Throughout the course of a week, I listen to our blokes attempting to trouble shoot issues with our some of operators/customers over the phone. Of course, I did this for years myself but as I moved into a different role my interaction with clients becomes less and less.
When any new piece of equipment is purchased it’s critical that all training has been attended or video training have been reviewed, relevant workshop and operations manuals are read and fully understood by all who are using and maintaining the equipment. This is more so with a vacuum truck or trailer. Only trained personnel can use the equipment. Damage caused by untrained operators will be problematic going forward…
Should you have queries or issues with a new piece of equipment regardless of if it’s a VTS unit or another manufacturers, it’s important that you study all manuals and are familiar with the correct terminology of the operation and maintenance as well. Use these terminologies when describing the issue.
It goes without saying that only trained personnel should operate equipment and if there ever are issues it should be that trained operator that experienced the issue should also be the person communicating to the VTS regarding the issue.
Then, when you are attempting to explain what is going on or not going on, you are using the correct terminology which is clear and obvious to the person at the other end of the line. Back in the day I used to get the occassional joker on the end of the blower.
Er… g’day mate the thing on the front of the big tank is blowing stuff out of the red top thing?
Jeepers where to start with that one? Slow up a bit cobber! Turns out after 20 minutes of backwards and forwards it’s the secondary shut off and it was full of waste and the pressure relief valve was blowing waste out. Another good way to bypass the language barrier is to send photos of the issue or offending part.
Or how about this one… lets call him Darren.
Darren: Hey mate me the pump on this new truck you sold me a month ago is a piece of shit! It wont suck???!!! WTF?
Me: What is the problem other that its not sucking?
Darren: well it was OK yesterday but this morning it wont suck the skin off a rice custard.
Me: What happened between yesterday and this morning?
Darren: Bugger all its just a heap of shit…
Me: That’s not the case what did you do between yesterday and this morning?
Darren: We did a couple of sepos and then cleaned it outout and put it away, this morning it wont suck at all
Me: Cleaned it out? Opened the manways did ya?
Darren: You mean the thingos on top?
Me: Yes mate. You mean Manways. Did you close them correctly as per the manual
Darren: what manual let me check I’m sure there closed.
Long pause between now
Darren: mate the manways weren’t closed at all???!!!
Me: FMD! Close them, tighten them under vacuum and off you go mate.
Rod Glue
