So as a smaller landlord, to get into the home while tenants are away at work/unresponsive with scheduling requests, I would have to meet the technician at the house to let him in correct? 

If the landlord is still unresponsive, then they should file a complaint through the AG, or the AG may direct them to the appropriate resource to do so (in some states it's the local Real Estate Board).

He's been very frustrated with the tenant-- several of the service people he uses won't go back to the unit because the tenant is unresponsive and/or difficult to deal with-- so he's asked me to reach out to my own networks.  

Withholding rent is one of the only recourses a tenant has against an unresponsive landlord outside the court system.

I can call and knock on their door but Tenant has been unresponsive during this process so I don't expect to get any confirmation of their vacancy directly.

Now you have people who are unresponsive, and there are all sorts of worst case scenarios that come to mind now (they got their money, they can damage the property however they want and you would have to use legal recourse to recover any damages. 

Did you ignore calls or were you unresponsive?

This question has bugged me since he was first late and being unresponsive.  

I now don't get vague cost descriptions or tenants reaching out because property management is unresponsive.

I have found many title companies offer poor service, slow and unresponsive.