PSA News - Professional Service Association

Monthly Publication
Professional Service Association
March 2013
PSA News
The Association for Service Professionals
GE Sues Whirlpool, Other Suppliers for Parts Price Fixing
Feb 20, 2013 |
Associated Press
General Electric has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Louisville claiming it overpaid for a
component part in its refrigerators due to a price-fixing conspiracy involving competitor
Whirlpool and two European suppliers. GE claims the conspiracy began as early as 1996 to
inflate the price of compressors that help keep refrigerated foods fresh or frozen.
As one of the largest buyers of the compressors, GE says it was "a target and a victim" of the
conspiracy, hurting its refrigerator business. The company, based in Fairfield, Conn., is seeking
unspecified compensatory and punitive damages along with a monetary award three times the
amount of its damages. It also seeks an injunction against the defendants.
"As a result of the cartel, plaintiff has paid supra-competitive prices for compressors and has been deprived of innovation that
would have resulted in increased efficiency, as well as increased sales and profits, in its sales of refrigerators," the suit said.
The 79-page lawsuit was filed late last week in federal court in Louisville, home of GE's appliance business. Defendants include
Whirlpool and its subsidiaries that produce and sell refrigerator compressors.
Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool said it was reviewing the lawsuit and would respond in "due course through the
judicial process." The company's other brands include Maytag and Kitchenaid.
A spokeswoman for Whirlpool subsidiary Embraco North America Inc., another defendant, also said the matter was under
review.
"We are studying the lawsuit and have no comment at this time, except to say that Embraco does not believe that it caused any
harm to GE," the spokeswoman, Rosangela Santo, said in an email.
Other defendants include Whirlpool S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Whirlpool Corp.; Danfoss A/S, identified as a privately
held Danish company that supplies refrigerator products, including the compressors; and Household Compressors Holding
SpA, listed as an Italian company that sold the compressors in the U.S. during the alleged conspiracy period.
Danfoss and Household Compressors did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
GE said its plants in Louisville, Decatur, Ala.; Bloomington, Ind.; and Selmer, Tenn., used the compressors as part of production.
GE claims the defendants and two co-conspirators commanded about 85 percent of the U.S. refrigerator compressor market in
2008.
The suit says the conspirators agreed on a plan to allocate GE's business among themselves to avoid competing on price,
quality, efficiency and technology. The scheme included restricting or reducing supply to ensure inflated prices, it said.
In late 2004, one co-conspirator notified GE that it planned to increase prices by 11 percent, effective the following spring, the
suit said. About the same time, Embraco announced a 12 percent price increase, it said.
The suit claims the alleged conspirators violated federal anti-trust law by meeting to "discuss and agree upon future price
stabilization and price increases, customer and market allocation, supply restriction, innovation restriction."
It also claims the defendants committed fraud by making "repeated and material misrepresentations in their communications"
with GE. The aim was to induce GE into making purchasing decisions, it said.
Do You Deliver What the Consumer Expects When They Call You?
Don Holman, Mcap, CSM
PSA President
While reading a recent trade magazine I receive, I noticed an ad that said “You don’t get
paid to just show up and try”. So how do you fit in the above category?
Do you just show up and try, give it your best shot and then take a wild guess. Or do you
prepare yourself by taking advantage of all training opportunities you have available to you
and this applies to your technicians as well?
Today’s appliances have evolved to be very complicated and difficult to diagnose if you do
not have the proper training and skill set to tackle these challenges. Many of them are low
voltage controlled and even run on 3-phase converted power supplies as well as all other
possibilities in between. The old days of being able to troubleshoot with the basic tools and
meters have passed us by. Your knowledge of today’s meters and their usage and a full understanding of how today’s modern
appliances work is vital in keeping your skills up to date. There can be so many things that can go wrong with an appliance today and
failing to understand their control and operational characteristics can be embarrassing to you and can become expensive for your
customer. No matter the size of your company, we all have learning needs and opportunities available to us and this occupation
simply requires you to constantly up-date your skills.
