WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.859 That change now, you look at changing A2L, 00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:05.799 and I got to smile just a little bit because 00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:09.740 like, wow, this feels a lot like back then when 00:00:09.740 --> 00:00:13.660 everyone was worried about 410A. Right. And then 00:00:13.660 --> 00:00:17.100 you get curious, you go through that change curve, 00:00:17.219 --> 00:00:20.039 and then you get comfortable. Yeah. ESCO Learning 00:00:20.039 --> 00:00:23.300 is now on the go with the HVACR Learning Network 00:00:23.300 --> 00:00:27.140 app. Access your courses, learn on the go, chat 00:00:27.140 --> 00:00:31.530 with community, get updates. and more. Keep your 00:00:31.530 --> 00:00:37.030 HVACR learning journey moving. Visit hvacr .elearn 00:00:37.030 --> 00:00:45.060 .network or scan the QR codes below. All right, 00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:46.840 everyone. Thank you so much for joining us once 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:49.840 again on Did You Know? The ESCO Age Fact Podcast. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:52.899 So we are spending some time at the National 00:00:52.899 --> 00:00:56.219 HVACR Education Conference working with our industry 00:00:56.219 --> 00:00:59.359 partners to improve education and training for 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:02.500 our entire industry. And I am just blown away 00:01:02.500 --> 00:01:06.439 with how Daikin is supporting this effort, supporting 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:09.140 the conference, supporting training and all. 00:01:09.659 --> 00:01:12.420 Sorts of new initiatives from Daikin. So today 00:01:12.420 --> 00:01:14.319 we're going to introduce you to David Hutchison, 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:17.719 the new VP of Technical Services, North America 00:01:17.719 --> 00:01:20.000 for Daikin. And David, thank you for joining 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:21.840 me today. Thank you for having me. You know, 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:23.280 we spent some time getting to know each other 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:26.060 a little bit in the expo the other day, and you've 00:01:26.060 --> 00:01:28.879 got a very extensive background in the industries, 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:32.260 but also as that technician as well. Right. So 00:01:32.260 --> 00:01:35.280 tell us a little bit about like. your history 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:38.319 and how you got into the industry and then we're 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:40.519 that way we can start diving into like what is 00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:42.260 going to be the mission for like technical services 00:01:42.260 --> 00:01:47.140 going forward sure uh so in 1988 i'm a curious 00:01:47.140 --> 00:01:49.540 kid in a lawnmower shop and a part -time job 00:01:49.540 --> 00:01:53.120 at sears there you go and a manager came up one 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:55.620 day and said if you like it you want to be a 00:01:55.620 --> 00:01:59.200 technician yeah and so yeah so i worked myself 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.180 through college uh being a technician for sears 00:02:02.180 --> 00:02:05.579 back when sears had 10 000 technicians yeah had 00:02:05.579 --> 00:02:09.379 their own entire army yeah sears university was 00:02:09.379 --> 00:02:12.939 huge i was immediately in atlanta for two weeks 00:02:12.939 --> 00:02:16.240 yeah learning small engines but then cycled through 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:19.259 through many other products and so when you were 00:02:19.259 --> 00:02:22.919 a sears technician in the early 90s your route 00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:28.889 was not all HVAC. It could be lawnmowers, laundry, 00:02:29.330 --> 00:02:33.930 refrigerators. And so you had to learn many of 00:02:33.930 --> 00:02:37.150 the different products inside the home, in the 00:02:37.150 --> 00:02:40.530 attic, outside, in the back 40, fixing a tractor. 00:02:40.610 --> 00:02:44.409 That's true too. Yeah. So there are some fundamental 00:02:44.409 --> 00:02:47.250 service practices that are across the industry 00:02:47.250 --> 00:02:49.449 and across the product. And that was probably 00:02:49.449 --> 00:02:51.409 the greatest learning as I worked myself through. 