How close are you to your customers?

[jaylectricity]

A good customer of mine had me over to install his new TV. Apparently some people are coming to visit him and he probably wanted to impress them. The previous TV (that I installed twice in two different places over the last 9 years) weighed probably twice as much as the new one, even though they were the same size.

There are many more details, but the reason for my post is when he asked me how much I thought he paid for the TV I said, "$700?" He paid $800. I have no idea how much TVs are worth and I guessed higher than I really thought. But, he was happy that my guess was within $100.

Is "Keeping up with the Joneses" still a thing in America?

 

[readydave8]

Around here it is, Friday's job was stressful because customer kept breaking my concentration to show me her stuff, 80k of antiques for this house plus I guess some of it she already had.

 

[Gac66610]

got a phone call from a HO who was out hedge trimming, she cut through the cord. she reset the breaker and it still didnt work, she said she reset all the GFCI's
she didnt realize there was one in the garage, i guided her to it she hit the reset on it and everything worked (can you imagine)
she was elated, she asked what she owed me i said "nothing, you fixed it, i just told you where to look" well , she brought me a couple dozen homemade cookies ... they were delicious

i try to keep a 'small town' attitude with people

its more funner that way

 

[Dennis Alwon]

A good customer of mine had me over to install his new TV. Apparently some people are coming to visit him and he probably wanted to impress them. The previous TV (that I installed twice in two different places over the last 9 years) weighed probably twice as much as the new one, even though they were the same size.

There are many more details, but the reason for my post is when he asked me how much I thought he paid for the TV I said, "$700?" He paid $800. I have no idea how much TVs are worth and I guessed higher than I really thought. But, he was happy that my guess was within $100.

Is "Keeping up with the Joneses" still a thing in America?

Your title and your question don't seem to match. IMO keeping up with the Joneses is for someone else not me but it does keep the economy rolling.

Not sure what the "close to my customers" have to do with it.

 

[K8MHZ]

got a phone call from a HO who was out hedge trimming, she cut through the cord. she reset the breaker and it still didnt work, she said she reset all the GFCI's
she didnt realize there was one in the garage, i guided her to it she hit the reset on it and everything worked (can you imagine)
she was elated, she asked what she owed me i said "nothing, you fixed it, i just told you where to look" well , she brought me a couple dozen homemade cookies ... they were delicious

i try to keep a 'small town' attitude with people

its more funner that way

You certainly aren't going to get rich with that attitude.

But you will develop a strong sense of pride and a strong sense of community. People will be genuinely happy to see you and will have less hesitation to call you for their concerns. As you noticed, you will also enjoy your profession more.

I am born, bred and raised 'small town'. In fact, much of my life has been 'small township'.

I started my first electrical business in the mid eighties. It was for automobile, heavy equipment and marine electrical systems. Some of my customers had kids my age (I was in my 20s) and I became friends with them. I still see them once in a while. One guy had a big warehouse that he let me work on my own stuff in when it was nasty outside.

I usually end up spending extra time chatting and by the time I am done I know their interests and the names of our common friends, which we all seem to have. That's a small town thing, to me.

 

[Ponchik]

How come "keeping up with the Jones'" doesn't apply to electrical contractor?

Hey fred, i just replaced my panel,
Fred: why, it was only 1 year old.
John: well, jack had his upgraded to 200Amp so i thought i should keep up.
Fred: Hi john long time no see, hey listen i just upgraded my panel too, it is now 1000Amp 3 phase, i can run anything that i want.
John: but your house is only 1500sqft, why did you go to 1000Amps
Fred: .................

Electrical contractor: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$:happyyes::happyyes::happyyes:

 

[kwired]

My wife and I have our own joke about keeping up with the Jones ... our nearest neighbors last name is Jones

 

[K8MHZ]

How come "keeping up with the Jones'" doesn't apply to electrical contractor?