Would you like to go to your doctor and find out he or she has had no training since he started his practice, or would you prefer
someone who stays on top of the modern medical trends and is better equipped to treat your malady. This would also apply to your
lawyer, accountant, pharmacist, dentist, auto mechanic or any other trade person who fails to keep up with the changes that have
come about in their industry. So why are you any different? The above occupations are simply different trades and you have chosen
a trade for your avocation. Your customers expect that you will have invested your time to keep abreast of the changes that have
occurred in our appliance industry. If you fail to obtain, maintain and improve this knowledge then you are cheating your customers.
Ask your parts distributor about training available from PSA and through them for basic technical as well as management training
opportunities. PSA offers these classes in the form of B.A.T. (Basic Appliance Training) and S.M.A.R.T. (Service Management
Appliance Repair Training).
Another note deeper in the same magazine said “Caring about details is what makes a professional different from the average
Joe Wrenchturner”. I believe that we are all professionals in this service industry of ours and it is the responsibility of each of us to
keep our skills updated, fine tuned and honed to be able to provide this level of professionalism. This starts with the core knowledge
of this industry and progresses through more in depth training to achieve a “Master Technician” ability. This cannot happen if you
fail to take advantage of training opportunities when they come your way, even if it means a little travel and time away from your
normal daily routine.
While we are talking about professionalism let’s talk about appearance. As a professional you should look the part. This means
proper personal grooming and a well pressed, clean uniform, identifying you as well as your company. You should also proudly
display any certifications you have obtained, but do not go so far as to look like a NASCAR driver. I am always amazed when I attend
a manufacturers technical training in my region and see the way so many of the attendees have decided to groom and clothe
themselves, t-shirts, worn out jeans, dirty and oily non-related caps etc. I would suggest you take a good look in the mirror and see if
you feel that you are presenting a professional and trustworthy image that justifies the rates we have to charge in today’s economy.
As a matter of fact, it is a good idea to carry an extra clean shirt in your service vehicle just for those times when a shirt becomes
heavily soiled early in the day. How would you feel if you went to your doctor or lawyer and he was dressed the way you dress for
your occupation? I really feel you would lose a lot of respect for him and his occupation. Do not forget that while in a customer’s
home you are always being watched, either live in person or on camera and you should always act accordingly. Are you aware that at
the turn of the 20th century a teacher made more money and commanded more respect in their communities than a doctor did. Yet
the doctors have turned this around and the reverse is now true.
The automobile mechanic had a serious problem with image and status until they went with the ASE ratings and they have in turn
made a big difference in their industry. While we are talking about image how does your service vehicle look? Is it clean and well
maintained on the outside as well as the inside, or does it look like you are competing for title of Sanford and Son knock-off?
How do you carry your tools? Are they in a pouch or tool box or do you carry a professional looking attaché style of tool case?
You are the professional and should look and act the part. Take care of the details and help raise the perceived image of the
“appliance service technician”. So do not delay, start now to take care of the details’ in your appearance as well as your diagnosis and
service of your customers appliances. Your individual action will not only benefit you and your customers, it will also benefit our
entire industry.
The following quote seems to apply in this case: “The really happy people are those who have broken the chains of procrastination,
those who find satisfaction in doing the job at hand. They are full of eagerness, zest and productivity. You can be, too.” ---Norman
Vincent Peale---
PSA Certified B.A.T. Training Program
Register Today for a Premium Training Experience
3 Full Days
Only
$425.00
Including Lunch each Day
Date:
Linda Knudsen, Mcap, CSM
PSA Official Appliance Technology Instructor
April 23,24,25 2013
Tues, Wed, Thurs
Time:
8am-4:30pm
Where: All Brand Appliance Parts
1530 East Race Street
Allentown, PA 18109
Day l-Basic: Electricity
Electrical Safety
Theory, Voltage, Amperage, Wattage, Resistance
Ohm's Law and application of Ohm's law
Alternating and Direct Current
Circuit Fundamentals, series, parallel, combination circuits
Electrical component operation and testing
Use of Test Instruments
Recognizing electrical symbols
Reading electrical schematics and diagrams
Diagnostic routines and troubleshooting
SPONSORED
BY
To Register:
Day 2- Basic: Gas
Gas Basics, Safety, Characteristics
Fuel Gas Code requirements for Gas appliances Gas
testing devices
Gas Ranges, operate and test components
Gas Dryers, operate and test components
Gas Water Heaters, operation and testing components
Go to www.psaworld.com and click on
Basic Appliance Training Registration
Or call PSA directly at
1-888-777-8851
Payment due at registration
Limited seating
Day 3-Basic: Refrigeration
The Refrigeration system
Refrigeration system components
Refrigeration system components operation
Fundamentals and application of refrigeration systems
Refrigerants
Troubleshooting refrigeration systems
EPA Requirements and Refrigerant Recovery



Send Your New Tech!
