Is there any company out there actually doing service anymore? Are we just a callback service now?

Yes...

We started in 99 as a three man shop. We are now the largest employer of IUEC members in the state. Just good old fashion elevator service. Clean it paint it make it run and the customers will come. You can be the cheapest or you can be the best. Best is better.....haaaaaa

We simply take callbacks. The company is all about money money money. One of our guys opened the door on a Miprom 21. He said he saw the puddle of water on the floor but didn't think about it. The ductwork had a lot of condensation on it and yep, some drops hit the card racks shutting the unit down. Manager tried to charge the customer. Another guy fixed it for about $20, a new input card and a fuse.

The companies are taking the industry in the wrong direction. Used to be we tried to take care of our customers. Now all the company want to do is find a way to bill the customer. Greed greed greed.

Danzeitz glad to here yall are doing it the right way. +1

Agreed the companies are taking the industry in the wrong direction, or is it the (un-)natural flow of current economics? This has been the slow slide for about the last 10 years or so. Customer relations between the route mechanic and the bldg. contact person is a big part of what needs to be cultivated and nurtured for the overall "service provider" relationship to work even if somewhat. The office doesn't see the customer in the same light as I do, and as was said, it seems the office has been instructed or coerced (by the suits) into trying to charge for nearly everything. Obsolescence claims on older products are at times unfounded, and it's up to Mr. Customer to believe us or not. That's their business, but the trouble is...I become an unwitting partner in the scheme, and that's where we part. It's a sad day when guys with 15 years to go are wishing "they could retire" citing office shenanigans as a birthing point of their wish to go early. As we see more of the decent office managers who came from the field retire, the situation will deteriorate even more I believe. Well, times getting short, that's all I've got on this one for now, and I'm not really sure what even compelled me to write.
Have a good day gents and work sake. And remember...you can only do what you can do in 8 hours no matter what they say.

Sounds like that myth called pride. I'm sure you remember when you were more then a payroll number. When you felt like the boss was your friend and not a means of getting or losing a bonus. So if you find yourself discusted, frustrated or even a little disappointed with the direction in which you see things are going. It's ok to vent it hear, many of us likely feel the same.

Now if you are your own boss! There's not much to say...

Interesting point about pride. Some of us in the industry still have it if just but a fragment left. In 10 more years it may well have become a myth. We do our best to not only do the job the best we can, we are (read I am) the advocate for the customer when needed, and then we (read I) switch to the companies defense when yet another customer seemingly wants to take advantage of them. Cah-ray-zeee stuff. I do remember what it was like early on. I had a co-worker tell me recently my problem is I remember what it used to be like. Dayum...he's right!
I, just like every elevator person wants to finish the race, integrity intact, and knowing I did as well as I could with what I knew, and what I learned, and how I put it all into practice.
And hey JK...the best part about all that disgustedness?...we endure and continue on, if only for but 24 more months. YEEHAWW!

Another thing that gets me is all of the deaths. I've been at this for almost 3 decades. I can't recall ever seeing so many injured or killed as I have in the last few years. Lack of experience? Complacency? Not enough time and in a hurry? I don't know.

I see a lot of newer people, probably gonna ruffle some feathers here, that are simply yes-men and will not stand up for what is right. One-man repairs, cutting corners on repairs and the infamous temporary fix that goes unaddressed.

BRG probably more likely with the explosion in media, we are hearing a lot more about places we never would have before. A lot of the fatal accidents seem to be in foreign markets, the lack of codes there is rather astonishing at times.

Great example, elevator worker was impaled by a piece of rebar in Taiwan. The barricades were made of.....yep, rebar tie wired together...

At least now I see that it's not just in my area. I offen wondered if it was going on all over the country. Glad to know I'm not alone in my frustrations with so many of these issues. thanks guys.
In a refreshing light. Our area just had a small signatory company come in. They are taking contracts from the big three,left and right. They are doing things the old ways, the right ways.

I'll play devil's advocate, I've been on both sides.

