I'd be your worst customer

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jrannis

jrannis

Senior Member
Location
Fort Lauderdale/ Miami
charlietuna said:
I am looking for a customer who balances "COST" along with "VALUE". And thats how i buy my truck tires, i haul about a ton and half, in a one ton van! Tires are important to my business operation! And again, i expect my customers to depend on my services and be willing to spend hat extra money to get good - prompt-service that their company depends on! I have the best customers in my area, they are happy with my service and pay their bills promptly, and i am commited to their business's operation and they realize it from our past experiences together. Their employees like us because we treat them with respect and never leave a mess. We are not cheap-but we are proud of our operation..
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OK Charlie,
You can't have it both ways.
Pick one!:roll:
 
tryinghard

tryinghard

Senior Member
Location
California
electricmanscott said:
?I know we deal with people like me everyday and it drives us crazy.
I think this is the mindset of the average consumer and there is nothing you can do about it. In my view, adapt or die.
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I know these folks exist but I also know many are value shopping. With this we have the burden of showing the value of our service, price is important to them but not the driving factor.
 
electricmanscott

electricmanscott

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
tryinghard said:
I know these folks exist but I also know many are value shopping. With this we have the burden of showing the value of our service, price is important to them but not the driving factor.
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If this was what I am experiencing I'd buy it but it isn't and I don't.

I have been at this for over 15 years and it's gone pretty well. I don't need to be told how to go about it. IO'm not just starting out looking for advice. All of what I am saying is based on what is going on here, and now.

I live in a fairly "upscale" town. Not super wealthy but there is some money here. (Not many electricians live here, mostly plumbers :grin: )

These are the people I work for. These are the people who are NOT spending money. It has come up time and time again over just the last few months. Not just people that are having me price stuff, but also neighbors, friends, parents at school etc. I even see my doctor in the bagel shop and he is scaling back his vacations and holding off on home repairs this year. They just seem to be scared to death of parting with any money and if they are willing to it is going to be as little as possible.

I'm not going to make predictions like some of you guys as to when the uptcik is going to happen because I have no idea, you have no idea, and the "experts" have no idea.

Like I have said adapt or die. I'm adapting, I'm surviving but it is not easy.
 
A

aline

Senior Member
Location
Utah
electricmanscott said:
I needed tires for one of my vehicles this week. I called just about everyone I could think of and when all was said and done, I bought the cheapest I could find.

I know we deal with people like me everyday and it drives us crazy.
I think this is the mindset of the average consumer and there is nothing you can do about it. In my view, adapt or die.
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First, you would never be my customer. You're not my customer until you actually buy something from me. Until then you're a shopper or potential customer. You would be to cheap to become my customer. :)

Second, it's a good thing I don't sell electrical supplies instead I sell the service of installing electrical supplies. The customer can go to Home Depot and get a receptacle for 50 cents. There's no way I can compete with that so I don't sell receptacles I sell the service of installing receptacles. :)

Service can vary a great deal from one contractor to the next.

One of my customers is a busy guy so he hire's out everything around his home.
He has people mow his lawns, maintain his landscaping, clean his windows, clean his carpets and just about everthing else you can imagine.

Often times he has problems with these people messing things up. Here's a list of just some of these things that happened in the last year that I got opportunity to go out and repair. :)

Landscaper: Cut up the low voltage cable for the landscape lights in the flower beds.

Landscaper: Replaced the sprinkler pump, wired it wrong and couldn't get it to work.

Deck Refinishers: Cut up the low voltage cable for the deck lighting while sanding the deck.

Ice Melt Cable Installation Company: Disconnected the low voltage cable feeding the light fixtures on the roof and reconnected them improperly causing a short in the wiring.

I'm sure he was able to pass on my invoices to them for reimbersment but it's still an inconvenience to have to deal with all of this. He used to have another electrician. He no longer uses this other electrician even though I'm more expensive.

In the words of Charlie Greer; "Sometimes buying cheap is the most expensive thing you can do."
 
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tonyou812

tonyou812

Senior Member
Location
North New Jersey
My appologies to all that are offended by the rude, big egoed NJ EC. But I wasnt always this chipper. I ate alot of crow my first 4-5 months. And for what ever reason I am making some real money now. Yea, I am making money and im not a 50 employee guy. I have now learned that its best to keep it to myself from now on. I will keep my post limited to a techincal level so as not to offend any one here.
oh by the way Scott, Nice truck.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
tonyou812 said:
Because I like you so much, You'll be the first to find out how it worked out.
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Well having worked for those ECs that service National chains I can tell you what one main office for "Bobs Stores" told me.

"The manager is not authorized to tie his own shoes without prior permission."

The bills are paid from the main office and the stores have little to do with anything. I will send you my time card from last week, 5 Lowe's, 2 Stop & Shops, a Staples and a Toys R Us. Its what I do lately at least I am working.:smile:
 
tonyou812

tonyou812

Senior Member
Location
North New Jersey
iwire said:
Well having worked for those ECs that service National chains I can tell you what one main office for "Bobs Stores" told me.

"The manager is not authorized to tie his own shoes without prior permission."

The bills are paid from the main office and the stores have little to do with anything. I will send you my time card from last week, 5 Lowe's, 2 Stop & Shops, a Staples and a Toys R Us. Its what I do lately at least I am working.:smile:
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Well than how did I manage to get myself into Hooters and a couple of White Castles? Ill tell you how, my magnanimous personality and salesmanship. Bob not everything is set in stone my friend. And From many past experiances most Tradesman arent blessed with the best of personallities. I know now that I have come off as a bit of a know it all but sometimes its just the Greek in me. If you came to one of my family funcions you would see that we all love to debate and argue over each others voice's. And in the end we all still love each other. Nothing is taken to heart.
My intentions are always for the good but sometimes my delivery is a little rough.

I forgot to include Bebe (womans clothing store at a local mall) and a couple of dinners. Sure the dinners arent national chains but I got in by using people skills.
 
electricmanscott

electricmanscott

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
tonyou812 said:
Well than how did I manage to get myself into Hooters and a couple of White Castles? Ill tell you how, my magnanimous personality and salesmanship. Bob not everything is set in stone my friend. And From many past experiances most Tradesman arent blessed with the best of personallities. I know now that I have come off as a bit of a know it all but sometimes its just the Greek in me. If you came to one of my family funcions you would see that we all love to debate and argue over each others voice's. And in the end we all still love each other. Nothing is taken to heart.
My intentions are always for the good but sometimes my delivery is a little rough.

I forgot to include Bebe (womans clothing store at a local mall) and a couple of dinners. Sure the dinners arent national chains but I got in by using people skills.
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Ok we get, you're awesome. :grin:
 
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