Send Your Tech That Needs Help in These areas!
Send the Old Guy Who Just Needs a Refresher!
71 Columbia Street
Cohoes NY 12047
Phone 1-888-777-8851
Is Your Web Site Giving You All of the Exposure You Need?
Free Webinar for PSA Members:
April 10th at 3pm (Approximately 45 Minutes)
The “Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization)” Loophole.
You’re invited to attend an upcoming webinar hosted by online marketing expert Phil Frost of Main Street
ROI, called: The Local SEO Loophole: How to Get Ranked in Google in Just 30 Days
You’ve probably been led to believe it always takes 6+ months (and thousands of dollars) to reach the first
page of Google… But that’s just not true!
On this webinar, Phil will reveal the 4 simple steps to reach the first page in your city or town in as little as
30 days!
Since 2010, Phil’s company Main Street ROI has helped hundreds of businesses get ranked in Google
using these proven techniques.
Here are 2 reasons why you should take advantage of local search engine optimization (“local SEO”).
1. Local Search Is Booming
According to Google, 20% of searches are for local businesses, 40% of mobile searches are for local
businesses, and 97% of consumers search for local businesses online.
2. Your Local Competition Is Weak
The vast majority of your local competitors are NOT following “local SEO” best practices. And as a result,
it’s actually easier than ever to gain first-page Google rankings.
Want to attract more local clients?
Don’t miss this special LIVE webinar presentation, just for PSA members!
Register for the webinar here: http://www.mainstreetroi.com/localseowebinar
What Is SEO / Search Engine Optimization?
SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” It is the process of getting traffic from the “free,” “organic,”
“editorial” or “natural” listings on search engines. All major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing
have such results, where web pages and other content such as videos or local listings are shown and ranked
based on what the search engine considers most relevant to users. Payment isn’t involved, as it is with paid
search Ads
Keeping Your CustomersBy Jim Campbell- PSA, MCAP, CSM
How would you feel if I were to call you stupid?
Every day, there will be a service technician who guarantee’s that they will
never return to a customer’s home when they question the customer’s
intelligence. It’s easy to do sometimes, and unfortunately many techs don’t
realize they are damaging their future. This can result from giving what you thought was a helpful and
experienced opinion to a customer.
There are a couple of snares that can get you if you’re not careful. The first one is your personal
perception of quality. Mentioning things like, “I hope you didn’t pay too much for this”, or maybe, “Why
would you buy this brand?, can put you directly at odds with the consumer. The second biggest mistake is
the ‘frequency’ subject. When a customer asks you if you see this problem often, and you reply, “Every
day”, the trap is set and you are in it. Your office CSR’s can also make the same mistake if they tell a
customer they “get this all the time”.
Just about every one of us considers ourselves to be smart and savvy shoppers and we will defend our
purchase decision and our intelligence to a fault. So, in walks a technician, an expert proven to be held in
high esteem in the eyes of many customers, and this “all-knowing appliance Guru” promptly declares your
purchase ‘stupid’. How would that make you feel? I can’t think of anyone who likes to have their
shortcomings pointed out to them or get their feelings crushed.
Truthfully, it is not the fact that they made a poor choice, they just happen to have a part which has
malfunctioned. I have found that for every appliance brand that breaks, there are scores which will never
require attention. Remember that we technicians only see the units that fail.
When a customer asks, “Have you seen this before?, a safer reply would be, “I see more appliances in a
week than most folks see in a lifetime. I have seen similar issues with all brands”. Whether you like it or
not, you are also a salesperson. You are selling yourself, your company image and your future by keeping
that product fixed and in the house.