00:02:52.139 --> 00:02:54.180 through the University of South Florida, where 00:02:54.180 --> 00:02:58.020 once I graduated there, Sears gave me a unique 00:02:58.020 --> 00:03:03.389 set of opportunities over 27 years. the end of 00:03:03.389 --> 00:03:06.330 the story was vice president southeast region 00:03:06.330 --> 00:03:10.169 but in between there was the normal progression 00:03:10.169 --> 00:03:15.849 tech manager general manager rgm did some roles 00:03:15.849 --> 00:03:18.330 in the home office from service quality one of 00:03:18.330 --> 00:03:21.009 the first six people in the company selected 00:03:21.009 --> 00:03:23.250 it through the six signal black belt program 00:03:23.250 --> 00:03:27.909 trained as a master black belt and then one of 00:03:27.909 --> 00:03:31.300 the hvac related opportunities is i ran the national 00:03:31.300 --> 00:03:34.919 service organization for hvac where we integrated 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:38.000 the technical technical workforce and with the 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:40.139 sales workforce which is what the industry does 00:03:40.139 --> 00:03:42.879 anyway yeah so the sears caught up uh decades 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:46.300 later sure and that's where we learned that that 00:03:46.300 --> 00:03:51.449 service as a lead source is is the number one 00:03:51.449 --> 00:03:54.169 way to drive a sales organization in the residential 00:03:54.169 --> 00:03:57.650 arena. And then that's when I finished as the 00:03:57.650 --> 00:04:00.389 regional vice president. But unfortunately, Sears 00:04:00.389 --> 00:04:04.110 declined, was in the news over and over. Home 00:04:04.110 --> 00:04:06.610 Depot had been calling for some time. And so 00:04:06.610 --> 00:04:08.830 I went over to Home Depot, and what an experience 00:04:08.830 --> 00:04:12.509 that was. I ran the entire exteriors and home 00:04:12.509 --> 00:04:15.930 sales division. So if it was roofing, attic insulation. 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:20.319 front doors, windows, siding. I had a 2 ,100 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:23.660 % commission salespeople in the home. And that's 00:04:23.660 --> 00:04:26.000 where I learned the sales side of home improvements. 00:04:26.139 --> 00:04:29.519 And after a couple of years, I was having some 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:32.980 conversations with Kahn's Home Plus. If you don't 00:04:32.980 --> 00:04:35.959 know Kahn's, they were a Southeast -based retailer 00:04:35.959 --> 00:04:40.339 that was 137 years old, based out of Beaumont, 00:04:40.439 --> 00:04:42.639 Texas, and then went over to Houston and to the 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:46.079 Woodlands. I was their vice president of... of 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:48.480 repairs and then also started a home improvement 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:52.079 division with them unfortunately they went bankrupt 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:55.720 yeah last july and i got a lead yeah through 00:04:55.720 --> 00:04:58.079 uh some folks that are currently with it yeah 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:01.319 industry partners and then uh fast forward here 00:05:01.319 --> 00:05:05.389 i am very cool so all the way from Technician 00:05:05.389 --> 00:05:08.870 in school all the way through VPs of multiple 00:05:08.870 --> 00:05:12.810 different aspects of industry, right? All the 00:05:12.810 --> 00:05:15.370 components that make up, you know, the mechanics 00:05:15.370 --> 00:05:21.189 of structures. And I'm very, what is the word 00:05:21.189 --> 00:05:25.949 that I look for? I'm very passionate about understanding. 00:05:27.230 --> 00:05:30.910 the mechanical engines as well as like anything 00:05:30.910 --> 00:05:33.750 else, right? Anything mechanical. But I don't 00:05:33.750 --> 00:05:36.589 know. It just seems like when we are drawn to 00:05:36.589 --> 00:05:40.670 things like engines and you learn that process 00:05:40.670 --> 00:05:43.709 of internal combustion, when you move into air 00:05:43.709 --> 00:05:45.310 conditioning and refrigeration, that process 00:05:45.310 --> 00:05:50.089 of internal compression stays really that whole 00:05:50.089 --> 00:05:52.529 process, right? Because in internal combustion, 00:05:52.750 --> 00:05:57.459 we are transferring gases. right we're using 00:05:57.459 --> 00:06:00.680 liquid and vapor and and we're we're doing a 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:03.240 mechanical process and we're changing it elementally 00:06:03.240 --> 00:06:06.579 wise but in refrigeration we're not changing 00:06:06.579 --> 00:06:09.459 the element but that whole process of compression 00:06:09.459 --> 00:06:12.420 we still work with and so i'm the same way right 00:06:12.420 --> 00:06:15.620 so i spent 16 years part -time working at autozone 00:06:15.620 --> 00:06:18.019 while i was a refrigeration technician because 00:06:18.019 --> 00:06:21.769 one i absolutely loved engines and automobiles 00:06:21.769 --> 00:06:24.689 and b i got a 20 discount on parts for all the 00:06:24.689 --> 00:06:28.069 junk vehicles that i owned so i think they go 00:06:28.069 --> 00:06:31.290 hand in hand like many of us in the trades are 00:06:31.290 --> 00:06:33.790 when you when we say that we are a technician 00:06:33.790 --> 00:06:35.629 that really kind of just means like we're a mechanic 00:06:35.629 --> 00:06:40.149 and we have a curiosity and an interest in just 00:06:40.149 --> 00:06:43.990 mechanics in general and so sometimes uh particularly 00:06:43.990 --> 00:06:47.000 like with students they may not recognize that 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:50.519 if I already have an interest in mechanics, like 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:53.220 the industry might be right for me. Right. So 00:06:53.220 --> 00:06:55.839 do you see, what do you see as like challenges 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:58.560 within our industry that we need to address and 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:02.040 face over this next few years? I would say there. 