How To Utilize Technology To Coach and Train New Technicians on the Job

Transforming a Mechanical Contractor Through Service Innovation

When Ron Clark joined Warwick Mechanical Group in Newport News, Virginia about a decade ago, he was tasked with turning the company’s service division into a profitable business unit.

At the time, the division had around 19 employees and primarily supported internal construction projects — handling repairs and replacements for systems installed by Warwick Mechanical.

Expanding Beyond Internal Service Work

According to Clark, the service division initially focused only on internal needs:

“Whatever they built that wasn't working or needed, that's all the service division was doing.”

When he stepped in, the focus shifted toward building relationships with external, owner-direct customers.

This change led to a cultural transformation centered on:

• Best-in-class customer service
• Operational consistency
• Long-term customer relationships

That shift helped grow the division into a $15 million business with:

• 50 technicians
• 20 office and support staff

Building a Culture of Service Excellence

Clark’s background in HVAC controls and sales management helped him improve both technician performance and internal processes.

The company’s workforce includes union technicians from:

• UA Local 110
• UA Local 10

Working with a union-based workforce required balancing compliance with union guidelines while reinforcing Warwick’s service standards.

Clark emphasizes the importance of supporting technicians:

“If I want that tech to take care of my customer the way I want him to, I need to take care of him, too.”

Technical Help in the Field

As Warwick expanded into commercial and industrial work — including military, federal, hospital, and education facilities — staffing challenges became more apparent.

Clark noted a shortage of qualified technicians:

• Many newer techs lacked experience
• Senior technicians were not always available
• Supervisors were frequently called to job sites

This led to inefficiencies such as:

• Multiple phone calls during jobs
• Delayed repairs
• Increased truck rolls

Implementing Technician Enablement Technology

To address these challenges, Warwick Mechanical partnered with XOi Technologies and implemented its technician enablement platform.

A pilot program began in late 2020 and expanded company-wide in early 2021.

The platform enabled technicians to:

• Access job data in real time
• Communicate directly with supervisors
• Share live visuals from the job site
• Improve accuracy and efficiency on repairs

Remote Collaboration and Real-Time Troubleshooting

The system allows supervisors to remotely assist technicians through a secure mobile connection.

Live Visual Guidance

Supervisors can:

• View exactly what the technician sees
• Send annotated screenshots
• Highlight specific components or wiring points

As Clark explained:

“Now, the supervisor can see exactly what that tech is seeing.”

He added that supervisors can circle components and guide technicians step-by-step, such as:

• Identifying boiler controls
• Highlighting wiring terminals
• Directing repair actions in real time

All of this collaboration is recorded and stored in the cloud for future reference.

Faster Training and Skill Development

Remote support tools also function as live training environments.

Less experienced technicians can:

• Receive guided instruction on complex systems
• Learn from senior technicians in real time
• Complete jobs that would otherwise require escalation

This reduces the need for supervisors to physically travel to job sites while improving technician development.

Building a Digital Knowledge Base

XOi Technologies also provides access to a large technical library, including:

• Approximately 200,000 manuals
• Manufacturer diagrams
• Wireframes and schematics
• Jobsite photos and videos
• Custom contractor documentation

This centralized knowledge base helps technicians troubleshoot issues more efficiently and consistently.

Strengthening Onboarding and Training

Warwick Mechanical also integrated the platform into its onboarding process.

New technicians receive:

• Required safety training (including OSHA)
• Defensive driving instruction
• Assigned XOi training videos

Clark noted that this approach helps accelerate onboarding:

“It's a good onboarding tool for the newer guys. It's hard finding a seasoned technician who knows what he's doing, so we need to develop our own.”

Improving Customer Trust Through Transparency

Another key benefit of the platform is improved customer communication.

Technicians can capture:

• Before photos
• Real-time job progress videos
• After completion documentation

This information can be shared with customers via secure links, helping to:

• Build transparency
• Validate work performed
• Strengthen customer trust

Enhancing Sales and Project Planning

The platform also supports sales teams by enabling them to:

• Document site conditions visually
• Share project scope with customers
• Align installation teams before arriving on site

Sales staff can also use workflows to prepare preventive maintenance agreements more effectively.

Better Preparation Leads to Better Outcomes

When technicians arrive on site with complete job context, they:

• Know what needs to be done
• Understand system history
• Work more efficiently and confidently

This preparation improves both customer satisfaction and long-term service relationships.

Driving Long-Term Growth Through Technology

By integrating technician enablement tools across service, sales, and training operations, Warwick Mechanical Group improved:

• Operational efficiency
• Technician productivity
• Customer trust
• Revenue growth

XOi Technologies’ platform ultimately helped connect field technicians, supervisors, and customers through real-time communication, structured workflows, and shared visibility — strengthening both performance and relationships.