Home Services Guides
The AC dispatch checklist: what to know before you send a technician
Most repeat visits start at dispatch: the wrong technician, the wrong parts or the wrong address. Eight details prevent most of them.
The eight details
| Detail | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Symptom | Not cooling, not turning on, leaking water, noise or smell point to different causes and parts. |
| Unit type and location | Split, ducted or window; master bedroom or living room. It tells the technician what to bring. |
| Exact address and access | Building, flat, parking, gate or security instructions save the first 20 minutes on site. |
| Someone home | A wasted trip is the most expensive visit you make. |
| Urgency | A family with small children and no cooling in August is not the same as a noisy unit. |
| Previous visits | A recurring leak after last week’s service changes who you send and what they check. |
| Quote or warranty | The technician should know what is already agreed and what is covered. |
| Contact and language | Who to call on arrival, and in which language. |
Triaging urgency in summer
In peak summer, every AC call feels urgent. A simple three-level rule keeps the schedule honest:
- Urgent, same day: no cooling at all in an occupied home, vulnerable occupants, or water leaking onto electrics or ceilings.
- High, within 24 hours: weak cooling, one of several units down, or a leak into a tray or bucket.
- Normal, next available slot: noise, smell without leaks, or planned maintenance.
Write the rule down and share it with whoever answers WhatsApp. Consistent triage is fairer to customers and protects your planned maintenance visits.
Matching the job to the technician
- Skill first: a gas leak or compressor fault needs your most experienced technician; a filter clean does not.
- Then area: keep technicians in one part of the city where you can.
- Then availability: include travel time, not only the job length.
- Then parts: if the symptom suggests a part, make sure it is on the van before the technician leaves.
After dispatch
Send the customer the arrival window and the technician’s name. When the job is done, the completion record, photos and parts used should reach the office the same day, so the invoice goes out while the job is fresh. Our free AC service checklist covers the visit itself.
Five common dispatch mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dispatching on “AC not working” | The technician arrives without the right part | Ask for the symptom and a photo first |
| Sending the nearest technician to a complex fault | A second visit by someone senior | Match skill before area |
| No arrival window sent | Nobody is home, or the customer calls the office repeatedly | Send the window and technician name on WhatsApp |
| Ignoring the last visit | The same fix is repeated and fails again | Show the technician the history before they leave |
| Booking back-to-back across the city | Late arrivals all afternoon | Add travel time between jobs |
Frequently asked questions
How do we collect these details without long phone calls?
Ask for them in the first WhatsApp reply: area, symptom, unit location and a photo. Most customers answer within minutes, and the details are written down for whoever dispatches.
Should urgent jobs move planned maintenance?
Sometimes. Move a planned visit only after telling the customer and offering a new time, and keep a buffer in summer schedules for same-day urgent calls.