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:06.160 Definitely in labor. And I would go back to the 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:08.879 comment on the gasoline engine. It's still a 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:12.480 transfer of energy from a liquid state that's 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:15.920 atomized. You extract the energy and you expel 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:19.259 it through exhaust. So you look at the gas cycle 00:07:19.259 --> 00:07:22.000 of HVAC. It's just contained in a sealed system. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:29.899 So labor is the key. AI has the new frontier 00:07:29.899 --> 00:07:33.009 that we'll all be a part of. the hem of in -home 00:07:33.009 --> 00:07:36.230 experience but in the end it's still going to 00:07:36.230 --> 00:07:38.509 be a person it's still going to be wrenches and 00:07:38.509 --> 00:07:40.990 probably an ipad yeah we know an ipad there's 00:07:40.990 --> 00:07:42.490 going to be some kind of technology there yeah 00:07:42.490 --> 00:07:46.350 and and it's it's both diagnosing customers and 00:07:46.350 --> 00:07:49.250 solving solving them and walking through that 00:07:49.250 --> 00:07:52.149 that methodical approach of fixing the customer 00:07:52.149 --> 00:07:54.089 first the brand second and the product third 00:07:54.089 --> 00:07:57.110 yeah uh teaching those skills as well as the 00:07:57.610 --> 00:08:00.829 building the labor in the workforce to make sure 00:08:00.829 --> 00:08:04.949 that there's enough to meet the demand. AGVAC 00:08:04.949 --> 00:08:09.709 is unique in many ways, and it's the current 00:08:09.709 --> 00:08:13.009 labor shortages, but the manufacturers like Daikin, 00:08:13.050 --> 00:08:17.529 we cannot train enough ourselves in the workforce 00:08:17.529 --> 00:08:18.649 to meet the demand. I don't think any of us can. 00:08:19.290 --> 00:08:21.870 But then together, maybe you look at you look 00:08:21.870 --> 00:08:24.149 at who's here and you look at over a thousand 00:08:24.149 --> 00:08:26.209 people, you look at those schools that are represented. 00:08:26.389 --> 00:08:29.810 Yeah, this is the only path to be able to create 00:08:29.810 --> 00:08:32.789 and fill that labor shortage. And to see the 00:08:32.789 --> 00:08:35.210 the interest and the curiosity in the room and 00:08:35.210 --> 00:08:40.570 the educators here is is. renews my optimism 00:08:40.570 --> 00:08:44.809 for the industry as this is the path but the 00:08:44.809 --> 00:08:47.769 technology challenges that are that are entering 00:08:47.769 --> 00:08:51.230 into the industry around uh internet of things 00:08:51.230 --> 00:08:55.190 uh connected homes uh inverter process new a2l 00:08:55.190 --> 00:09:00.809 refrigerants is we as an industry need to look 00:09:00.809 --> 00:09:04.440 at it as the funnel you've got Me in 1988 learning 00:09:04.440 --> 00:09:06.340 how to fix gasoline engines, that's happening 00:09:06.340 --> 00:09:08.720 every day in the schools. We need to make sure 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:10.840 that they're exposed to the new technologies, 00:09:10.980 --> 00:09:13.759 the new products. So when they run their first 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:17.100 route and they're on their own, they're not looking 00:09:17.100 --> 00:09:19.379 at something, I've never seen this before. I 00:09:19.379 --> 00:09:21.919 think that's really been the theme. We tried 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:23.639 to intentionally make that part of the theme 00:09:23.639 --> 00:09:27.629 of this year's conference. really sure how well 00:09:27.629 --> 00:09:29.970 it was going to be received. We knew we're going 00:09:29.970 --> 00:09:31.710 to have a pretty good turnout. And that's what 00:09:31.710 --> 00:09:33.450 we were hoping for a thousand. That was like 00:09:33.450 --> 00:09:35.210 our goal. We actually ended up having over 1200. 00:09:35.789 --> 00:09:39.250 And so it's been a very busy conference and we 00:09:39.250 --> 00:09:40.970 weren't sure because we've been preaching that 00:09:40.970 --> 00:09:44.970 the programs have to be teaching this new technology. 00:09:45.250 --> 00:09:48.190 We know that you're probably not comfortable 00:09:48.190 --> 00:09:50.090 with it. You may not have even been exposed to 00:09:50.090 --> 00:09:51.990 it yet, but that's what we want to do. We want 00:09:51.990 --> 00:09:55.950 to bring you here, bring you. to meet personally 00:09:55.950 --> 00:09:59.269 the manufacturers, the training, the tech services, 00:09:59.509 --> 00:10:02.169 the software companies that are developing along 00:10:02.169 --> 00:10:05.710 those lines that's making our job easier and 00:10:05.710 --> 00:10:07.809 so that we can implement this training into the 00:10:07.809 --> 00:10:09.710 classroom. Because like you'd mentioned, like 00:10:09.710 --> 00:10:11.929 one of the important parts of being a technician 00:10:11.929 --> 00:10:15.509 is trying to understand and evaluate that customer, 