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What is a Service Technician?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

A technician is someone with advanced practical knowledge in the way certain systems work. The service technician uses this knowledge to provide service and repairs to usually mechanized or complex objects like automobiles, furnaces, plumbing equipment, or computers, and a vast range of other things. Thus the service technician can apply to workers in numerous fields who use their specialized knowledge to either provide specific services or repairs.

Another term for service technician is field technician, which can again apply to many different types of work. Your local power or cable company employs field technicians who are skilled in repairing or servicing equipment needed to provide you with power or cable. These workers are “in the field” since most of their job requires them to travel to different locations, like residences or specific neighborhoods in order to conduct tests, repairs or maintenance. For instance if your power company offers a free pilot lighting service each winter, a field technician from the power company comes to your home to perform this work. When the power goes out, field or service technicians work to identify the problem and fix the problem on location.

Electricians are service technicians who repair electrical systems.
Electricians are service technicians who repair electrical systems.

Not all service technician workers are field technicians. Some work out of shops, as is the case with automotive technicians. When you have a problem with your car, few mechanics or automotive technicians come to your home. Instead you bring the car to them, where they have access to tools, testing equipment, and often a supply of parts to help repair or maintain your vehicle.

A service technician may be needed to tend to plumbing and gas lines.
A service technician may be needed to tend to plumbing and gas lines.

Sometimes a service technician in a given field may work on “field” assignments or may work from a central location. For instance certain computer repair technicians will work at your home attempting to repair your computer or solve connection problems. In other cases you have to bring the computer or parts to a repair shop, or even ship your problematic computer to a central repair facility where a service technician will evaluate its problems and hopefully be able to repair them.

An HVAC technician may repair or install home boiler systems.
An HVAC technician may repair or install home boiler systems.

In certain cases, the service technician has to be a field technician. It’s not practical for you to ship your heater off to a remote locale if it’s not working. Therefore, a person who repairs heaters or other major appliances must come to your home, and work on whatever problems exist on site.

Service technicians usually have specific training; the automotive technician usually completes training at either a trade school or community college, so that he can repair and maintain your vehicle. There are actually many technical certificates available through trade schools and community colleges. Other people may learn on the job and acquire hours of experience. Some technicians require certification or a certain amount of apprentice training in order to be licensed — it really depends upon the field in which the technician works. Typically, the service technician can be defined as the following: a person with significant technical and practical knowledge in a given field who is trained to provide both service (like routine cleanings) and repair of equipment that lies within his/her field of expertise.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent SmartCapitalMind contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent SmartCapitalMind contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

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Discussion Comments

Sara007

When you have a service technician at your house doing work for an extended period of time, say a few hours. Is it polite to offer them something to drink or eat?

I worry because I know they are working and I am not sure whether or not they already have allocated breaks on a schedule, or if they are allowed to accept these things from customers.

Perhaps I am over thinking this too much, but I don't want to be rude, or get anyone in trouble for stopping what he or she is doing.

MrSmirnov

I have always found that having a service technician come to fix your problem at home can be the best solution for technical issues.

For example, while your computer maker probably offers technical support over the phone, I often find the instructions too difficult to follow.

In the case of internet issues, I also find navigating through the labyrinth of cords and program windows frustrating.

If your computer is under warranty, and you are paying for a good internet service, the chance of you having access to a free service technician is high.

You might have to request this service over the phone, but it really can save you a mountain of frustration.

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    • Electricians are service technicians who repair electrical systems.
      By: auremar
      Electricians are service technicians who repair electrical systems.
    • A service technician may be needed to tend to plumbing and gas lines.
      By: Nomad_Soul
      A service technician may be needed to tend to plumbing and gas lines.
    • An HVAC technician may repair or install home boiler systems.
      By: Photographee.eu
      An HVAC technician may repair or install home boiler systems.
    • Service technicians include cable company employees who handle Internet and TV connections to homes and businesses.
      By: kjekol
      Service technicians include cable company employees who handle Internet and TV connections to homes and businesses.
    • Network service technicians may be use a network cable tester to find cable malfunctions.
      By: rlat
      Network service technicians may be use a network cable tester to find cable malfunctions.
    • An automotive service technician usually completes training at either a trade school or a community college.
      By: Lisa F. Young
      An automotive service technician usually completes training at either a trade school or a community college.
    • Automotive technicians typically work in car repair shops.
      By: Diyanski
      Automotive technicians typically work in car repair shops.