an hour so companies dont want to pay professionals prevailing wage. I hope youre a union shop.
Finding employees that care as much as you do is almost impossible. Good on ya for showing an issue
With the way he cares for stuff, I don't think one exists anywhere in any field of work!
We do exist, I happen to be one of those. I wish there were more as well. Sloppy apathetic work with no regard for the company and customer drives me absolutely insane.
@bairfamilyfarm1336 what Greg said, we're out here, just very few of us 😢
finding companies that care about their employees is harder...
Why should an employee care as much as an owner? Does he get paid the same and have the same benefits and say over how things are run? People like you want to pay someone 50k to build your dream for you with their hard work
If my boss was going to call me out on a subpar job I'd want it to be like this. My boss honestly probably doesn't even know how to do most of our jobs let alone properly. Shop life hits different. Thanks for the tips on keeping equipment in fighting shape.
I have the same exact problems at the shop, I'm the lead tech so all the mistakes come to me.
Job wasn't great kitchen extract everyone wants it back on ASAP hence mistakes happen
I will discuss this on my livestream on TH-cam this evening 4/24/23 @ 5:PM (pacific) come on over and check it out th-cam.com/users/liveg7_emG3FE1E
To add insult to injury on the fan ground connection, it appears that the wire is wrapped counterclockwise around a screw that tightens clockwise.
Thanks Chris I’m glad you showed the mistakes.and that you didn’t yell at the guy that goes a long way towards loyalty to the company.
How do you know he didn’t yell at the dude?
@@gnasty30 he said he didn’t in the outro
@Andrew Galvan Im not the yelling type of boss, no sense in waisting that much energy , I will discuss this on my livestream on TH-cam this evening 4/24/23 @ 5:PM (pacific) come on over and check it out th-cam.com/users/liveg7_emG3FE1E
For smaller motors....i use one of those cat/dog lasers. I set it in the belt groove and line it up with the center of the other pulley. It works great. I'd also recommend using Polaris connectors instead of wire nuts.
Yeah your tech messed up....but we've all messed up....so like you said....its a teachable moment. If you don't screw up.....do you even HVAC bro. Lol.
You stole my idea! I have used the little hobby lasers for years,I made some pully jigs from so old double and triple Bando belts. I set them in the grooves and line up the centers!
@Peter Smart lol.....great minds think alike....errr....guess i got lucky...cause you are smart...im just lucky. 😆 🤣 😂
@@jasonjohnsonHVAC no,your smart and a good mechanic! 99% of my succes is from common sense,I only finished 8th grade in school,then got my GED.I love to figure out better,easier ways to do things!
I love the kind but firm management style. Need some reassurance when I goof up, and also the motivation to do better and stay up to standard. Very educational!
@6:25 The Code Nitpick in me wants to remind you to use RING terminations for ground, NOT forks. Forks can slip when Motors vibrate. But either is a VAST improvement on loose stranded wire.
Seen that too many times where guys wrapped stranded wire around a screw. It has to be a screw that can handle stranded wire. You always wrap clockwise with solid wire on a screw. Had to work on too many things live and the wire has popped off the screw and grounded to the box. And yes there are times I had to work on circuits hot because they could not be turned off. Critical care circuits, Emergency circuits, and circuits that were uninterruptible power supply circuits.
Wouldn't it be better to use ring terminal and toothed washer for that motor grounding connection?
Agreed. Been my experience that forked terminals tend to spread as the screw is cinched down and can work loose over time if there's vibration. Rings don't have the issue but do take some extra time as you have to remove the screw. Granted I've seen ones where the screw was captive so couldn't be spun off so had to use forks, and forks are great in terminal blocks where they're contained from spreading, but for most terminal posts like that, rings for the win.
I will discuss this on my livestream on TH-cam this evening 4/24/23 @ 5:PM (pacific) come on over and check it out th-cam.com/users/liveg7_emG3FE1E
Learning moment is right. Your ethics are likely a large part of why people follow you, even if we're not employees. You didn't blow up at your employee, you took it as a coaching moment. Shows how competent a supervisor you are.
For the motor to pulley alignment (side to side), you might want to try an old woodworker's tool / trick called "Winding Sticks". You would set one across each pulley and they serve to magnify the twist between the two pulleys, letting you see the misalignment more easily. I might also be tempted to take some older or broken belts and make adapters to hold a simple laser pointer in alignment in the groove, to help you check alignment.
Can recommend Easy-Laser XT190 easiest I've used so far to do belt alignment.
Don't know if they are available for purchase in the USA.
Nice that you show when it doesn't work then a good way.