00:10:15.690 --> 00:10:17.389 right? It's one thing to be able to diagnose 00:10:17.389 --> 00:10:19.029 something, but it's another to be able to communicate 00:10:19.029 --> 00:10:21.330 that diagnosis to the customer. I was talking 00:10:21.330 --> 00:10:24.149 to one software company that is specializing 00:10:24.269 --> 00:10:32.730 in a service that is using AI to analyze all 00:10:32.730 --> 00:10:36.429 of their customer service calls so that when 00:10:36.429 --> 00:10:39.169 they get a customer service call at the contractor 00:10:39.169 --> 00:10:43.970 level, this service is now analyzing that call 00:10:43.970 --> 00:10:53.080 to get a predetermined potential scenario for 00:10:53.080 --> 00:10:55.120 what the problem is right it's not a solution 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:57.919 it's just okay so this is probably related to 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.779 the indoor airflow or something you know what 00:11:00.779 --> 00:11:04.159 something of that nature so then it's using all 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:09.129 of the tech support replies so the the iPad that 00:11:09.129 --> 00:11:11.610 that technician had been using for what the diagnosis 00:11:11.610 --> 00:11:14.210 of these problems were, all that data has been 00:11:14.210 --> 00:11:17.149 imported into that as potential things to look 00:11:17.149 --> 00:11:19.309 at for that technician in case that's a new technician 00:11:19.309 --> 00:11:22.429 and they're not 100 % sure where to start. They 00:11:22.429 --> 00:11:24.389 are actually getting this artificial intelligence 00:11:24.389 --> 00:11:26.889 that's saying, according to previous calls of 00:11:26.889 --> 00:11:29.769 a similar issue, the technician found this type 00:11:29.769 --> 00:11:32.590 of a problem and they started here and this was 00:11:32.590 --> 00:11:37.379 the solution. And it's analyzing the vocal response 00:11:37.379 --> 00:11:43.600 of the customer to build a profile of the customer 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:48.279 before you get to the job. And I went, whoa, 00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:53.120 we're using artificial intelligence to help a 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:57.340 technician be prepared for a job. I think that's 00:11:57.340 --> 00:12:00.980 critical because we can teach them to fix the 00:12:00.980 --> 00:12:04.539 products and the diagnostic path. basics down 00:12:04.539 --> 00:12:07.419 to this scientific method of how we diagnose 00:12:07.419 --> 00:12:11.120 and repair what's wrong. Right. But when it comes 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:13.639 to building customer loyalty, it really gets 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:17.179 down to that tech in the home. Yeah. In the service 00:12:17.179 --> 00:12:19.919 chain, there's only one face -to -face interaction. 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:22.100 That's right. It's not the call center. It's 00:12:22.100 --> 00:12:24.659 not the text messages confirming. It's the tech 00:12:24.659 --> 00:12:26.700 in the home. That shows up. And that first 15 00:12:26.700 --> 00:12:30.000 seconds is critical. The call ahead. right where 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:33.480 you park uh how you build the relationship with 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:37.700 a customer is is the the table stakes of of the 00:12:37.700 --> 00:12:40.240 in -home consumer services industry yeah and 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:42.440 the more we can prepare our technicians for that 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:46.139 yeah there's a stat that really puts things in 00:12:46.139 --> 00:12:49.139 perspective for the average customer they'll 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:51.259 see a service professional in their home once 00:12:51.259 --> 00:12:54.379 every three years but for that technician it 00:12:54.379 --> 00:12:57.750 stops six of eight yeah and that perception if 00:12:57.750 --> 00:13:02.889 not understood uh is is where the the uh the 00:13:02.889 --> 00:13:06.230 customers uh uh don't have the relationship and 00:13:06.230 --> 00:13:09.350 won't show that loyalty yeah in fact um there 00:13:09.350 --> 00:13:12.070 are five principles that i've always operated 00:13:12.070 --> 00:13:14.789 with uh with the in -home experiences there's 00:13:14.789 --> 00:13:17.149 the operational operational items like give me 00:13:17.149 --> 00:13:19.250 the dates i want don't reschedule me there you 00:13:19.250 --> 00:13:21.169 go show up when you promise fix it right the 00:13:21.169 --> 00:13:24.129 first time but then there's also put a tech in 00:13:24.129 --> 00:13:26.730 my home that respects me as a customer yeah and 00:13:26.730 --> 00:13:29.269 protects my home and product with care number 00:13:29.269 --> 00:13:31.970 five is the most important operational disasters 00:13:31.970 --> 00:13:35.490 happen but when that tech builds a relationship 00:13:35.490 --> 00:13:38.720 with a customer and recovers that they'll score 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.700 them a 10 and they'll be more loyal than the 00:13:41.700 --> 00:13:44.299 customer that had the perfect