What does a service technician do?
Service technicians are assigned in the field to address the concerns of their clients. Service technicians are responsible for the installation, maintenance, or repair of different units or items related to their company's products or services. They should be familiar with their company's products so that they can properly install, maintain, or repair them. They conduct diagnostics and analysis to assess the condition of the unit they are servicing and properly address problems. They also do routine maintenance check-ups. Service technicians are expected to be trustworthy, have good analytical skills, and have good decision-making skills.
Service technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real service technician resumes:
- Manage and perform the installation of HVAC equipment, air handlers, condensers, thermostats, ducts and piping.
- Perform routine maintenance work on loaders, conveyors, trucks, and trailers.
- Cable installation as a COMCAST subcontractor
- Ensure ISO compliance and perform QC.
- Service damaged smartphones, tablets, and peripherals.
- Remove and launch boats from water using heavy equipment.
- Install broadband communications, including cable, phone, and internet.
- Dispense and re-cover various types of refrigerants according to EPA laws.
- Follow the daily procedures and accountability of an ISO certify company.
- Perform service on customer boats in a timely manner, diag.
- Follow regulations set by NFPA, EPA, ASHRAE and city ordinances.
- Operate heavy duty machinery such as tractors, bobcats, skip loaders.
- Comply with federal, state, NEC, NFPA and local AHJ requirements.
- Install invisible fence pet containment systems design to meet customer's specific needs.
- Maintain network integrity for high visibility customers FCC, FAA, and U.S.
Service technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Service Technicians are proficient in Plumbing, Customer Service, and Preventative Maintenance. They’re also known for soft skills such as Math skills, Time-management skills, and Mechanical skills.
We break down the percentage of Service Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Plumbing, 7%
Identified electrical, plumbing and safety problems applicable to the installation and took necessary corrective action.
- Customer Service, 6%
Performed all aspects of customer service to include repair recommendations, general information exchange, and generated service action request documents.
- Preventative Maintenance, 6%
Service calls for emergency repairs -Preventative maintenance for integrated audio visual systems -Installation of commercial integrated audio visual systems http://avispl.com/
- Hand Tools, 6%
Adjusted and replaced defective or improperly functioning circuitry and electronics components, using hand tools and soldering iron.
- CDL, 6%
Operated a service truck with CDL license to deliver fuel and perform preventive and scheduled maintenance on large construction equipment.
- Patients, 6%
Acquired over twenty-five unsolicited Patient Satisfaction Surveys where patients indicated high satisfaction with service and left positive comments.
"plumbing," "customer service," and "preventative maintenance" are among the most common skills that service technicians use at work. You can find even more service technician responsibilities below, including:
Mechanical skills. This is an important skill for service technicians to perform their duties. For an example of how service technician responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a service technician: "maintain service of air compressors, hydraulic lifts and other mechanical machines.assist in bleeding break lines. ".
Physical strength. For certain service technician responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "physical strength." The day-to-day duties of a service technician rely on this skill, as "heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be able to lift and move heavy equipment, tools, and parts without risking injury." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what service technicians do: "performed alarm installation and service/repair equipment, tested physical operation, tested and installed door access control systems for customer's. "
Organizational skills. A commonly-found skill in service technician job descriptions, "organizational skills" is essential to what service technicians do. Service technician responsibilities rely on this skill because "heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must maintain accurate service records and parts inventories." You can also see how service technician duties rely on organizational skills in this resume example: "educated on the importance of cleanliness and hygiene by assisting in organizational needs. "
Troubleshooting skills. While "troubleshooting skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to service technician responsibilities. Much of what a service technician does relies on this skill, seeing as "heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be familiar with diagnostic equipment to find the source of malfunctions." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of service technicians: "performed inspections, maintenance, and troubleshooting of steam boilers, air compressors, and bridge cranes. "
The three companies that hire the most service technicians are:
- Discount Tire2,962 service technicians jobs
- AutoNation640 service technicians jobs
- Greystar Real Estate Partners617 service technicians jobs
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Compare different service technicians
Service technician vs. Instrument technician apprentice
An instrument technician apprentice is responsible for performing installation and repairs on various electrical equipment and instruments such as control panels and motors, all while under the supervision and directives of a senior or master technician. Typically, their tasks revolve around conducting regular maintenance checks, coordinating with other technicians, organizing supplies, operating electrical tools, and understanding various electronic principles. Furthermore, there are also instances where one may liaise with clients to discuss the extent of damage or repairs, building positive relationships in the process to secure a client base.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, service technician responsibilities require skills like "plumbing," "customer service," "cdl," and "patients." Meanwhile a typical instrument technician apprentice has skills in areas such as "good communication," "maintenance services," "filter changes," and "hvac." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Instrument technician apprentices tend to make the most money working in the automotive industry, where they earn an average salary of $38,671. In contrast, service technicians make the biggest average salary, $44,255, in the technology industry.instrument technician apprentices tend to reach similar levels of education than service technicians. In fact, instrument technician apprentices are 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Service technician vs. Preventive maintenance technician
A preventive maintenance technician performs routine facility maintenance to prevent possible mechanical failure. The technicians change worn out machine parts before they can cause mechanical damage. They keep the facility operating. It is their job to conduct quality assessments, maintain inventory, and schedule repairs. Also, they see to it that machines are up and running at all times. They are expected to be equipped with skills in customer service, problem-solving, reading comprehension, business operation, and mechanical aptitude.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real service technician resumes. While service technician responsibilities can utilize skills like "cdl," "patients," "safety procedures," and "diagnosis," preventive maintenance technicians use skills like "hvac," "water filters," "cnc," and "safety regulations."
Preventive maintenance technicians earn a higher average salary than service technicians. But preventive maintenance technicians earn the highest pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $47,655. Additionally, service technicians earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $44,255 annually.preventive maintenance technicians earn similar levels of education than service technicians in general. They're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Service technician vs. Refrigeration technician
A refrigeration technician is responsible for managing refrigeration and cooling systems for private households and commercial establishments. Refrigeration technicians install refrigeration components, requiring them to have an excellent analysis of blueprints and schematics. They inspect the system components and inform the household owners and management for preventive maintenance and troubleshooting for minor defects and inconsistencies, as well as calculating costs and materials for repairs. A refrigeration technician must be well-equipped with mechanical knowledge to identify failures and upgrade units as necessary.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a service technician is likely to be skilled in "cdl," "patients," "diagnosis," and "strong customer service," while a typical refrigeration technician is skilled in "hazmat," "ventilation," "psm," and "freon."
Refrigeration technicians earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $56,136. Comparatively, service technicians have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $44,255.When it comes to education, refrigeration technicians tend to earn similar degree levels compared to service technicians. In fact, they're 1.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Service technician vs. Installation and service technician
An installation and service technician is an individual who oversees the continuous operation of personal equipment through operating functions. Installation and service technicians maintain the supplies, perform preventive maintenance, and call for repairs in structures. They install, test, maintain and troubleshoot cables, switches, and any other telecommunications equipment. The skills necessary to perform this job include mechanical and electrical knowledge, customer service, working for long hours in confined spaces, and communication skills.
Types of service technician
Updated January 8, 2025
