Quality through competition

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

Competition is a purely capatilistic notion and although it has many virtues, better service for instance, it is not without it's inherent flaws either.

There comes a point in every process where the lust for speed and rock bottom efficiency and maximizing income has to take a back seat when the purpose for the process itself is for the benefit of mankind.

I don't want the fastest quadruple bypass.
I don't want the cheapest blood bank.
And I don't want my home, my business, or a hotel I might sleep in inspected for minimum compliance from the lowest bidder or the quickest inspector.

I want those inspectors to have no thoughts in their heads other than "does it meet code or does it not?" I don't want them thinking "I can't believe I have 20 jpobs today!" Forcing competition for the sake of who will earn a living from, or the highest income in the field of inspecting will lend itself toward capatilism rearing it's ugly head. And make no mistake about it - capatilism is cold, dark, hard, and ugly. There will be pressure on inspectors to rubberstamp, there will be pressure to do drive-by sign-offs, there will be increased workloads and decreased hours.

Turning inspections into a business and it will swing it's focus on the first and foremost thing every business is created for - making a profit. Quality inspections will, as is the nature of all business, take a backseat to this "primary goal."

 

[hardworkingstiff]

My experience with inspectors is mostly good. Some of the problems I have are with State laws or State interpretations of the NEC that I don't agree with. Since they (AHJ) enforce them with everyone, I can't complain too much because my competition has to comply with the same mistakes (ok, it's my opinion that they made mistakes :smile: ).

I agree with Ryan.

 

[brantmacga]

So I think the 2008 NEC should mandate that there be a minimum of (2) AHJ's in every municipality that compete for the business of contractors.

Not sure about other states but in Georgia this would be illegal. New state law prohibits duplication of services by government agencies within the same county. There's been a lot of fighting going on between city and county gov't here over who gets the money for each service they're having to combine. For some reason they say it can't be split 50/50. This goes all the way from inspections to the rec. dept.

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

In many cases the only competition for products and services is based on price, and in those cases competition only servers to drive the quality down. Just look at the issues we have with imported toys and pet food.
Don

Another good example - try to find good pizza in Florida. Since there's a pizza parlor in EVERY shopping center, they're not competing for quality. Once the market is saturated - it comes down to convenience, complacency sets in, and even if one strip mall housed 3 different pizza joints, each still would have to charge 1.50 a slice no matter how bad it is, just to survive.

 

[tallguy]

In many cases the only competition for products and services is based on price, and in those cases competition only servers to drive the quality down. Just look at the issues we have with imported toys and pet food.
Don

That is more a commentary and reflection on what we as consumers value ($$$$$$) than on the intrinsic nature of competition.

Nevertheless I think most of us would agree that turning regulatory functions into competitive marketplaces is a recipe for corruption & ultimately disaster.

 

[emahler]

i for one agree with the OP...not on the basis that has anything to do with the electrical inspector him/herself (inspect to code, if i'm wrong, i'm wrong) but rather on the basis that the building departments and the individual municipalities have gotten way out of control.

in NJ permit fees go into the general fund, not just the building department fund. So, some towns are almost to $200 for a service upgrade inspection.

customer service by the employees in the building department office is almost non-existent.

competition might make them realize that if they make our lives more difficult than need be (the inspector will be there between 5 am and 8 pm, make sure someone is onsite) then they will soon be out of a job.

again, from my perspective this is not about the technical aspect. purely the customer service aspect. similar to the electrical contracting business.

 

[macmikeman]

I know of no examples where competition improved quality.

Certainly proven true when it comes to network television. May I be the first one to welcome the new member HaskinsElectric. Please post as often as you like, we welcome your input greatly.

 

[resistance]

I believe our entire Department of Labor and Industry needs an overhaul (excluding a percentage of the electrical inspectors)! I can say this much: We have a serious problem with customer service in a few of our L&I offices--serious problems! Personalities that present an ill demeanor that could drive a person underground! We need some reform! We need leadership that is responsible, understanding, exisiting, and dependable!

 

[wireman71]

There probably are some means to pursue complaints against these departments. Find out who runs them. Write them letters. Start working with your elected officials. Explain what is happening. How your tax dollars are not being well used. These people have to answer to someone. I feel fortunate that our inspectors, WA, seem to be very good compared to some in other states.

 

[brian john]

I live near Washington DC out sourcing is big here and the public IMO is no better served by most out sourcing then it was from government agencies.

Additionally the inspectors and building departments should work for ALL the public. Contractors, building owners and Joe Public.

As for the quality of inspectors (speaking for my area), some jurisdictions have DECENT inspectors others are slackers. Inspectors are no better than most electricians, doctors or lawyers. Some good, some bad, some slackers, I just hope as was pointed out earlier, when having that triple bypass I do not get the bad or slacker.

The biggest issue I have had with inspectors has been lack of knowledge and writing their own rules, in the main offices it is lazy employees. But these type exist everywhere.

Do away with capitalism in our semi-free market and see how bad it gets, look at a few of the so called socialist countries.

 

[lpelectric]

Competition is a purely capatilistic notion and although it has many virtues, better service for instance, it is not without it's inherent flaws either.

There comes a point in every process where the lust for speed and rock bottom efficiency and maximizing income has to take a back seat when the purpose for the process itself is for the benefit of mankind.

I don't want the fastest quadruple bypass.
I don't want the cheapest blood bank.
And I don't want my home, my business, or a hotel I might sleep in inspected for minimum compliance from the lowest bidder or the quickest inspector.

I want those inspectors to have no thoughts in their heads other than "does it meet code or does it not?" I don't want them thinking "I can't believe I have 20 jpobs today!" Forcing competition for the sake of who will earn a living from, or the highest income in the field of inspecting will lend itself toward capatilism rearing it's ugly head. And make no mistake about it - capatilism is cold, dark, hard, and ugly. There will be pressure on inspectors to rubberstamp, there will be pressure to do drive-by sign-offs, there will be increased workloads and decreased hours.

Turning inspections into a business and it will swing it's focus on the first and foremost thing every business is created for - making a profit. Quality inspections will, as is the nature of all business, take a backseat to this "primary goal."

I've been in the inspecting business both private and governmental for over 30 years and you have captured the absolute essence of the nature of this industry's inherent problems in a few short paragraphs. Great job !!!:smile:

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

I've been in the inspecting business both private and governmental for over 30 years and you have captured the absolute essence of the nature of this industry's inherent problems in a few short paragraphs. Great job !!!:smile:

Thank you very much!

 

[PrimaryElectric]

There comes a point in every process where the lust for speed and rock bottom efficiency and maximizing income has to take a back seat when the purpose for the process itself is for the benefit of mankind.

I don't want the fastest quadruple bypass.
I don't want the cheapest blood bank.
And I don't want my home, my business, or a hotel I might sleep in inspected for minimum compliance from the lowest bidder or the quickest inspector.

"

Lets imagine the current building inspection scheme implored on doctors performing quadruple bypass surgery. After drawing up plans for the surgery, submittal of plans to a government agency for review and approval, presurgical inspection, incision inspection, internal inspection, pre-closure inspection, stitch inspection, final inspection. Sounds like 3-6 months stuck in plans review and a minimum of 6 days surgery waiting for inspectors to show up.

Try explaining the current building department government bureau scrutiny to a doctor. They would never believe you. Keep in mind which profession is more important to saving human lives and then ask yourself why construction professionals are not given anywhere close to the same respect in competence as any other professional.

In our profession the really smart people are the architects and engineers. After all the installers and inspector have nowhere near the required education of the design professionals. So why are the really smart people not inspection the construction?