You will not make yourself look any smarter by degrading the appliance you are working on. The simple
fact is that the customer is already questioning their choice because the product has stopped working. To
avoid looking like a bad decision maker, some will blame the dealer from whom they now will say: “they
talked me into buying it” and most will mummer “I will never buy a (brands) appliance again. If you are
doing work for a dealer or manufacturer, and most of us are, you will damage your relationship with them
by undermining their product.
If you find that you have inadvertently slipped into this trap, try a little disaster control by commenting on
how many features of the product you like and how you find that so many other customers like the same
features and how many of these models were sold in your trading area. This will help to minimize the
impact of your initial disastrous statements and will make the customer feel that they are at least not
alone in their decision making. You can also recover by additionally complementing the customer on their
choice of the other appliances in their home or some piece of furniture that they may have proudly on
display.
Remember, when you make a comment about a customer’s choice of appliances, you are also making a
statement about that customers sense of judgment which then almost always leads to the thought being
raised as to whether or not they chose the right service company.
After denial, Whirlpool admits microwave self-starts can occur
Feb 15, 2013 3:15 PM
Following a Consumer Reports investigation about microwave ovens that apparently started up by themselves,
Whirlpool Corp., maker of the KitchenAid KHMS155LSS, one of the
models involved, has done an about-face, acknowledging that such
malfunctions are possible.
Our recent investigation, "Microwave Mystery," cites dozens of cases
involving the KitchenAid KHMS155LSS, with many consumers telling
us about their mishaps, including waking up in the middle of the
night to find their microwave running and getting hot. When we
contacted Whirlpool in the process of our reporting, the company
said it had not been able to verify a single case of self-starting with
that model.
Whirlpool now says, "We have determined that it was possible for
certain keypads in this specific model microwave to develop
unintended electrical paths, which could cause the keypad to beep,
or very rarely, start the microwave oven." The company says it will offer a free repair to owners of the KitchenAid
KHMS155LSS.
Whirlpool contacted us after the article was published to explain that it did in fact have confirmation of a 2008 incident
in which a KitchenAid KHMS155LSS microwave turned on by itself and caused damage to the oven cavity. The change
in the company's position was blamed on an internal misunderstanding.
In the rest of the media statement, Whirlpool says:
"We conducted rigorous safety evaluations, and determined that this issue does not present a safety concern for
consumers because of the built in safety features designed to contain potential heat damage inside the unit. We
evaluate every report that is brought to our attention, and have not verified a single instance where a microwave selfactivated and caused heat damage outside the unit. We have reviewed this situation with the appropriate U.S. and
Canadian government safety agencies, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Ontario
Electrical Safety Authority. We are offering owners of this model microwave the option of a free repair, even if the unit
is no longer under warranty. We encourage consumers with concerns to contact us directly at 1-800-422-1230."
That statement is more in line with the one made by GE, which was also included in our investigation. GE
spokeswoman Kim Freeman said, "GE has investigated unverified reports of 'self-start' and found them to constitute
product quality, not product safety, concerns. Many have been determined not to be 'self-starts' at all." However, our
investigation revealed serious fires caused by both KitchenAid and GE microwaves. And the problem was not confined
to those two brands.
Whirlpool's offer to fix the KitchenAid microwave stops short of being a recall done in conjunction with the Consumer
Product Safety Commission. We contacted the CPSC to see how this new development might affect its ongoing
investigation into microwave safety, but the agency declined to comment, citing Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product
Safety Act, which limits agency disclosures.
We also followed up with Whirlpool to ask whether consumers who already paid to have their microwaves repaired will
get their money back. We are awaiting a response and will update you when we have more information.
Update
On February 21, Whirlpool responded: "There is no single reason why a microwave may require service. Each claim
is a unique situation, and is resolved appropriately for the particular set of circumstances. If any of our consumers
have questions about a past repair, we encourage them to contact us (1-800-422-1230) so we can look into the
matter to confirm their case was handled appropriately."
Is A Working Retirement in Your Future?
Planning to continue earning a paycheck in your later years? Here are four things to keep in mind.
Today, working in retirement isn’t a purely financial decision. Americans are living
longer, and in a world where the average 65-year-old can expect to live well into his or her
80s, what were once known as the post-work years have become the springboard for new,
fulfilling journeys—each different from the other. “Our whole concept of retirement is
changing,” says Bill Hunter, director, Personal Retirement Solutions at Bank of America
Merrill Lynch. “People want to stay vital.”
