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1.0 Standard Troubleshooting Approach (S.T.A.)
1.1 Why a Standard Troubleshooting Approach?
Service prices are basically set by local industry and geographic region. Stiff competition in the service indus-
try has made it difcult to raise the price of a service contract; or charge more for time and materials than the
competitive shop down the street. If your service business is to be protable you must control the overall cost
of service. The total cost of service is made up of many individual cost factors, but three in particular are more
important than the rest combined:
1. Time of Repair - How long it takes to nd and x a problem.
2. Time Between Failures - How often you are called to repair any one particular hot tub? How many times
are you called back to x the same problem on the same hot tub?
3. Parts Usage - Except in rare circumstances, only one part fails. How many parts do you replace before you
nd the bad one?
This S.T.A. manual has been designed to help you control the overall cost of service by focusing on the three
important aspects of your job outlined above. The S.T.A. will help you x your customer’s hot tub quickly, x it
well, and use fewer parts.
1.2 How to Use the S.T.A.
The S.T.A. was developed by the Technical Support Department and is designed to be the communications link
between you and your customers. If you call for help on any symptom covered in this book, you will be told to
do what the S.T.A. recommends, therefore, you will save time by calling technical support after you have done
what the S.T.A. tells you to do.
1.3 Professional Customer Service
Doing your job in a way that keeps cost of service low and prot margin high also creates customer satisfac-
tion. That’s being a professional!
1.4 Before Leaving the Shop
Phone the customer(s), personally if possible, and ask what problem(s) should be corrected. This may not tell
you what work must be done or what part(s) must be replaced, but it will tell you what you must x after you
arrive.
1.5 Fixing the Hot Tub
Use the S.T.A. to see how the Technical Support Department would approach the customer’s complaint. Try to
x the problem following the S.T.A. Use your experience and other information to help you answer any “Whys”
or “Hows.” The S.T.A. is designed to keep unnecessary part replacement to a minimum. Least expensive, most
likely, and easily changed parts are always swapped rst. Some parts, like control panels and temperature
sensors do not require complete installation to be temporarily swapped out for testing purposes. You should
carry such spares as “Tools.”
1.6 Before Calling Technical Support
Make sure you have followed the S.T.A. and lled out a “Troubleshooting Data Collection Form”
(refer to example on page 63). Have the S.T.A. manual and the Troubleshooting Data Worksheet
near the telephone. Technical Support can help you best if these two things become the communica-
tions tools for the phone call.
1.7 Before Leaving the Customer
Even if you didn’t have to ll out a Troubleshooting Data Collection Form, please do so. If this is a warranty
repair, the information will be needed when your ofce lls out the “Warranty reimbursement form.” In any case,
it will help you spot trouble before it happens. Pumps burn up if voltage at the hot tub is too low. Circuit break-
ers trip if heaters and motors draw too much current (Amps). Wires overheat and connections burn if wire size
is too small or push-on connectors are loose. Call backs cause cost of service to increase!
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