Re: WHAT recession ?

[nick markowitz <nmarkowitz@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 12, 8:34=A0am, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Jan 11, 7:46=A0pm, nick markowitz <nmarkow...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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> > On Jan 11, 6:17=A0pm, Robert Macy <robert.a.m...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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> > > On Jan 11, 11:51=A0am, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
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> > > > On Jan 11, 11:52=A0am, "Bill" <billnomailnosp...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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> > > > > "Jim" =A0wrote in message
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> > > > > > ...Jeeeeeze ..... now I actually have to go to work again.
>
> > > > > And are accounts paying their bills on time?
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> > > > > Delinquent accounts lessening? Same? Growing?
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> > > > Over the last few years I've lost a higher number of accounts than
> > > > usual. Some (I'm sure) due to the economy. Lost jobs, people moving=
 to
> > > > another state because of job changes, etc. However ( and let this b=
e
> > > > of interest to those of you who have been in this business for many
> > > > years) I've been in this industry for 43 years. One of the attritio=
n
> > > > issues that I never considered was that I would start losing accoun=
ts
> > > > because they died. Other related losses are due to moving to Florid=
a
> > > > for retirement, can't afford fee because they're retired on limited
> > > > income. One spouse dies or gets sick and the other can no longer
> > > > afford it. Sold house and moved in with family/to gated community/
> > > > senior community, etc. So ..... the longer you're in business the m=
ore
> > > > you have to deal with this kind of attrition.
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> > > > There are a few delinquet accounts that I'm carrying for a while ..=
...
> > > > just because they've been good customers for so long and are going
> > > > through hard times. Some I've had to cancel after a while. Others I=
'll
> > > > carry for a bit to see how it goes. Some I've carried have come bac=
k
> > > > and I've forgiven past due. I play this by ear.
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> > > > However. as far as growth, as far as alarm accounts go, I'd have to
> > > > say it's about status quo or a little less. But ....... In the last
> > > > 4/5 years I've increased my home theater and CCTV, automated lighti=
ng,
> > > > whole house audio and residential network wiring, and setup busines=
s.
> > > > It's not recurring income but the profit margin is lots better, so
> > > > income is growing. And I peiodiacally increase monthly monitoring f=
ees
> > > > in small amounts too.
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> > > > How about you?
>
> > > I remember when my absolutely first consulting client died! He was
> > > more than just my first consulting client, he was a friend. Years and
> > > years of working with him, he had slowly gotten behind and owed me
> > > enough to run our firm on for a year. Upon his death, I just walked
> > > away, couldn't push collecting the debt since he left a widow and
> > > subteen daughter, and a lot of debts behind. Months later, the widow
> > > showed up with a truck full of his electronic test equipment and said
> > > they didn't offer her much money for this stuff and asked if I could
> > > use it. You bet! =A0Along with the myriad of items buried in the truc=
k
> > > were such goodies as BERT [bit error rate tester for communications
> > > channels], HP Function Generators, Tektronix scopes and spectrum
> > > analyzer with tracking generator option! and a full blown Intel
> > > Development System!
>
> > I have not taken on new clients for 4 years now I have enough work
> > just in my current base to keep me busy between all the crazy stuff I
> > work on and build =A0loss couple gain couple accounts as customer shrin=
k
> > and grow .
>
> RHC: Yes Nick, I'm pretty much in the same boat. I only do maximum two
> system installs a week which keeps me ahead of natural attrition as
> people move. Since I'm VERY near the 1200 account mark, it's just as
> well. Monitoring revenues keep me more than happy and compensated, so
> I can concentrate on giving top notch service to my client base. It
> seems this winter though, work has increased somewhat over the same
> time last year, but I just go with the flow, and try not to over
> stress myself . =A0Minor service like battery changes and paperwork
> fills in the rest of the day
>
> Ain't life grand...:))

I ended up working on a fire alarm on a tow boat today helping a
electrical contractor out I sub for neat stuff I have around 300
accounts  that's enough.