While everyone’s goals and circumstances will be different when it comes to work and
retirement, it’s also a fact that continuing to work will affect your assets and may require
new, careful strategies for managing your income. Here are some things to think about
when considering working into your later years.
New careers come with new startup costs. Perhaps retirement is your chance to
transform an interest or a passion into part-time work. However, that transition can come
with a price tag, and it’s best to be prepared for it in advance—ideally while you’re
employed and outlining what your income and spending needs will be during your
retirement years. You may realize, for example, that you’ll need additional training or
education. Hunter notes that taking classes or training sooner might give you a better
sense of whether you want to spend the next five-plus years doing what you had in mind—
and whether your new job would be a viable option in today’s economy.
Francesco Mollo
7 Roszel Road Suite 400
Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: 609 243 6854
Email:
[email protected]
If your plan involves starting a business—such as opening a store—you also need to consider capital costs. It may be
harder to get a small-business loan after you’ve retired because you’ll likely have fewer working years ahead of you to repay
the money. But there are other options, and currently interest rates are low, making money cheaper. One option is to open a
low-interest line of credit while you’re still employed. Another is to borrow against your securities. Hunter cautions, however:
“If you want to start a business in retirement and are considering a loan, you should ensure that the money is not also
supposed to be used to fund your necessary expenses in retirement.”
Consider both public and private sources of capital as well. Bank of America’s network of 1,000 small-business bankers
across the country can connect you to a number of public and private organizations that help startups get off the ground,
including state and federal agencies and community development organizations. New, innovative forms of raising capital, such
as crowd funding sites that help you find large numbers of small donors, often without giving up any equity stake, can also
prove useful—particularly if you’re planning to start a nonprofit enterprise or a venture related to the arts.
If you expect to be at least age 59½ when you launch your new venture, you can tap IRA funds, minus applicable taxes on
the withdrawals, for startup capital. (Earlier withdrawals would be subject to ordinary income taxes and possibly additional
federal taxes.) Hunter cautions, however, that your startup budget shouldn’t depend on funds you’ve set aside for your
baseline retirement income needs, based on what you’ve worked out with your Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor.
Relocate with an eye toward your work life. The best places to retire may not be the best places for your new business.
There are many reasons to consider relocating in retirement: warmer weather, being closer to children and grandkids, and
lower property taxes, to name a few. If working in retirement is a priority for you, remember that location can have a major
impact on expenses and quality of life. There are states that offer low unemployment, high job growth potential, a lower cost of
living and a favorable tax environment—but they may not always be the best place to pursue the type of postretirement career
you’re considering.
As Hunter notes, many retirement locales heralded for having no state income tax generally have higher sales and property
taxes, and there may be municipal taxes to consider as well. If your local taxes are high but you want to stay in the same area,
he suggests considering moving to the next town over or relocating just across a state border as one option—provided that
you discuss any such change with your tax advisor ahead of time.
Rethink when you take Social Security. If your new paycheck allows you to delay taking Social Security, you should
consider it. Postponing Social Security payments can significantly boost your available retirement income when you most need
it. More than 80% of Americans elect to take Social Security as soon as they become eligible, at age 62, Hunter says. But there
are several reasons to delay. For every $2 you earn above the annual earnings limit ($15,120 in 2013), $1 in benefits will be
withheld. This continues until the year when you will reach full retirement age—now 66 or 67, depending on when you were
born. At that point, the formula changes: $1 in benefits is withheld for every $3 of earnings above $40,080, until the month
prior to when you actually reach full retirement age. (Once you do reach full retirement age, nothing will be withheld, no
matter how much you earn.)
Even if you earn less than the threshold amount, you may be better off waiting if possible, Hunter observes. Each year you
delay, your total benefits could increase by as much as 8% per year until age 70, when you earn the maximum. For example, a
man who expects to take home $1,955 per month at age 62 can increase that to $2,607 by waiting until age 66 (his full
retirement age), and to $3,441 if he delays until 70. “That’s a huge difference,” Hunter says.
