Arlington catering to the hack?

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bradleyelectric said:
Working the bugs out does not have to mean taking a very profitable segment of the trade and bringing the price down. If a special service is a good money winner when the call comes in, treat it as such. There is no reason for other professionals to be able to enjoy the finer things in life and us to have to talk about them in the sense of "when I pull in a driveway and see..." We are professionals and should act like it. That includes when we have an opportunity to do a job that normally brings in more than the average day treat it as such.
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The other professionals send out a 2 man crew they need to bill more. The only part of the job that really needs 2 men is when you horse the tv on to the bracket about 10 seconds worth.
 
quogueelectric said:
The other professionals send out a 2 man crew they need to bill more. The only part of the job that really needs 2 men is when you horse the tv on to the bracket about 10 seconds worth.
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The big box stores I've worked with on these jobs usually has one guy doing it and when it's time to hang the display a second guy will show up just long enough to do that and then leave. I think it takes him longer than 10 seconds though to drive to the job site, get out of his truck, help hang the display, get back in his truck and drive back. :)

I'm really not trying to upset you. I just don't understand your reasoning.
It sounds like you do a better installation, are faster and more effiecient but instead of rewarding yourself for this, you charge half of what they would have charged to do a poorer installation. It just doesn't make sense to me.

The faster and better I get at doing these the more money I feel I should make. I don't see lowering my price unless I have to. It's hard enough to make money in this business and I can't imagine charging half of what the other guy charges because I'm better at it than him.

Recently one of the big box stores was advertising free installations with the purchase of a flat panel TV. There's no way I can compete against that on price. They also advertise that they have the lowest prices on home theater installations.

I know what they charge and there's no way I would do it for half their price even if I could. The big box stores are installing a lot of these at their prices and have plenty of happy customers so why charge half of what they charge just because you can?

I feel if I'm doing better installations and providing better service than the big box stores I should charge every bit as much as they do if not more. I'm selling more than the installation. I'm selling the knowledge of knowing how to properly desing and install these systems.

Lanscape lighting is an example of this. Anyone can install a transformer, some wire and some light fixtures but how many can create a work of art with the lighting instead of an airport runway. Just like anyone can take a paint brush and apply paint to a canvas but not everyone can create a work of art. Your design and artistic creativity is worth something as well as the installation.

If you want to charge half of what they charge that's up to you and I won't say anymore about it. I just feel your selling yourself short by doing a better job for half the price and I'm sorry but I just don't understand.
 
He can do it for less so instead of making a better profit he should be making less. That is the way he wants it. He is an electrician after all. What don't you understand? It's not like he's a professional.
 
Another thing to keep in mind when installing flat panel TVs.
This is a good time to sell a dedicated circuit to the equipment rack.
This is a good time to sell whole house surge protection for power, coax cable and phone cable.

Also it's a good idea to install a surge receptacle for the flat panel TV.
Often times this gets missed. Surge strips are installed at the equipment rack to protect the equipment there but nothing gets installed to protect the flat panel TV. You see the expensive flat panel TV installed with no surge protection.
 
aline said:
Another thing to keep in mind when installing flat panel TVs.
This is a good time to sell a dedicated circuit to the equipment rack.
This is a good time to sell whole house surge protection for power, coax cable and phone cable.

Also it's a good idea to install a surge receptacle for the flat panel TV.
Often times this gets missed. Surge strips are installed at the equipment rack to protect the equipment there but nothing gets installed to protect the flat panel TV. You see the expensive flat panel TV installed with no surge protection.
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There is a surge supressor available in decora receptacle for install behind the tv.
 
bradleyelectric said:
He can do it for less so instead of making a better profit he should be making less. That is the way he wants it. He is an electrician after all. What don't you understand? It's not like he's a professional.
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That is why it is my company so I dont have to listen to anyones suggestions who are not paying my bills. Do you feel that for some reason I should follow your buisness model? You both sound frustrated that I am a one man band with almost zero overhead I pay all my bills up front have almost zero debt and can push jobs on price not smoke and mirrors and selling people things that they dont want and dont need. Calling me unprofessional is inflamitory you seem to want to be a salesman so go buy a used car lot. I have plenty of nice things doing it my way I dont need or desire your input into my buisness practice.
 
quogueelectric, don't suppose you've ever read any of the E-Myth book, have you? The book is basically a 200 page advertisement for their coaching services, but is worth a read. You would benefit from reading some of it.
 
