Re: Why Your Yugo Doesn't Perform Like a Cadillac

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Apr 29, 11:06=EF=BF=BDam, "Bob La Londe" <nos...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> "Bob Worthy" <secur...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>
> news:h0YJl.34978$v8.18136@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> > You know you have a challenge when the customer wants "a" camera to see
> > this view and his head is spinning like an owl. I also love the call th=
at
> > starts out, "I saw this camera system on the internet, do you install
> > these?" I started qualifying the calls for camera systems many years ag=
o,
> > especially residential. Saved a lot of time and gas by not chasing ever=
y
> > call that comes into the office knowing that the majority are not going=
 to
> > spend the money on decent eqiupment. That was an easy decision after I =
had
> > been to one house to many where the camera system would have been more
> > expensive than the car in their driveway.
>
> "Well, I saw this system at "box club" that was only "$cheap."'
>
> My response to those is always the same. =EF=BF=BD"Those are inexpensive =
consumer
> grade systems. =EF=BF=BDBox club has a fairly liberal return policy, so i=
f you want
> to install it yourself you can try it, and if you are not happy you can t=
ake
> it back. =EF=BF=BDJust make sure you save your receipt and you try it out=
 right
> away."
>
> Of course they usually then immediately ask, "Do you install those?"
>
> I have tried a variety of responses to this but have never found one that
> gives a good result. =EF=BF=BDI tried, "Sure, the labor to install and st=
and behind
> that is $(original estimate * 1.5)." =EF=BF=BDMost people who ask are too=
 stupid to
> understand and just get pissed so I now I just tell them if they want a D=
IY
> consumer system the consumer needs to DIY it.
>
> Its tough, but I can't go around pissing everybody off either. =EF=BF=BDA=
s much as I
> would like to.
>
> As to the swivel neck people. I try to explain that the more they see the
> less they get. =EF=BF=BDThen I ask them if they have ever been to the Gra=
nd Canyon.
> If they have it makes my explanations a lot easier from there. =EF=BF=BDT=
hey can
> stand on the south rim in a few places and see most of the canyon, but th=
ere
> is no possible way they can identify a person down at the ranch in the
> bottom. =EF=BF=BDIf they get a really good telescope with video imaging a=
nd image
> stabilization they might, but then they can't even see the yard where the=
y
> are standing, much less any part of the canyon.
>
> Most simply can not afford even a decent video system. =EF=BF=BD"Box Club=
" is the
> only real solution for them, but I still will not sell or install those
> because they will eventually not be happy, and they will remember the
> features I mentioned were capable with better systems and claim I lied to
> them or ripped them off.
>
> Sometimes though you have a customer you have done work for, fixed proble=
ms
> for, they like you, and have always paid your service bill without questi=
on.
> You just don't want to piss them off, but in order to do that you have to
> make them understand what they have. =EF=BF=BDThat's why I started this t=
hread.

When it comes to CCTV, whenever I get a request, I will spend at least
an half hour explaining to them what the system WON'T do .......
first. Anticipating all of the potential expectations that I know that
they have I cut it all off at the pass by bringing them down to
reality. Getting rid of the "CSI" expectations has most often caused
them to not install the systems. In other words it seem as if I
actually talk them out of getting a system but in reality, I'm ridding
myself of the potential problems that I know are going to arise when
the system doesn't meet their expectations. Occasionally, in spite of
the limitations (usually budget) they'll get the system. But at least
they're happy with what they get because they've been educated before
hand and any addtions to make it meet their expectations are paid for
out of understanding that they have to pay more to get more.

More often I've been the guy called in after their original installer
just installed a system for them and they expected more than they
got.

I try to eliminate that up front. Rather no customer than a
dissatisfied one.

Rather a customer who remembers the honesty and comes back after
they've had a bad experience with someone who lied to them or didn't
tell them the whole truth.