Yeah that's unfortunate, the alignment would have been painfully obvious once the belt was on, the set screw, it was drilled into me early on to use a little lock tight blue (glue stick) on all set screws. The ground connection whole not ideal, is definitely the minor of the errors here.
There is an unfortunate cycle that happens over good employees. Most employees are just that, employees. They do their thing to the best they can but need monitoring and occasionally pulling up. On a rare occasion your come across a guy who is really good, turned on, attentive, highly able and a pleasure to have around, getting things done above and beyond. Exactly what you the customer wants and needs. The Good guy is who you call out whenever you need work done. Problem is everyone else also wants the Good guy because he is just what they want too. So, the Good guy becomes hard to get because he so much in demand. Also the Good guy has a bit more about him and wants to have his own business. The Good guy sets up his own business, everyone uses his new company so they get the Good guy doing their work. The business gets too busy for one guy to keep up so the good guy takes on an employee. You end up hoping that when someone turns up to do your work it is the Good guy because he does a better job that his employee. The business grows and the Good guy stops working so much and ends up managing his business and troubleshooting for the not so good employees. The loyal customers drift away when they no longer get the level of excellence and they begin to look around for a new really good guy who is working his way up. And the cycle continues.
You’re OCD they said. Work in the Service Industry they said. 😂 I can relate.
At the bare minimum you gotta do the job with the intention of not having to come back, aka do it right the first time, I don't want to have to go back out again and I sure don't want the boss to have to fix my mistakes.
Good work is hard to find, I have a pool company and between service electrical and cleaning pools the guys will try to skip steps if don’t stay on top of them. Nobody seems to have the standard I’ve maintained myself… is it because it’s not there company and they just simply have no “connection” ? 🤷🏻♂️
It may be beneficial for techs to take pictures of their work for your approval.
Ive been doing this 40 years and i have never found an employee who gives a crap avout the work they preform. Ive went through probably 30 employees over the years so i finally just gave up jand decided its easier for me to work 7 days a week 15 to 18 hour days. That way i dont have to worry about call backs and i kniw the job is getting done right the first time. I have 20 years left so i will stay the course and when its time to retire ill have put more then my time in and i can retire with no regrets. Its too bad people these days dont take more initiative in the work they do and do the absolute best job they can accomplish. I know when i was young i made mistakes but when you continue to keep having b the same conversations on stuff you know its not going to work out.
Bearing replacement on these guys is a Nice profit. And it helps the customers equipment last longer. And while you’re in there you might as well power wash the wheel. All add-ons that increase profit for you and longevity of equipment for the customer
I wish you were my boss. I'm in residential for a small company. Half of my calls are tune ups and the other half are diagnostics. I do a near perfect job. ...up until I start getting rushed.
When I rush, somehow, I always, *always* leave something behind. Or I forget to put the locking caps back on. Or I forget to put the wires on the dual capacitor and have to turn a breaker back on after it trips. Just *something.*
I never have callbacks on the jobs that I take my time on, but the ones that I'm pressured to complete the diagnostic in under 45 minutes or the tune up in under 30 minutes bites.
If I'm not getting coached on going too slow, I'm getting coached for sloppy work and call backs. It's a lose-lose situation.
Actually you can't be a Shady Contractor and charge them for fixing this because there's a good chance one of the Employees watches your videos and the moment they see this one, the jig is up and you're out a Customer who might just make a Complaint to whichever Government Agency regulates your business...
Not shaming anyone, but I’ve never figured why people land stranded wire directly on screws, I always find it to be too difficult to keep it contained so I find it easier to put a connector on it (it’s worth the extra 2 minutes)
Great video Chris. Way to use a mistake to help teach an employee. So many people are quick to throw them under the bus or make them look bad, but no you in this instance. This is what puts you a step above and a good person. Well done sir.
It's almost like the tech? doesn't have much if any knowledge of simple mechanics or electrical. I learned about which way to put a wire on a screw when I was 8. Well, & you can use stranded wire under a screw if you tin it 1st. Into the proper hook shape.
Great video, I like how you do things and I would work for/with you because of you work ethic and moral compass.
Shit happens
1:47 and it was wrapped the wrong way/direction. it should be wrapped clockwise following the turn of the bolt/screw.
Finding employees in general is difficult these days… trialled a kid today who said to me at the end of the day, he would not be able to work past 3pm…ever..😅
We have an old timer that determines the size of that adjustable sheave and substitute s an actual fixed pulley...belts last longer and it's easier to align the belt.
Not only not using stranded wire under a screw but the wire must be wound clockwise so the screw pulls the wire under the head as it tightens. Good calls.
Perhaps you could show us the actual Teaching Moment that you used for your guys?