same day, fixed 00:13:44.299 --> 00:13:47.019 right, never came back, but they didn't score 00:13:47.019 --> 00:13:49.720 the experience a 10. And then you go back and 00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:52.120 you call them and you find out there was something 00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:55.080 that happened with that only face -to -face interaction 00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:58.799 in the home. Man, that's really starting to make 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:02.039 more sense now from why they were so adamant 00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:05.159 of how that style of AI technology could assist 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:07.299 that technician. You know, because what if Mrs. 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:14.240 Jones made one positive comment that got reported 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:17.679 on that ticket and the next technician that comes, 00:14:17.820 --> 00:14:20.440 that first introduction, oh, hi, Mrs. Jones, 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:28.559 I'm such and such. That was very impressionable 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:31.340 of you and you appreciated that. And I remember 00:14:31.340 --> 00:14:33.340 Johnny was a great guy and it just completely 00:14:33.340 --> 00:14:36.080 changes the interaction from point number one 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:39.840 so that in case there's potential catastrophes 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:42.200 down the road, you know, you've got a major expense, 00:14:42.340 --> 00:14:46.120 major replacement. It's already softened that 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:49.820 conversation and created that relationship between 00:14:49.820 --> 00:14:53.000 technician and customer. It really is about that 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:56.600 relationship. As human beings, we feed off of 00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:58.860 the feedback that we give each other, both verbal 00:14:58.860 --> 00:15:03.039 and nonverbal. And when you are able to recover 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:05.139 that customer, because they're in a panic loop. 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:07.720 Oh, absolutely. And if you can reassure them 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:10.059 and they know and you build that trust with them. 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:13.879 then that's worth a lifetime of repeat business. 00:15:14.220 --> 00:15:16.639 So as a technician then, it's always important 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:18.980 to learn the fundamentals, to learn the equipment 00:15:18.980 --> 00:15:20.860 -specific training, especially from our manufacturers. 00:15:21.179 --> 00:15:23.220 What do you see as some of the most valuable 00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:27.220 training and tools that a technician should acquire? 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.879 I think it's going to have to be with the technology 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:33.519 of understanding how we're going to go in the 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:36.399 home and diagnose in the future. Almost soft 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:39.220 skills? There are the soft skills with the customer. 00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:43.759 And I mentioned the iPad. The modern toolbox 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:47.480 will have a cushion pad for an iPad. And so being 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:51.740 able to have that repair loop, customer first, 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:54.220 brand second, and product third, when we hit 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:56.299 specific with the product, we're going to have 00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:58.919 to understand that the technology is going to 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:03.159 help us, but we have to be curious and seek out. 00:16:03.800 --> 00:16:05.980 That education and learn. And that technology. 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:09.159 How we're going to use that technology for the 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:12.279 product servicing. Yeah, I completely agree with 00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:15.299 that. When I was a technician, so I spent most 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:16.860 of my time commercial refrigeration building 00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:19.039 automations. I was in residential when I got 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:20.480 into the industry, but I spent the majority of 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:22.460 mine commercial building automations refrigeration. 