I went to firestone last weekend to price 2 new suv tires for my wifes suv
he gave me a great price bridgestone deulers about a hundred bucks apiece.
I went to a few other places and they wanted 130 ea so I went back with the card and the same guy gave me a new price of 140ea. I showed him the card he signed with the 100 price and he said oh yeah and started backpedalling.
While I was waiting for him to put them on he came over and wanted to rebalance the two older tires in the back which he was moving to the front. I explained to him that I drove over there at 70 mph and I probably would have noticed if the tires were out of balance. He went away for a little while.
About 1/2 hour later annother salesman came back to me and asked if I wanted the car aligned. I asked him WHY? He said that they recommend it. I am an ASE certified automotive mechanic also.
They try to sell you into all kinds of crap you dont need or want and the unknowing often get intimidated into purchasing this nonsence. These people should be ashamed of themselves for these dishonest buisness practices.
The only reason that I would go back to this schmuck is if he had the best price for the same product. I dont roll like that.
 
quogueelectric said:
About 1/2 hour later annother salesman came back to me and asked if I wanted the car aligned. I asked him WHY? He said that they recommend it. I am an ASE certified automotive mechanic also.
They try to sell you into all kinds of crap you dont need or want and the unknowing often get intimidated into purchasing this nonsence.
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Yeah, who would want to do something stupid like have their tires aligned? :roll:
 
quogueelectric said:
Yes it would be stupid to pay someone to align tires that were already aligned.
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So you say "no." What's the big deal? Not everyone is a mechanic like you, and chances are they may not have a clue what an alignment even is until their tires are junk. This is called selling a necessary service, not a "dishonest business practice."
 
peter d said:
So you say "no." What's the big deal? Not everyone is a mechanic like you, and chances are they may not have a clue what an alignment even is until their tires are junk. This is called selling a necessary service, not a "dishonest business practice."
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Pete to even pretend that these businesses do not try to up sell a list of things that do not really need attention is a stretch.

Yes I say no, but I still find it irritating and slightly dishonest.
 
iwire said:
Pete to even pretend that these businesses do not try to up sell a list of things that do not really need attention is a stretch.
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I never said they didn't try to upsell. Of course they do.

Just last month I went to the local tire chain to have a problem looked at. I was figuring that the guy was going to lie and try to sell me a set of tires as my tires are getting old and have quite a bit of mileage on them. He puts the gauge on them, says "They're fine, plenty of tread left." No upsell....I get the alignment that I get once a year done, and I'm out the door. Maybe that's the exception and not the norm....
 
aline said:
Also it's a good idea to install a surge receptacle for the flat panel TV.
Often times this gets missed. Surge strips are installed at the equipment rack to protect the equipment there but nothing gets installed to protect the flat panel TV. You see the expensive flat panel TV installed with no surge protection.
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That's not too hard. Run an NM from your behind-the-TV receptacle box to a box behind the equipment stack. Feed the stripped end of a power cord through a plate with a 1/2" hole in it, tie a knot, and connect to the NM.

Now you have what is basically an in-wall extension cord. If you want the cord removeable, use an inlet plate. You can do the same thing with a ceiling-mounted projector receptacle.
 
LarryFine said:
That's not too hard. Run an NM from your behind-the-TV receptacle box to a box behind the equipment stack. Feed the stripped end of a power cord through a plate with a 1/2" hole in it, tie a knot, and connect to the NM.

Now you have what is basically an in-wall extension cord. If you want the cord removeable, use an inlet plate. You can do the same thing with a ceiling-mounted projector receptacle.
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Lookie here http://www.twacomm.com/catalog/model_5280-W.htm?sid=35A42720209805865C384BB8A4175D4B
 
LarryFine said:
Run an NM from your behind-the-TV receptacle box to a box behind the equipment stack. Feed the stripped end of a power cord through a plate with a 1/2" hole in it, tie a knot, and connect to the NM.
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What? No NEC issues here?
 
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