Elevator Service and You

Elevator service is as much about what you do as it is about how the elevator works. Maintenance companies get plenty of service calls about problems taking place in these mechanical moving platforms that would not have to be made if users were equipped with a working knowledge of how best to use this form of transportation in going from one floor to another.
When you are at work, visiting someone in the hospital, going to an appointment, or at the mall, you are probably not giving much thought to how elevators actually work. But knowing the proper usage can save you a great deal of grief, both now as well as in the future.
Knowing what to look for and what to do when you ride in an elevator is important and is something you must learn over time. You should push the buttons you require in a gentle but also firm manner. Use only your finger for this purpose. Do not kick, push, pound or shove the buttons and do not use any other type of device to push it. Doing so can break or damage the buttons and is a definite no-no. Elevator service and maintenance will be required sooner as opposed to later if you do this. This is also considered a misuse of the device.
The buttons may have faces that are made of metal but the internal components are not obvious to the human eye and may be composed of another type of material that is very fragile. Press the button just once and not a number of times. Getting impatient and pressing it numerous times will not make it arrive on your floor any sooner! Doing so will just cause it to wear out quicker.
When you walk into the moving platform, elevator etiquette needs to be observed at all times. Stand quietly as the equipment makes its ascent or descent. You do not want to start wrestling with someone else during the ride or start jumping up and down. Doing so can engage the safety feature and this can result in you and the others getting stuck. After all an elevator is not human but is a machine and as such is not able to distinguish between a malfunction occurring and a passenger who is in an exuberant frame of mind.
If after you first get in the doors take longer to close than you think they should do not attempt to force them closed yourself. Not only can this cause injury to you but it can damage the door and will require an elevator service repair person's expertise to return it to working order. As a passenger what you should do in this case is to push the door close button and see if this does the trick. The doors are on an automatic timer that is set to accommodate able bodied people, as well as senior citizens and those with disabilities.