The home heating oil industry has a long and proud history, and Fuel Oil News has been there supporting it since 1935. It is an industry that has faced many challenges during that time. In its 77th year, Fuel Oil News is doing more than just holding
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www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | MAY 2014 37 FON:What would you say is one of the more important personal characteristics in a good service manager? Cuprewich: Honesty — between you and your technicians and between you and the customer. If you try to trick a customer — sell them something that they don't really need — they lose that trust and comfort. Education is impor- tant, of course, but honesty is really the foundation of the trade. FON: What would you recommend to new technicians entering the industry to help them get ahead? Cuprewich: When I started back in 1980 the thing I did the most was cleaning. Day after day after day. I would do three or four maintenance cleanings per day, all summer long, and I would start to do air-conditioning and learn other aspects. To anybody being intro- duced into the industry now, it's not just about the old "dirty oil monster" that might be in the basement. There is new technology out there and everything is so technical, and it takes a special person to be able to learn. There is a great challenge now being able to fix that appliance and install that system. You are going to have to continue your education, but you are not just going to be stuck in a rut some- where you're going to have a future if you actually enjoy what you are doing. To me that is the biggest part of it — actually enjoying your work. FON: Do you believe the industry is doing a good job attracting new, quality technicians? Cuprewich: I think we are. A lot of it comes down to how we present ourselves to them. We run a convention every year and our Garden State chap- ter usually hosts one or two buses from Lincoln Tech. I watch these kids and they are amazed by the products that are out there, and they have so much interest in it—it's not just some old oil burner sitting on a table. It's much more of a challenge, and you have to challenge somebody in order for them to have an interest otherwise they feel like you're stuck in a rut. So, I think there are plenty of possible candidates out there and a lot of potential. As guys get older, and some of us are getting older here, these com- panies are going to need people. And, it's a trade that's not going away. Is it going to change? Sure. Maybe it doesn't rely as much on the oil but there are so many other aspects to it whether that's gas, air- conditioning, propane — that will offset it. You are still the "oil" company but you are doing so many other services because they are your account and you have your foot in the door already. FON: We discussed some of the changes in appliance technology, but the tools you use to do the job have gone through some technological change as well. Cuprewich: With the change in the appliances the types of tools we have to use have become more sophisti- cated and become more electronic and digital. It's not just some bulb that you are squeezing or needle you are look- ing at — you have to understand a lot more about how the tool is operating and that will correspond to you under- standing how that appliance is actually working at that time. That is all a part of it. Even using a regular amp-meter to figure something out, where years ago all you needed to know was if you had volt- age there. Everything has become more sophisticated and more expensive, but these tools can help you solve a problem so much more quickly and decrease your time on a service call. FON: Has life gotten easier or harder as a result? Cuprewich: If anything it's more challenging, I would have to say. But, if it got easier, it would probably be boring. l F O N By Keith Reid HVAC/ HydrONiCs