Take a close look at your insurance needs. The cost of health insurance rises with age and changes in health status. That
means it could well be a significant expense, especially during the years before you turn 65 and qualify for Medicare. If you
retire from your primary career before then and work independently, you’ll need a plan for covering your medical and dental
insurance. COBRA coverage may be available through your current employer’s health plan; if so, you may be able to purchase
as much as 18 months’ worth at a lower premium than what you’d pay if you were buying on the open market. If you plan to
work elsewhere, do your research and look for companies with generous benefits packages, or else negotiate opportunities so
that health care compensation is part of the deal.
Many retirees choose to consult with the companies where they were working full time; Hunter suggests discussing with
your company whether current health care benefits can carry over into part-time compensation.
Make sure to assess any other insurance needs and budget for them. A job that requires a lot of physical effort (such as
running a farm) or travel may require insurance that takes such things into account. “You need to have health care, disability
insurance and maybe long-term care insurance to make sure there isn’t a health event that could have a catastrophic effect on
your wealth or portfolio,” Hunter says.
The key is to make sure you go into your second act with “eyes wide open,” he adds. That means looking at how the various
aspects of your proposed plan affect one another. Your Financial Advisor can help you run through the scenarios you may be
considering and show you how various life changes could affect them so that you can create a strategy that makes sense for
your situation.
“View each decision as part of another decision,” Hunter says. “Work with your Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor to get you
thinking about how they all tie together.”
NOMINATIONS FOR
APPLIANCE SERVICE HALL OF FAME
Know a person (or group) who has developed an innovation, or accomplished something fantastic for our industry?
In technology, manufacturing, design, packaging, or something else appliance related which has revolutionized our
industry?
Know someone who has made an unrecognized contribution which dramatically improved the lives of our
customers, our industry or the environment?
Feel free to think outside the box.
It's finally time for these people to be recognized, but we need you to do it. This is your chance to have a say in
who you think deserves to be honored for what they have done for our industry.
To make your nomination, write a background review on the nominee outlining his or her contribution and why
you feel that they should receive this recognition. Send your nomination to PSA at [email protected] and it will be
sent to the review committee for consideration at the NASC 2014 convention.
PSA’s National Flat Rate Pricing Guide
PSA Flat Rate Program – PSA has developed a flat rate pricing program that is easy to use and is 100%
flexible to meet the service company’s needs. It covers all brands both standard and premium brands in one
program and allows the user to adjust rates according to local market needs. You can print out as many
books as you need as often as you need for your technicians at no additional charge.








Improve your profits and cash flow
No monthly payments
One program meets your needs for any number of technicians
Print as many copies as you need at no additional charge
One program will cover both standard and premium brands
Change your rate on demand to meet local conditions
Modify you rates to run specials during slow periods
The program uses the resources of a national trade association to determine job codes and time requirements
PSA Member Price
$99.95
Order online at www.psaworld.com - Member Tools
Or 1-888-777-8851
The Best Technicians in the World Are Certified Technicians
Are You One of Them?
Prove that you are a Certified Professional
Certifications offered at the present time include the following;
M-CAP—Master Technician Appliances - T-CAP—Technician Appliances
CCS—Consumer Specialist - CSM—Certified Service Manager
Become one of the industry’s Certified Professionals
Call PSA at 888-777-8851
3-D printers shaping up as the home appliance of the future
In his State of the Union address, along with the standard calls for education reform and energy
independence, President Barack Obama gave a shout-out to a growing technology. In a lab in
Youngstown, Ohio, the president said, “Workers are mastering the 3-D printing that has the potential to
revolutionize the way we make almost anything.”
When Brook Drumm saw clips from the speech at his home outside Sacramento, Calif., he wanted to
reach through his TV and give the president a fist bump. Drumm, a bald, goateed father of three,
designed the Printrbot, a desktop 3-D printer kit. Like a number of other 3-D printers, it uses heated
plastic — applied layer by layer to a heated bed by a glue-gun-like extruder — to turn designs created on
a computer into real objects.
As Drumm illustrated in the Kickstarter campaign he used to raise more than $830,000 to start his
business just more than a year ago, the Printrbot is small enough to fit on a kitchen counter next to the
Mr. Coffee. “The goal for the company,” Drumm said in world-beating tones, “is a printer in every home
and every school.”
