Heard a building manager say "just put it in service mode" without knowing what that meant

I was swapping a door operator on a 20-year-old Otis in a downtown office building (you know the type, they never want to pay for a full mod), and I overheard the building manager tell the tenant that we'd "just put it in service mode" to fix the jerky stops. I nearly dropped my wrench right there. He had no clue that service mode isn't a magic fix-all button, it's literally just for maintenance runs with the doors open. I had to pull him aside and explain that the worn guide shoes were the real problem, not some software trick. Has anyone else dealt with clueless building staff trying to tell you how to do your job on site?

3 comments

3 Comments

annas8723d ago

Oh man, you gotta be firm but polite about it? I had a similar thing with a building manager once who thought "recalibrating the sensors" would fix a worn belt. I just flat out said "look, this is like putting a bandaid on a broken leg" and showed them the wear marks. They shut up real quick after that.

nancygrant23d ago

Annoying when they think they know more than the guy who's been doing it for years. That metaphor you used is perfect though, gets the point across without being mean. Only thing I'd tweak is that a worn belt is more like a tire with low tread than a broken leg. Still needs replacing, but less dramatic. Either way, showing them the physical proof is the only way to win that argument. They can't argue with a part that's clearly shot.

aaron88423d ago

Ugh, I feel your pain on this one. Building managers who watch a couple YouTube videos and suddenly think they're experts are the worst. It's like, just let the guy with the grease stains on his boots do his thing, you know?