00:16:23.019 --> 00:16:28.340 And when I was in the field, an iPad. was part 00:16:28.340 --> 00:16:31.360 of my tool bag, just exactly like you said. So 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:33.740 my Klein backpack, I just give away two weeks 00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:36.080 ago to a young man in high school because I got 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:38.759 a new one. And that Klein backpack was the one 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:40.399 that I used when I was in the field as a technician. 00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:43.659 So it held all of my tools, but the very back 00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:46.519 compartment was the laptop compartment, lockable 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:48.960 laptop compartment. And so on the commercial 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:52.100 side, that was expected of us to incorporate 00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:56.620 that iPad. As part of my diagnostics, because 00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:59.100 most of our testing was done invasively, temperature, 00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:01.620 you know, refrigerant gauge. I didn't carry refrigerant 00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:04.119 gauges. I had a set of testo smart probes in 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:07.579 my bag as a last resort. And so when we start 00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:09.779 looking at what happened in residential technology, 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:12.319 that's actually the main reason I moved from 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:14.440 where I was to where I am. It's because I was 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:16.180 excited about what was happening in residential 00:17:16.180 --> 00:17:18.859 because I was already comfortable with it in 00:17:18.859 --> 00:17:21.160 the commercial side. It's like, you know, I knew 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:23.400 that if we're going to teach this stuff, you 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:26.730 know, I can assist in teaching this because I'm 00:17:26.730 --> 00:17:28.289 already comfortable with it. And I know that 00:17:28.289 --> 00:17:31.170 there's a lot of educators in residential that 00:17:31.170 --> 00:17:33.950 haven't been introduced to that yet. And so that 00:17:33.950 --> 00:17:36.089 is actually going to be more of a requirement, 00:17:36.309 --> 00:17:38.250 I think, just like you said, of a technician 00:17:38.250 --> 00:17:40.069 going forward. Well, you mentioned comfortable. 00:17:40.269 --> 00:17:43.910 That's the output or the result of change and 00:17:43.910 --> 00:17:46.130 going through that change. You were comfortable, 00:17:46.230 --> 00:17:49.569 but then the residential guy was not. And I think 00:17:49.569 --> 00:17:53.160 that's another. key aspect of of why we're here 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:56.279 and the the schools and and the learnings that 00:17:56.279 --> 00:17:59.099 are out there is is getting them comfortable 00:17:59.099 --> 00:18:01.839 comfortable with those new technologies we were 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:04.380 briefly talking earlier about the a2l transition 00:18:04.380 --> 00:18:06.980 yeah exactly and i was a technician transitioning 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:10.039 from 22 to 410a that's right and there was a 00:18:10.039 --> 00:18:13.059 a lot of that was a learning curve yeah not you 00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:15.619 know huge pressure uh changes when you consider 00:18:15.619 --> 00:18:19.720 different w's yeah yeah it was that change uh 00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:23.579 Now you look at changing to A2L and I got a smile 00:18:23.579 --> 00:18:26.220 just a little bit because like, wow, this feels 00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:29.299 a lot like back then when everyone was worried 00:18:29.299 --> 00:18:33.200 about 410A. Right. And, you know, then you get 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:36.000 curious, you go through that change curve and 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:38.299 then you get comfortable. Yeah. And then you 00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:41.730 go, oh. That's not that bad. Right. Okay. Worst 00:18:41.730 --> 00:18:44.309 case scenario, I ended up with two sets of manifold 00:18:44.309 --> 00:18:48.589 gauges. One for 22 with mineral and one for 410 00:18:48.589 --> 00:18:50.970 with poly. And then when we make this transition, 00:18:51.150 --> 00:18:53.009 I actually feel, even though we've got things 00:18:53.009 --> 00:18:55.630 like refrigerant detection sensors on systems 00:18:55.630 --> 00:18:58.089 above four pounds and potentially on smaller 00:18:58.089 --> 00:18:59.950 ones if they're in certain applications. I mean, 00:18:59.990 --> 00:19:02.730 yeah, that is one aspect that we have to look 00:19:02.730 --> 00:19:04.549 at. That's just calculations, right? That's just 00:19:04.549 --> 00:19:07.950 a new component. But when I look at like refrigerant. 