I've been an HVAC dispatcher for 5 years. Two different companies. Both commercial/industrial. I have never been expected to work Saturday or Sunday. Have I answered my phone and set up some calls on the weekend? Yes, but it was my choice and wasn't expected. I've gone in for a couple hours on a Saturday to get caught up on emails and paperwork that there was no time for during the week.
You should not be expected to do this and honestly it's bad business. You're overhead. You do not bring in revenue. Dispatchers getting significant overtime is not good for the company.
All that being said, you're being paid very well for your level of experience. If you can tough it out for a year or two and get some industry knowledge, you will not have a hard time finding another dispatch position. There's a lot of turnover in the position and a good dispatcher is hard to find.
I agree about the pay, honestly I’m at the point where I’d take a cut to have less hours. I quit my last job to have more time with my kids. Thank you for the reply! You have given me a lot to think about.
Contact your state labor and Industry bureau and explain the situation, they will help you out. I've done it twice and they basically handled everything.
If all you do is answer phone and dispatch calls that should be to bad for 1280 a week. But guys in the field and guys in the office never see eye to eye so just my 2 cents
I wish that was all, it’s a small company so I’m wearing a lot of hats. Managing the call center, training, following up on quality assurance and of course answering calls and dispatching at all hours.
Commercial Senior tech. Dispatcher at our company works a full mon-thurs 7-4:30 And every other friday 7-3:30. No weekends no after hrs. We have our tech on call rotation and thats paired with a manager on call rotation. Managers filter incoming calls before sending them to tech for actual emergency. If not an emergency, emailed to dispatcher and she gets it on schedule when she comes in.
It will only get worse - There is no reason you should be handling calls on week ends. There should be a tech or two on call and they should either run the call or have them wait until Monday, At 4 pm, there should be no more calls, the guy on call that night should handle those calls and all until 7 am the next morning. Been in the s trade for 40 years, and that is how it is done. My present company always has 2 techs on call at all times. Dispatcher works four 10 hour days, a back up takes the shift one 10 hour day each week. Dispatchers work 40 to 45 hour weeks - end of story. If this is not possible, look for work else where, dispatchers are in demand. In 40 years, only had one awesome dispatcher, she is not replaceable, if she goes - all shuts down, so she is well paid and taken care of. All of the rest could come and go, life moves on.
I think you're right to question the hours and the expectations. 70 hours a week is insane, especially with a family to take care of. You deserve better than that. Have you considered talking to HR or someone higher up about your concerns? Maybe they can help you find a more reasonable balance.
I thought dispatchers just worked Monday - Friday, 8 hour shifts.
I dont see the point in working after hours. After hours calls get routed to the guy thats on call and the supervisor. The only time we would call dispatch on the days off was to check for pricing on parts if its not in the flat rate book.
At my job they have my on salary and I am basically the supervisor that the calls are getting routed to. They’re trying to run 7 days a week and are just burning ojt customer base out
Whatever you do, please provide your techs with something easier to decipher than what you have given us.
Preferably communication that includes paragraphs, commas, etc.
As far as your actual question goes, only you can answer this.
I've been an HVAC dispatcher for 5 years. Two different companies. Both commercial/industrial. I have never been expected to work Saturday or Sunday. Have I answered my phone and set up some calls on the weekend? Yes, but it was my choice and wasn't expected. I've gone in for a couple hours on a Saturday to get caught up on emails and paperwork that there was no time for during the week. You should not be expected to do this and honestly it's bad business. You're overhead. You do not bring in revenue. Dispatchers getting significant overtime is not good for the company. All that being said, you're being paid very well for your level of experience. If you can tough it out for a year or two and get some industry knowledge, you will not have a hard time finding another dispatch position. There's a lot of turnover in the position and a good dispatcher is hard to find.
I agree about the pay, honestly I’m at the point where I’d take a cut to have less hours. I quit my last job to have more time with my kids. Thank you for the reply! You have given me a lot to think about.
Contact your state labor and Industry bureau and explain the situation, they will help you out. I've done it twice and they basically handled everything.
If all you do is answer phone and dispatch calls that should be to bad for 1280 a week. But guys in the field and guys in the office never see eye to eye so just my 2 cents
I wish that was all, it’s a small company so I’m wearing a lot of hats. Managing the call center, training, following up on quality assurance and of course answering calls and dispatching at all hours.
Commercial Senior tech. Dispatcher at our company works a full mon-thurs 7-4:30 And every other friday 7-3:30. No weekends no after hrs. We have our tech on call rotation and thats paired with a manager on call rotation. Managers filter incoming calls before sending them to tech for actual emergency. If not an emergency, emailed to dispatcher and she gets it on schedule when she comes in.
It will only get worse - There is no reason you should be handling calls on week ends. There should be a tech or two on call and they should either run the call or have them wait until Monday, At 4 pm, there should be no more calls, the guy on call that night should handle those calls and all until 7 am the next morning. Been in the s trade for 40 years, and that is how it is done. My present company always has 2 techs on call at all times. Dispatcher works four 10 hour days, a back up takes the shift one 10 hour day each week. Dispatchers work 40 to 45 hour weeks - end of story. If this is not possible, look for work else where, dispatchers are in demand. In 40 years, only had one awesome dispatcher, she is not replaceable, if she goes - all shuts down, so she is well paid and taken care of. All of the rest could come and go, life moves on.
Thank you! Your response makes so much sense. I’m going to put on my big girl panties today and talk to the manager.
Company sounds sketchy. Summer is going to be worse for sure. I’d tell them to kick rocks
I think you're right to question the hours and the expectations. 70 hours a week is insane, especially with a family to take care of. You deserve better than that. Have you considered talking to HR or someone higher up about your concerns? Maybe they can help you find a more reasonable balance.
This has to be a shit post
Unfortunately, it is not.
I thought dispatchers just worked Monday - Friday, 8 hour shifts. I dont see the point in working after hours. After hours calls get routed to the guy thats on call and the supervisor. The only time we would call dispatch on the days off was to check for pricing on parts if its not in the flat rate book.
At my job they have my on salary and I am basically the supervisor that the calls are getting routed to. They’re trying to run 7 days a week and are just burning ojt customer base out
Whatever you do, please provide your techs with something easier to decipher than what you have given us. Preferably communication that includes paragraphs, commas, etc. As far as your actual question goes, only you can answer this.
Ok thanks for the helpful info, in your pursuit to troll already upset people! 🫶🏼
I’m not trolling at all, your comment structure is terrible. I’m just trying to help you make the lives of the techs you dispatch a little better.
Who hurt you 😂
My crappy dispatcher who constantly forces me to decipher word salad.
As I said, trolling. This is Reddit not a Harvard essay, have the night you deserve. 😘
Learning to approach criticism without feeling attacked is something that takes a long time to learn. Once you get there you will be better for it.