The technology for 3-D printing has existed for years, and Obama was referring to its applications in
manufacturing. But there is a growing sense that 3-D printers might be the home appliance of the future,
much as personal computers were 30 years ago, when Dick Cavett referred to the Apple II in a TV
commercial as “the appliance of the '80s for all those pesky household chores.”
Like computers, 3-D printers originally proved their worth in the business sector, cost a fortune and
were bulkier than a Kelvinator. But in the past few years, less expensive desktop models have emerged,
and futurists and 3-D printing hobbyists now are envisioning a world in which someone has an idea for a
work-saving tool — or breaks the hour hand on the kitchen clock or loses the cap to the shampoo bottle —
and simply prints the invention or the replacement part.
Bre Pettis, the chief executive officer of MakerBot, the New York-based company leading the charge in
making 3-D printers for the consumer market, has seen how the technology already is being applied. “We
have stories of people who have fixed their blenders, fixed their espresso machine,” he said.
But for all the excitement surrounding 3-D printing, there is still a significant gap between its potential
and the current reality. The 15,000 or so early adopters who have bought a MakerBot printer are mostly
design professionals or hobbyists from the maker community, not homeowners who still have trouble
programming the remote. And the things being printed still tend to be trinkets such as toys, key chains or
just colorful pieces of plastic in amusing shapes.
Since many of the parts used in today’s major appliances are made of plastic
there may be a potential use for servicers. This device could print no longer
available plastic parts like range knobs, plastic shelf retainers or any of the
many plastic parts we use every day to keep our customers happy. Who
knows, there may be a 3D printer in your future
PSA Service Library for 2013 is Now Available
The 2013 version of the PSA Service Library is now available. This new version comes to you in the form of a 32GB Flash Drive complete with
appliance service information and also with HVAC products included. The 2013 version contains 65% more information than was included on
the previous 16GB version. The cost of this valuable tool is still the same as last year at $99 per Flash Drive.
Since we provide you with the data free of charge, what you are paying $99 for is the cost of the 32 GB flash drive, the time to compile and
develop the program plus the shipping and handling of the library all of which we have to pay for. The data alone is worth thousands of
dollars if you were to obtain it from the providers.
Because of the size of the library it will only be available on the flash drive. It would require 8 DVD discs to hold all of the information and
would be more costly ( 8 X $15 =$120) and more cumbersome to handle then the $99 flash drive were you just plug it into the USB port and it
runs right off the flash drive.
Another new feature this year is the model number search engine to help speed up locating the correct information for the product you are
working on.
Just think how impressed your customer will be with your professionalism as
your technician accesses technical information right in her own kitchen as
the repair progresses.
Just think about the time saved in completing the service on each call. Just
think what that will do for your productivity and improved profits.
Not only does this library provide many of the popular brands of appliance
technical information but for those of you who also do HVAC, the library
includes technical information on furnaces, boilers and central air
conditioners by make and model numbers.
Brands included are ADC, Amana, American, A O Smith, Apollo, Asko,
Blodgett, Bosch, Crosley, Dacor, DCS, Electrolux, Fisher/Paykel, GE, Girbau,
Haier, Hatco, Ice-O-Matic, Kenmore, LG, Manitowoc, Maytag, Miele, Oasis,
Rheem/Ruud, Rinnai, Samsung, Scotsman, Sharp, Speed Queen, Sub Zero/Wolf, U Line, Viking/Wolf Plus HVAC brands like American
Standard, Carrier, GE, Goodman, Lennox, LG, McDonald Miller, Peerless, Trinity, Weil McLain, York and many others as well.
The library also includes training materials and service bulletins in both appliances and in HVAC to bring you up to date on the latest
technology in order to give you an edge on your competition to perform at a level your customer will be impressed with and refer you to their
neighbors.
So, if you have been dragging your feet about joining PSA, this is a benefit worth many times over the cost of your membership. PSA is
always working for you to make you more professional, efficient, knowledgeable and profitable.
Don’t delay another minute, sign up today and take advantage of this fantastic offer. You can enroll on-line at
Don’t be left behind
www.psaworld.com.
...Join PSA Today!!!
Stay tuned for the upcoming announcement of our
next NASC convention date & location!
www.psaworld.com