Oxford Posted May 25, 2010 Author Posted May 25, 2010 I'm joking! Thanks for making me feel so welcome on your forum.
arfur mo Posted May 26, 2010 Posted May 26, 2010 all this talk of big fat hairy bruisers, trannies, being buggered - this forum is on its way to hell in a hand cart imo regs Arfur Mo If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!!!
alterEGO Posted May 27, 2010 Posted May 27, 2010 yes, ignore me at your peril. i`ve just spent the best part of 1/4 million getting what the OP wants, has he got deep pockets? Thats because you have no balls I can't be arsed going into one about the ins and outs, but i started in may 08 with another business partner, partner out about a year later and we do ok, its hard, but we do ok. I have a few people working full time now and me of course, but thats a bit hard at the min so that may change, we will see. For me i find it more interesting to build something from nothing then buy it. To each their own. ok, assuming you even manage to get a customer - forget all talk of "callout fee then 1st hour and then as per ......." one clear price, given ahead or the customer will walk. They don't here, callout + per hour after that for any repair/fault. who would do it any other way? Any other thoughts on how I can structure my pricing and structure contracts, specifically focusing on callout/ first hour charging and standard/ comp customers. Comprehensive contracts is an ADT thing IMO, some schools etc like it for budgets and what not, but the idea of doing it on every contract does not appeal to me. ADT often 'find' a way to charge the customer anyway.
Oxford Posted May 27, 2010 Author Posted May 27, 2010 Thats because you have no balls I can't be arsed going into one about the ins and outs, but i started in may 08 with another business partner, partner out about a year later and we do ok, its hard, but we do ok. I have a few people working full time now and me of course, but thats a bit hard at the min so that may change, we will see. For me i find it more interesting to build something from nothing then buy it. To each their own. They don't here, callout + per hour after that for any repair/fault. who would do it any other way? Comprehensive contracts is an ADT thing IMO, some schools etc like it for budgets and what not, but the idea of doing it on every contract does not appeal to me. ADT often 'find' a way to charge the customer anyway. Thanks for that buddy, always good to hear other opinions on things.
arfur mo Posted May 31, 2010 Posted May 31, 2010 This must be the very worst time for a new start-up The new government needs to get the country out of a financial hole so they will be cutting back sharply on public spending ........ so all the companies that have been doing council/NHS/school work will be looking for work in the private sector. I predict a serious squeeze on new installs. Existing companies with lot's of contracts should be OK, but new companies? Hard times ahead! i really do share your fears for any new start-up's, conversely, last BIG recession, i have never worked so hard. found after the 'yuppy bubble' burst. builders were desprate so having alarms, door entry systems etc installed to better sell the crappy flats that were now harder to shift. i put it down to hard economic times breed unemployment, normally honest people thrown out of work or on short time, large mortgages to pay, so under intense pressure and worry, many turn to crime as an 'easy' way out to keep the roof over, so impulse/opportunist break-in's rise. so for the security traded at at least, a financial down turn seems to have a good effects, but imo as a small fish you need a decent client base of mainly business owner/management level customers to tide you over. Arfur If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!!!
Oxford Posted June 1, 2010 Author Posted June 1, 2010 Being a service engineer myself I'm not sure I have what it takes to offer my skills to another company as a subby doing install as I don't have years and years of install shortcuts etc but I can install well and have a vast product knowledge and I am good at fault finding but to install for myself is a different matter as I have nobody to impress but myself! Does that make sense?
A-G Posted June 1, 2010 Posted June 1, 2010 to install for myself is a different matter as I have nobody to impress but myself! Does that make sense? Yep .... when I went self employed the first thing I missed was not being able to turn to my boss when things went wrong or when I'd done something very good. There was nobody there and it took some getting used to. . . . . PM me for access to the SSAIB members discussion area.
arfur mo Posted June 1, 2010 Posted June 1, 2010 well, i was well quick on installations in my youth, bit to old for speed now, takes all my time to get my ass through the loft trap, if i have lunch up there - i can't get out again lol! imo being service minded will make you that bit slower, you will have seen the many bad results of some of those installation 'short cuts' - at 4am ans dealt with irate clients because of them. imo no subies, train/employ your own they will do as you ask and not be so fly. sorry will sound harsh (not targeted at any individual) - if not enough guys to do the work - if you really claim you hold high standards, then have some moral pride , and turn the work down - as i do. Arfur If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!!!
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