Aaron Yohn was working on cars for a living just seven years ago when a friend told him about an opening at K&D Factory Service Inc. (KDFSI).
Although he didn’t have experience working with foodservice equipment at the time, Yohn was confident that with his technical acumen, he could handle the job. “I learned everything here,” he says. “I took a lot of classes, had in-the-field training with fellow technicians and also taught myself.”
The sink-or-swim situation paid off as Yohn was recently promoted from service technician to service manager, heading KDFSI’s Lancaster office.
FE&S: How has your role changed?
AY: Before, I was a service technician in the field, and now I’m running one of our seven offices and overseeing three service technicians. I have more responsibility in this position. Also, I’m in the field half as much and on the phone more.
FE&S: What do you like best about your job?
AY: I’m still learning the ropes of this position. Overall, I enjoy interacting with customers. Fixing equipment that’s down and saving the day by getting it up and running is very rewarding.
FE&S: How do you stay current with equipment technology?
AY: I participate in as much training as possible. It helps to be on your toes and find out when classes are and take advantage of as many as possible. Service technicians cannot be afraid to learn something new.
FE&S: What should foodservice operators be aware of when it comes to equipment?
AY: Knowing who to call is most important. It’s best to have one phone number or resource to take care of any issue in the kitchen, rather than having to outsource different problems using various companies. And it’s important to have a good relationship with the
service technician.
FE&S: What is the most common mistake foodservice operators make with commercial foodservice equipment?
AY: Some foodservice operators make the mistake of not calling us promptly for maintenance work. Being on top of this helps circumvent problems, as does having good communication with the service agent. Planning ahead for service or maintenance calls works better than waiting until the last minute, when you run the risk of dealing with a dozen different things that need to be done at one time.