00:19:08.190 --> 00:19:10.329 You know, whether we're going to 32 or 454B, 00:19:10.450 --> 00:19:13.309 we're only going up or down a few PSI in comparison 00:19:13.309 --> 00:19:16.190 to 410. It's operating on the same refrigerant 00:19:16.190 --> 00:19:20.470 oil. I took my, they're now probably eight years 00:19:20.470 --> 00:19:23.910 old, nine years old Testo smart probes, right? 00:19:24.049 --> 00:19:27.089 I did a firmware update and boom, there's all 00:19:27.089 --> 00:19:29.890 my refrigerants. And so when I look at it, I 00:19:29.890 --> 00:19:34.190 go, wow, this is really not a hard transition. 00:19:34.609 --> 00:19:39.440 I would encourage everyone. to go do their first 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:43.539 one and then go do their second one. And then 00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:46.839 they're going to find themselves just as comfortable. 00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:50.960 To your point, this is not a learning curve that's 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:55.079 steep with this transition. So like anything 00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:59.160 else, we're tactile learners. We go and do one, 00:19:59.180 --> 00:20:02.359 then do the second one, and you'll be extremely 00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:05.220 comfortable with it. But it also gets down to 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:07.940 the schools as well. We need that technology 00:20:07.940 --> 00:20:12.579 in every learning lab. We need not only the A2L 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:15.359 stuff, but we need the technology, the inverter 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:19.619 technology. We need to understand the communicating 00:20:19.619 --> 00:20:23.200 units and networks of the thermostats, air handler, 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.859 and the condenser. Those are the technologies 00:20:25.859 --> 00:20:29.240 that we have to prepare our students for. And 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:32.180 then when they run their first route, they're... 00:20:32.440 --> 00:20:34.799 They've seen it before and they know it. And 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:38.660 when you look at the powerful nature of all the 00:20:38.660 --> 00:20:40.759 schools and all the educators that are here, 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:43.960 you also flip the coin and you see the opportunity 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:47.559 of all the equipment that's in those labs. How 00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:52.859 many are single stage 410? We've got to, as manufacturers 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:56.220 and what Daikin is committed to, is being a part 00:20:56.220 --> 00:21:00.150 of those labs of the future. But there's a lot 00:21:00.150 --> 00:21:02.430 out there. There's a lot of schools, a lot of 00:21:02.430 --> 00:21:04.730 labs and classes that are going on right now. 00:21:04.950 --> 00:21:09.730 And that's our approach and our dedication to 00:21:09.730 --> 00:21:13.470 this group and this industry is we're going to 00:21:13.470 --> 00:21:16.109 have our equipment and we're going to help. Wow. 00:21:16.250 --> 00:21:20.569 And that's so important. You know, here at ESCO, 00:21:20.630 --> 00:21:22.490 particularly on the HVAC excellence side, who 00:21:22.490 --> 00:21:24.470 works with the accreditation and works with their 00:21:24.470 --> 00:21:26.130 schools and making sure that they're properly 00:21:26.130 --> 00:21:29.079 equipped. That has been the most interesting 00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:33.240 conversation that we've had in this last 12 months 00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:36.660 in particularly is the educators that are just 00:21:36.660 --> 00:21:39.500 now starting to look at systems going, okay, 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:43.039 I get to update my classroom equipment periodically. 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:46.500 I've got some funds. Here just recently, Howard 00:21:46.500 --> 00:21:49.740 Weiss had the phone call of, hey, I've got a 00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:53.119 $200 ,000 grant to update my labs. And here's 00:21:53.119 --> 00:21:55.180 the list of equipment that I was looking at. 00:21:55.259 --> 00:21:57.019 And I just thought. I would like a professional 00:21:57.019 --> 00:22:00.420 review of what I was thinking about putting into 00:22:00.420 --> 00:22:02.519 my lab. And he went through the whole list and 00:22:02.519 --> 00:22:05.400 he went, every single piece on here is R410A. 