Service Ride Along With Ismael

Its Monday June 24, and it’s time for another ride along – the day where I step out of the office to ride shotgun with one of Connecticut Basement Systems’ many knowledgeable Service Technicians. As they travel around Connecticut and Westchester County, I will learn more about each Technician and see firsthand how they maintain dry basements for thousands of Connecticut Basement Systems customers.

Today I am joining Ismael “Jr.” Rivera, a waterproofing professional and service technician that has been with Connecticut Basement Systems for over 10 years. His truck is a short walk away, down the hall and at the far end of the garage, where I find him discussing today’s upcoming stops on his cell phone before reaching out for a handshake.

It quickly becomes apparent that Jr. is very approachable and easy to talk to, even as we make our introductions. He makes sure that I don’t need any breakfast or coffee before we take off, then he double checks the supplies in his truck, and we load up. We’ll be going to Ansonia, CT today he tells me, which is only about a 15-minute drive from the office. As we turn out of the Connecticut Basement Systems campus in Seymour, I ask him about his daily routine.

Aside from the daily organization of his truck and equipment, Jr. explains to me that he serves a dual role here at Connecticut Basement Systems, which makes his routine a bit unique. Most mornings, he actually spends the first half of his day working in the office. With his vast knowledge of our waterproofing systems and his many years of on-the-job experience, he is able provide valuable customer service both in person on service appointments, and over the phone from the office. While we drive to Ansonia, he mentions that as the summer weather heats up, more and more customers tend to call about our SaniDry Dehumidifier, so this will require much of his attention for the next few months.  

We are getting close to our destination now, so Jr. calls the customer to let them know when we will be arriving, then checks his service notes to prepare for the appointment. He explains that the service notes are simply a record of the previous service appointments that this customer had scheduled – they give Jr. a “heads up,” letting him know what to expect from the appointment.

Soon, we pull into the driveway and Jr. goes to the front door, offering this customer the same warm introduction that I received earlier. We follow the homeowner down to basement, where she directs us to the TripleSafe sump pump in the corner of the room. It is clear Jr. has done this many times before, efficiently running a load test on the pump, checking the battery’s capacity, all before heading outside to make sure that the discharge line is working properly. Walking through the homeowner’s yard, Jr. tells me about the results of the tests he has run on the waterproofing equipment.

While everything is working fine for the moment, he informs me that both the TripleSafe’s primary pump, and the battery for the backup pump are overdue for replacement. Though the homeowner is welcome to proceed without replacing either item, each item is less likely to serve its intended purpose effectively without attention every couple of years. Jr. returns inside to relay this information to the homeowner. After taking a few moments to ponder the decision, she decides to replace her primary pump, and although it is not recommended will wait until next year to replace her backup pump battery.

Finally, Jr. finishes up by replacing the primary pump. Once the old pump is removed from the plastic housing, he wraps it in a cloth and brings it back to the truck. Then he slides the new pump in and tests it to make sure that everything is working properly.

All goes smoothly, and Jr. wraps up the appointment by reviewing some paperwork with homeowner. She is very polite and thanks us as she walks us to the door. It is easy to see why he has been an integral part of Connecticut Basement Systems for over a decade.