Customers and driven prices down significantly by only signing 1 year contracts to keep vendors on their toes and rolling groups of buildings into "national accounts". Less money=less service, parts and longer response times.

The majors have to compete so they make cuts in parts and the most expensive cost, labor, to meet investors expectations. The problem is the elevator industry is fairly stagnant so less investors will buy stock.

What other heavy equipment service industry has "full maintenance" contracts? Eventually customers will drive a major to cut full maintenance contracts and the rest will quickly follow. Call me crazy but my guess is Otis will try it first now that Carrier is running the show.

Maybe with the customer fronting the cost of repairs the company will hire more people to meet demand.

I'm seeing a lot of comments here where people are quick to put the blame on the companies... It's a handy excuse for poor workmanship but the unfortunate truth behind it is that everyone who made those comments works for those companies.

Your supervisors and managers can tell you anything they want. They can pressure you into doing whatever gets them the biggest bonuses... And they will. They'd be stupid not to, really...

But, after reading through the previous posts of the guys who are so quick to pass the blame to the companies, they're mostly union members. They're my brothers in the IUEC. And, if their supervisor said they had to do a 12 minute maintenance visit (and I'm sure that narrows down which company I'm working for) and they thought they needed to spend more time than that to do work they'd be proud of, I'd stand behind them in any way I could. And I hope, for the future of our union, that their local brothers would stand behind them in this as well.

The companies can't be blamed for our poor work. They're here to make money. That's what they do. But we're here to build and maintain elevators; to keep the public safe; and to teach our apprentices to do the same. If you can't figure out how to either stand up to your supervisor, or just cheat their game, in order to get that done, then give your BA a call. He'll tell you which night he hosts union meetings and you can find a brother there that will help you do your job the way it should be done.

Work safe. Keep the public safe. Show the younger generation what it means to be union strong (because they desperately need it now). And never be afraid to stand behind your brothers, the work they do, and the future they're creating for the rest of our trade.

Confused you make some good points. At the end of the day I wouldn't do any work I was not proud to say I had done. On the other hand no company is going to give you 12 weeks to install a two stop hydro with chromed conduit! There has to be a balance between Quality and profits. I also see where people post that the equipment is 30 years old and should be modded. But that's what we do!! We keep older equipment running that's our bread and butter. When I started the only elevators that were getting modded were the old car switch type. Not because we couldn't keep them running but paying for DC power and an operator was to costly to building owners. If you cant read straight line prints, compound a generator, or adjust load weighing and set floor stops on mechanical selectors you need to get educated before the old guys are all gone. The companies will make sure the solid state equipment is forced out by cutting off supply to boards but we as a trade need to be the ones to have the answers to keep older equipment safe and running. The old relay logic controllers will never call the companies and get reset by a remote headset wearing operator! If you cant see the handwriting on the wall get someone to read it to you. Thanks Dan

Hi everyone.... i'm a new member and found the site while looking for some info. I've just been reading your comments on this thread... am i right in thinking you are in the states? I'm in the UK but reading your comments the industry here seems to be going the same way... such a shame as i have worked in it for many years and loved it.

I'm from the states but have talked to elevator men from around the globe and its the same story when it comes to the majors. It has been a race to the bottom where price vs quality has been the goal. But there may be a glimmer of hope. Our company is the largest employer of IUEC members in the state. And now the majority of our local is now employed by independent companies!!!! I can only hope that these new companies supply quality service like we do and let the majors fight over the owners that chase the cheapest price. I have been told by people from all over that you couldn't do that in New Your or Chicago (be a quality maintenance provider that is higher cost than the majors) But the same was said of St. Louis when we started here and then in Kansas city. We were contacted by the customers who ask us to come to their city because they needed better service. And it is happening again in another city in another state! So there is room for Quality companies in every major city. Hospitals and hotels, airports cannot wait a month or two for their special elevator motor to be replaced. Are for a machine shop to make contacts for their controller. These are things companies tell their customers when the part is in Adams parts book and could be there the next day! So you can be the cheapest or the best but rarely can you be both. So my vote is to be the best.