We Can Be Your Local Dealer
The GenTune Code:
- Do right by the Machine.
- Tell it like it is.
- Protect yourself and crew.
- Care for your paying customers.
- Look out for your company.
- Get the job done!
As an engine/generator technician and a representative for a local dealer for over 25 years, I have sometimes been placed in some pretty hot situations involving multiple parties and obligations. Over time I found myself following a sort-of unwritten set of rules that combined technical aspects, chain of command, and payment flow to assist me in my decision making processes. A few years ago I boiled down all the many separate rules in to six general guidelines and arranged them in order of importance. The guidelines towards the top of the list take precedence over the ones that follow, creating a chain of priorities. These priorities help simplify the decision making process when the situation starts to get sticky.
Now that I am an independent operator I find the code to be an invaluable tool in directing my attentions in the correct manner and order to insure that the machine, the customer and the company are all properly served. This is not always easy. If you were to look at a large installation job, with multiple parties involved such as: the engine, the generator, the transfer-switches, the switchgear, the controls, the support systems, the selling dealer’s service department, the selling dealer’s sales department, the various equipment manufacturers and their local representatives, the purchaser, the design engineer, the electrical installation contractor, the mechanical installation contractor, the general contractor, the inspector or inspectors, and the end user after installation is complete; you can see there is plenty of room for conflicting interests between the parties.
The Code simplifies my course of action by demanding that each item on the list be fully satisfied before moving on to the next item. If an item cannot be satisfied, the code allows me to decline the job, or stop work on the job until a satisfactory resolution can be attained. This approach will sometimes ruffle a few feathers, but the end result is that the completed installation is done correctly by all parties the first time; thus providing the end user with the highest quality installation at the lowest overall cost to all parties involved.
You may have noticed that I referred to the engine, the generator, and other equipment as parties, just like the other people involved. I believe that they are. I believe the primary job of the on-site technician is to interpret what the machinery needs, and then act as its representative in negotiations with the other parties. On a custom engine or generator set installation the machinery has no voice, but it does have needs that are defined by the laws of physics and must be met. In many cases these needs are absolute and not negotiable. The other parties must be aware of what they can and cannot do if the long term value and reliability are to be realized.
If this process cannot be accomplished, then it is very likely that the completed installation will have long-term and expensive problems for the end user. This outcome could lead to failures, expensive repairs, or warranty claims in the future. Representing the machinery in negotiations with the other parties gives the machinery a voice, allowing the other parties to make more informed decisions, thus leading to better installations with more value for the end user. Satisfied customers usually come back, unsatisfied customers never do.
The code also applies to situations long after the installation is complete by directing my attention to identify and address the existing problems rather than cover them up. There are many machines in service that have not been installed properly. Often making a repair to a recurring failure does not always correct the underlying inadequacy that causes it. The code helps me to see beyond the perceived problems and suggest corrective actions that will solve the actual cause of those problems, or at least make the customer aware so he can properly plan counteractive maintenance.
The main advantage I have over other vendors is my experience and my independence. I have been the primary commissioning technician on well over 1000 separate installations. I have seen practically every mistake that can be made. If you hire me to investigate a problem with your system, I will do so and tell you where your problems are in an honest and up-front manner. I have no previous history with the sale, and I will not try to cover up problems that you want solved. If I am unable to diagnose your problem without specific technical help, I will say so and hire the necessary assistance. If your problems are beyond my ability or outside of my area, I'll tell you that too.
Thank you for considering GenTune LLC.