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How do you handle technician scheduling during peak seasons?

Mike Dolan

HVAC peak season is here and my dispatch board looks like a accident scene. We're already running 60 hour weeks and I'm still turning away jobs.

Currently have 12 techs, normally handle 8-10 calls per day per tech. Right now we're at 14-16 and quality is starting to slip. Callbacks are up.

What actually works? I don't need theory, I need something I can implement Monday morning.

Specifically:

  • Are you using temporary/contract techs? Worth the training overhead?
  • Overtime vs hiring — where's your break-even?
  • How do you prioritize when everything's "urgent"?

Also — anyone using the new bulk assignment feature that shipped last month? Saw the announcement but haven't had time to test.

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  • Mike, we've been through this exact scenario. Here's what actually moved the needle for us:

    Contractors are worth it — but only if you have a 2-week onboarding checklist. We learned the hard way that throwing them at jobs day one creates more callbacks. Now we pair every contractor with a senior tech for 10 jobs minimum.

    Priority framework that actually works:

    • P1: No heat/AC + vulnerable customer (elderly, infant, medical equipment)
    • P2: No heat/AC, standard conditions
    • P3: Maintenance, upgrades, non-critical

    Dispatch has authority to bump P3s by 48 hours without manager approval. This alone reduced our daily chaos by 40%.

    Re: bulk assignment — yes, we're using it. Critical tip: sort by zip code first, then skill match. The default sort wastes 20 minutes of drive time per day per tech.

  • in reply to Gwen Albright

    P1/P2/P3 — simple. I like it. Who makes the call on "vulnerable"? Dispatch or do customers self-declare?

  • in reply to Mike Dolan

    Dispatch makes the call based on notes in the account. We added a custom field for "Priority Flag" — values are Medical Need, Elderly Household, Infant Present, Standard.

    CSR asks during booking. Dispatch can override if the situation's obvious (90 degree day, customer clearly distressed, etc).

    The key is don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Better to err toward over-prioritizing in June/July than have someone in hospice without AC.

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  • in reply to Mike Dolan

    Dispatch makes the call based on notes in the account. We added a custom field for "Priority Flag" — values are Medical Need, Elderly Household, Infant Present, Standard.

    CSR asks during booking. Dispatch can override if the situation's obvious (90 degree day, customer clearly distressed, etc).

    The key is don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Better to err toward over-prioritizing in June/July than have someone in hospice without AC.

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