Stop watching me....Don't you have something better to do?

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iaov

iaov

Senior Member
Location
Rhinelander WI
Someone on the forum said thier prices were 75 an hour. 100 an hour if you watch. 150 if you help. 200 if you touched it before they got there!!:D
 
76nemo

76nemo

Senior Member
Location
Ogdensburg, NY
frizbeedog said:
Service Call. Installing wiring for a GDO today...Customer watching the whole time.

I tend to work faster when that happens. :wink:

Sometimes when they are hovering (smothering) I get a bit annoyed. How about you?
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I have a big problem with friz's question myself. I have always from an early age dealt with anxiety. I worked Industrial Maintenance awhile and loved it. I love troubleshooting, but,...................... when there was a very problematic fault I got called to, and 3-6 six figure bosses standing over my shoulder to watch me fix it, I would CHOKE, and I mean choke big time. Whenever I have a problem that involves heavy brain work, I HAVE to be left alone, no friends, no work mates. If I got a trouble call to a machine where 4-5 other guys couldn't figure out, I would have to ask them to leave, and I would explain it to them step-by-step when I called them back in. I have dealt with anxiety and panic attacks for 15 years. It's a HUGE roadblock in my life!

To add to this, I can't go to company meetings or big crowds, I just can't do it. Anxiety is an awful, awful feeling.
 
frizbeedog

frizbeedog

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
mdshunk said:
I tend to zip around like a ferret on crack when I work, so everyone tends to be in my way. That's irritating.
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Thanks Marc. :D

Wiring a tool shed one time....only enough room for one person....and the guy was litearlly over my shoulder. He asked my why I was putting in extra staples. I say, 'cause I wan't it to look nice.

He was such a nice guy, I didn't have the heart to kick him out.

I figure if they know it's T&M, they should know enough to stay out of my way.

:cool:
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
frizbeedog said:
Service Call. Installing wiring for a GDO today...Customer watching the whole time.

I tend to work faster when that happens. :wink:

Sometimes when they are hovering (smothering) I get a bit annoyed. How about you?
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It's never bothered me. "If I make it look easy, it's because I know what I'm doing."

"If it was easy, everyone would be doing it."
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
76nemo said:
I have dealt with anxiety and panic attacks for 15 years. It's a HUGE roadblock in my life!

To add to this, I can't go to company meetings or big crowds, I just can't do it. Anxiety is an awful, awful feeling.
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Wow. Don't they have pills for that? I can't even imagine what that's like. I don't like crowds either, but for a completely different reason. Crowds are just too crowded.
 
76nemo

76nemo

Senior Member
Location
Ogdensburg, NY
mdshunk said:
Wow. Don't they have pills for that? I can't even imagine what that's like. I don't like crowds either, but for a completely different reason. Crowds are just too crowded.
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Well Marc, yeah, there is medication for it, ......alcohol. Unfortunately, pills and alcohol are not accepted in any trade and for good reason.

No one can possibly fathom what anxiety is like if they have never experienced it. It's very cruel, and a CONSTANT factor:cool:
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
stickboy1375 said:
mdshunk said:
I tend to zip around like a ferret on crack when I work.
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I used to be like that, then it dawned on me the pay is the same, so now I just work at my speed.
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I went through that phase too, then I realized one thing. The faster I work, the more material I install. The material markup is money too. I'm going to bill out 8 hours a day no matter what. If I work slowly, I might only install 500 bucks worth of material. If I work quicker, I might install 1500 bucks worth of material. If I schedule a day for an average pace, I can alway speed up to be able to install the upsells immediately and still get to the other appointments on time.
 
M

mattsilkwood

Senior Member
Location
missouri
mdshunk said:
That works when the wife tries to sit down next to me on the couch. I suspect it works on customers too. I've never tried it. We'll expect a full report tomorrow, Larry.
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i dont know what if they have some vicks smeared under thier nose?:grin: no seriously it doesnt bother me if someone wants to watch/ chat while i work. alot of the stuff we do is t&m so i figure its part of the service. plus a little pr is always a good thing.
 
stickboy1375

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
mdshunk said:
I went through that phase too, then I realized one thing. The faster I work, the more material I install. The material markup is money too. I'm going to bill out 8 hours a day no matter what. If I work slowly, I might only install 500 bucks worth of material. If I work quicker, I might install 1500 bucks worth of material. If I schedule a day for an average pace, I can alway speed up to be able to install the upsells immediately and still get to the other appointments on time.
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I agree if I were in your shoes... but at the end of the year, my pay is the same, so is my speed. ;)

ACtually what I am really trying to do is get my boss to price jobs as twice as long then complete them in half the time, this way we actually make money. :roll:
 
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frizbeedog

frizbeedog

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
stickboy1375 said:
ACtually what I am really trying to do is get my boss to price jobs as twice as long then complete them in half the time, this way we actually make money. :roll:
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Does he read this stuff? :grin:
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
stickboy1375 said:
.....ACtually what I am really trying to do is get my boss to price jobs as twice as long then complete them in half the time, this way we actually make money. :roll:
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How can you make money if you over-price your work?
 
76nemo

76nemo

Senior Member
Location
Ogdensburg, NY
Something else that kills me, is when the customer asks for details they don't understand. I'll give you an explanation, but don't ask me 2-5 times for it:mad:
 
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