Hey fred, i just replaced my panel,
Fred: why, it was only 1 year old.
John: well, jack had his upgraded to 200Amp so i thought i should keep up.
Fred: Hi john long time no see, hey listen i just upgraded my panel too, it is now 1000Amp 3 phase, i can run anything that i want.
John: but your house is only 1500sqft, why did you go to 1000Amps
Fred: .................

Electrical contractor: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$:happyyes::happyyes::happyyes:

If our work was required to be exposed, we could take advantage of the phenomena. But, since our residential work is mainly hidden, there isn't much for the braggart to flout about when it comes to the electrical systems.

I know people that would spend 30 bucks on a custom wall plate that would balk at a 15 dollar receptacle.

 

[zog]

My wife and I have our own joke about keeping up with the Jones ... our nearest neighbors last name is Jones

So are mine, and they just put in a nice swimming pool with tiki bar, hot tub, fire pit, etc....So now my wife wants a pool, so I literary am trying to keep up wth the Joneses.

 

[jumper]

Your title and your question don't seem to match. IMO keeping up with the Joneses is for someone else not me but it does keep the economy rolling.

Not sure what the "close to my customers" have to do with it.

I agree, I am trying to figure out the threads relation to electrical. TV upgrades?:?

 

[Johnmcca]

Um.... it involves wires?

 

[kwired]

If our work was required to be exposed, we could take advantage of the phenomena. But, since our residential work is mainly hidden, there isn't much for the braggart to flout about when it comes to the electrical systems.

I know people that would spend 30 bucks on a custom wall plate that would balk at a 15 dollar receptacle.

Depends what the 15 dollar receptacle is for. If for the audio or video equipment they may spend more than 15 dollars if it has been marketed well enough to convince them they will have better sound or picture.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I was pretty close with some of them and others I only worked for once. One, that I became friends with, stuttered and one day he was trying to explain something to me, Finally I said, John? he said yeeesss? You know I get paid by the hour right? :lol:

 

[jumper]

I was pretty close with some of them and others I only worked for once. One, that I became friends with, stuttered and one day he was trying to explain something to me, Finally I said, John? he said yeeesss? You know I get paid by the hour right? :lol:

LMAO

I gotta tell my wife that one, when I get nervous or excited I can stutter badly. She will usually say"sometime this year dear".

 

[cowboyjwc]

LMAO

I gotta tell my wife that one, when I get nervous or excited I can stutter badly. She will usually say"sometime this year dear".

Well Karma being what it is, I've actually picked up a stutter, I'm ok when I do public speaking and I kind of know what I'm going to say, it's usually when I'm trying to give to much information to fast and my brain starts to lag behind.:roll:

 

[jaylectricity]

Your title and your question don't seem to match. IMO keeping up with the Joneses is for someone else not me but it does keep the economy rolling.

Not sure what the "close to my customers" have to do with it.

I'm sorry about that. As you can see it was a wee hours of the morning post. The connection I was making was that he and I were having this conversation because he values my opinions and is comfortable sharing things with me.

When I was posting I was actively trying not to ramble because I didn't want to muddy it up. I ended up muddying it up anyway. It was on my mind so I posted, but I probably should have waited until I had a better way of communicating my point.

 

[jaylectricity]

I agree, I am trying to figure out the threads relation to electrical. TV upgrades?:?

This is a thread about customer relations. Our industry has customers.

 

[ActionDave]

Two thoughts.

The company I work for opened up in 1960. There are some long term customers that are family friends to the owners. They come into the shop just for a visit, invite each other to social events, stuff like that.

Second thought- Man, is it easy to make friends when people find out you are an electrician.

 

[kwired]

It is different for those of you that live in large population areas. Out here in the low density population many of my customers are pretty good friends. I get customers I don't know but usually we do have somebody that is a mutual friend - that is often how I get referred to those that don't know me. Once I have done work for them they become a friend (I hope).

 

[jumper]

Man, is it easy to make friends when people find out you are an electrician.

Yeah, I got plenty of those "friends". When I meet people now and they ask what I do, I mumble something about "construction type stuff".