As lockdown eases, AC mechanics in demand

As lockdown eases, AC mechanics in demand

The number of calls to the service centre has nearly doubled. “Normally, we would be allotted a maximum of seven to nine calls a day.

Published: 07th May 2020 06:37 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Manikandan, a 32-year-old AC technician, who works for an app-based home service provider said, “My phone has been ringing every ten minutes since yesterday, and I had been assigned 25 AC repairs and maintenance in a single day.” With the approaching summer, and the government allowing electricians to resume work, there has been a huge surge in service requests.

The number of calls to the service centre has nearly doubled. “Normally, we would be allotted a maximum of seven to nine calls a day. But, since the relaxation, we have been on our toes, and we hardly get a 15 minute lunch break now,” said Manikandan. The techinicians however, are working with the fear of catching the virus. He added, “Before we got back to duty, we were asked to do tests, and also given instructions to mandatorily use masks and gloves.” The customers are also given instruction to stay ina separate room while the technicians are at work.

However, availability of spare parts is what worries them. “Big shops selling spares haven’t opened yet, and hence, the dealers have started selling them at an increased price,” said another AC techinician at Velachery, adding that they sell this in the morning hours, secretly. Another hurdle is shortage of staff at hand, because most of the technicians had gone home before the lockdown kicked in. “In Mylapore, we have only three technicans. If we hire others privately, they charge us more,” said Muthuvel, a manager of an AC service centre. Adding to the misery is that certain gated communities have barred entry of outsiders due to the spread of coronavirus.

25 AC repairs were assigned to me in a single day, and my phone has been ringing every ten minutes, says an app based service provider