What makes you a better E.C. than your competition?

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77401

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What makes you a better E.C. than your competition?

I'll go first...

Emergency Service, regardless of the hour.
2 hour or less window for scheduling service calls & I always call 30 minutes before arriving.
Clean Appearance...non smoker
No Habla Espanol
I'll wear the little Blue Surgical booties when my shoes are the least bit dirty.
I stock dog bisquits on the truck to make friends with the customers furry kids.
I clean up after my self.
I don't park in their driveways ( sounds stupid but you won't beleive how many people don't want you droping oil or screws in their yard)
 
Re: What makes you a better E.C. than your competition?

77401 said:
What makes you a better E.C. than your competition?


No Habla Espanol
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Nice way to alienate a, potentially, huge customer base (and probably some of the very people you are asking this question of!)....and how on earth does that make "you a better E.C."?????

Why not just do jobs for people that want the ground up?
 
Yeah, I agree with Celtic, being able to speak or at least read and/or understand other languages, particualrly Spanish, will give you a competetive edge. At least in my neck of the woods it will.
 
Spanish folks in my area tell me, "No Spanglish". Whatever the reason, more than a few people have told me how ridiculous Spanglish sounds to them. These folks explained to me, speaking my own language competantly is more dignified than trying fill in missing spanish with my own phrases.

I've also been told by parents, they want their family to practice the native language, and prefer I just say "No Habla en Espaniol" to them. Honesty may be the best policy if you don't want to insult peoples inteligence.

My experience in Germany was entirely different, as a guest in their country they generally did not bother with me unless I aproached them and tried to speak German. Then, no matter how broken my attempt, they were more than happy to show me how well they could speak english.
 
A better E.C. than any other? Wow, I'm not sure that I can honestly say that we as good as some. But we are trying.

Here is my list - In random order:

  1. We wear clean company shirts and have picture I.D. tags.
  2. We drive well stocked trucks.
  3. Our price is mid range, not the highest - not the cheapest.
  4. We too schedule a service call to a 2 hour window and call before we head out
  5. Everyone is enrolled in some type of "continuing education". Including the secretary.
  6. No short cuts. I stress "doing it right" (Which of course has many interpretations.)
  • Pre-twist with lineman's all solid conductors before the wire nut is put on.
  • Pigtail receptacles rather than use the recpt as a splice point.
  • No "tubing cutters". (Use a saw.)
  • If you see something that needs to be fixed (open splice, missing cover, etc.) fix it!

Now, as far as Spanglish. When I have been to Mexico, they love it when I tried to habla. But here, I only speak my TexMex to the ones who can't speak any English.
 
I give a good quality job at a fair price. As far as speaking Spanish, I don't live in Spain or Mexico so therefore I have no intention of learning the language. Now if I go to live THERE, then it would seem customary to learn the native language so I could communicate better with the native population. English is the spoken language in America.
 
electricmanscott said:
Well based on what I have been reading here I suck. :twisted:

The views expressed here are my opinion and should be taken as such. Don't blame me if I am wrong.
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I did a double take there scott...
First you say you suck...
Then you say it's only your opinion...
Then you say you might be wrong.

So - do you suck or not?

LMAO.
 
I may not suck as much as Scott. I don't park in the driveway I park on the lawn. I tell customers that the leaking oil is beneficial because it kills crab grass. I do smoke but the only time I have had any real complaints was when I smoking in bed with the customer's wife. I have alway promised not to bite any dogs as long as they don't bite me. I'm probably not cheaper, better or faster than many of the competing contractors. When I was in school I read that Abraham Lincoln said that you can fool some of the people all of the time and that was all I needed to know ( My customer base ). I have no ambition to be the best, fastest or cheapest in the area and I'm content to let others fight over the honor. I try to do quality work for what I consider to be a reasonable price but I don't put up with much Bull. Being clean, honest and courteous should be expected but I'm not going to wear a uniform for anyone ( did for the military but I'm not Pizza Delivery ). To be better than most contractors all you have to do is stay in business and make a living. Most that try will fail.
 
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