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:08.519 Don't you realize that if you go buy the equipment 00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:10.579 that you're looking at, if you can even still 00:22:10.579 --> 00:22:13.200 find it in your local warehouse, your local distributor 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:18.599 warehouse, it's on its last leg. The manufacturing 00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:22.049 of it is already over. The only things that are 00:22:22.049 --> 00:22:24.150 left is what's in the warehouse. And so this 00:22:24.150 --> 00:22:26.170 next 12 months, these things are going to be 00:22:26.170 --> 00:22:29.630 obsolete. Don't you want to prepare your students 00:22:29.630 --> 00:22:31.369 for what they're going to see? Because by the 00:22:31.369 --> 00:22:33.849 time they leave your program, there's going to 00:22:33.849 --> 00:22:36.910 be an entire new generation. Every piece of equipment 00:22:36.910 --> 00:22:38.930 a year from now that they're going to go out 00:22:38.930 --> 00:22:41.910 and install, when they leave here, it's not going 00:22:41.910 --> 00:22:43.369 to be the equipment that you were getting ready 00:22:43.369 --> 00:22:46.430 to plan to teach them on. And they went, that 00:22:46.430 --> 00:22:49.950 changes things. And on the accreditation side 00:22:49.950 --> 00:22:54.009 as well. The curriculum needs to be quickly adapted. 00:22:54.309 --> 00:22:56.849 What are we teaching? And that's where we can 00:22:56.849 --> 00:23:00.910 be strong partners with them is working with 00:23:00.910 --> 00:23:03.490 the accreditations to make sure that the curriculum 00:23:03.490 --> 00:23:06.849 matches the equipment in the lab. And to your 00:23:06.849 --> 00:23:09.680 point, we don't need to... uh create a fleet 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:13.960 of 410a experts yeah we need to uh have them 00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:17.680 come out with uh the curious nature that is required 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:20.500 of a technician yep and understanding the the 00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:23.980 new technologies that are entering uh you know 00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:27.079 there's i've seen the universe across multiple 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:30.880 appliances and right you can put into a concept 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:34.259 or perspective the tv the tv technician used 00:23:34.259 --> 00:23:37.170 to be you know kind of top of the hierarchy you 00:23:37.170 --> 00:23:39.430 bet they did they had to know solid state they 00:23:39.430 --> 00:23:43.549 had to know so many aspects of how uh a cathode 00:23:43.549 --> 00:23:47.730 ray tube worked yeah and how to test one right 00:23:47.730 --> 00:23:52.690 now we we finished with cons using appliance 00:23:52.690 --> 00:23:55.470 technicians and in an eight hour day training 00:23:55.470 --> 00:23:59.150 course and they were fixing tvs so technology 00:23:59.150 --> 00:24:02.789 and how it enters it goes at an exponential rate 00:24:02.789 --> 00:24:06.460 yeah and and this is where HVAC is at. When you 00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:08.640 look at inverters, you look at communicating, 00:24:08.920 --> 00:24:11.900 it's going to change. And that rate of change 00:24:11.900 --> 00:24:15.240 with technology is not going to stop with HUL 00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:18.160 or fraternities and inverter technology, communicating 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:20.980 stuff. It's going to take the next step and the 00:24:20.980 --> 00:24:24.240 next step. So we need to prepare our students 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:27.799 for... adapting to that change. Yeah. And that's 00:24:27.799 --> 00:24:29.960 really what Daikin has been focusing on in every 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:32.400 aspect. We're so grateful to have Daikin here. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:35.819 Well, David, I'm thankful to have met you. I 00:24:35.819 --> 00:24:38.240 look forward to how you're going to impact this 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:40.640 industry. And I know that we're going to be spending 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:42.619 time having more of these conversations, talking 00:24:42.619 --> 00:24:45.849 about training and support. And are there ways 00:24:45.849 --> 00:24:48.849 that anyone can reach out to Daikin to learn 00:24:48.849 --> 00:24:52.190 more about how Daikin is working with the industry? 00:24:52.410 --> 00:24:54.690 Well, there is Daikin University and HVAC Learning 00:24:54.690 --> 00:24:57.309 Campus. Those are your places that you want to 00:24:57.309 --> 00:25:00.690 go. A vast library of curriculum is available 00:25:00.690 --> 00:25:04.630 for those in the industry that can learn from 00:25:04.630 --> 00:25:08.109 basics and anything specific to Daikin. So, be 00:25:08.109 --> 00:25:12.730 curious, go look and see what's out there. You 00:25:12.730 --> 00:25:15.380 will be surprised. It's a An amazing learning 00:25:15.380 --> 00:25:18.880 tool that's available for folks. Free learning 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:22.380 tools. Yes. Yes. All right. Well, thank you for 00:25:22.380 --> 00:25:24.940 joining us. And I encourage everyone to go check 00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:28.220 out Daikin University. Check out the entire Daikin 00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:30.759 arsenal of training. And we will see you all 00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:32.859 again on the next episode. Thank you, Clifton. 00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:33.440 Thank you, sir.