Re: WHAT recession ?

[tourman <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 13, 12:16=A0pm, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Jan 13, 9:58=A0am, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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> > RHC: Yes Jim, I remember my statements well ! When my old partner
> > retired and my son joined the company 10 years ago, I figured as long
> > as I was careful to ONLY take on good accounts, I could go to about
> > 1000 to 1200 accounts without service overwhelming me. I'm now just
> > under 1200 and things are busy, but not excessively so. But I am
> > limiting growth severely, only doing a couple of installs a week, and
> > we've stopped doing takeovers pretty much completely. So as a
> > business, we're coasting, but the money coming in is more than
> > sufficient to allow us to do that at this point.
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> > I have to say, it's becoming difficult though to sit still and watch
> > the large companies up here offer these new 2 Gig technologies, with
> > whole house monitoring and all sorts of "whoopee" feature sets, and
> > not respond. Especially so since I know how marginal most of this
> > stuff is. Also they are targeting the high end of the market,
> > appealing to consumers that like everything controlled from their cell
> > phones. IMO, excellent "home convenience" but rather sub standard true
> > "home security" compared to conventional panels with add on modules.
> > But with monitoring rates bordering on $55 a month, you gotta wonder
> > who's right and who's wrong...:).
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> Again .... as I've said. There are people out there who would never be
> my customer in the first place.
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> I don't see any reason what so ever to compromise my integrity by
> offering them nothing for something simply to get their business. I've
> got to feel as if I've offered and given them something of value. On
> the other hand, feeling that way, I find that I still take it as a
> personal loss when I occasionally lose a customer. It's not simply
> business with me ... I guess.
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> I was just thinking the other day while I was working ..... that
> now ..... I install for the satisfaction it gives me to do a job that
> meets MY standards. I doesn't seem to make as much difference anymore
> how much short term profit I make on a job as long as it's installed
> and operating the way that I want it to. And the way I want it to is
> always better than the client expected. Maybe that's one of the little
> thought of factors that keeps bringing the business in over the long
> run. Although I guess you could call it reputation.
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> > I do know if I so choose, I could do the same thing with the purchase
> > of a $165 module for the newest line of Paradox panels, and offer
> > pretty much the same kind of thing at NO increase in monitoring rate.
> > Being well versed in IP technology, once again I'm tempted to move
> > ahead and jump in, but I know if I do, I'll be swamped with business I
> > don't want or need, living off the "avails" of their advertising
> > stimulation. I've thought about expanding from my "core business"
> > interests and offering IP cameras, since this is easy and reliable
> > technology today, and can be so inexpensive to do, that it's a bit
> > mind blowing (I set up 5 cameras around my home as an experiment, at
> > very little cost, and I can see instantly from anywhere in the world
> > via a smartphone)
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> > My son and I have some hard decisions to make soon, since I don't want
> > to do the physical stuff anymore, and I personally don't want to
> > expand into new markets. I can look after the admin side of the
> > business, and do the tax work, but climbing ladders and running in
> > attics ain't my cup of tea anymore. I also love the IP stuff, so that
> > temptation is always there...
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> > So many decisions, so little time....(sigh)-
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> Well, it seems likely that it might be time to see what your son would
> like to do since the old man is beginning to step back some. After
> all, he's the one that's going to carry it in the future. If the
> company doesn't keep up with the trends to some extent, it's just
> going to dwindle away. Sounds as if HE's the one who's got to do some
> soul searching. As you know, there's always a tendancy for the younger
> to THINK they know what it takes to run a business but many times they
> just know the routine but not what's at the heart of being successful.
> There's an inclination to just let things go as they are because it's
> been successful. YOU know that there has to be that sense of the heart
> beat of the company and the market to forsee and take action before
> there's a problem. If you're like me, you do these things without even
> thinking about it. You do preperation and inquiries in multiple areas
> and make decisions on the fly that seem insignificant to you but that
> is constantly guiding the direction that things progress. Someone
> watching from the outside think that it's just the "flow" of things.
> You've got somewhat of a similar background as I, in big busines and
> had the opportunity to learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of
> others in a large work force with some insulation to the consequences
> for errors. Someone who hasn't had that experience, watching you run
> your business cannot imagine what history, knowledge and background
> you are drawing from to make your decisions. So don't assume that just
> because your son has been working along side you that he knows that
> all that other stuff is going on or even exists and which is so
> necessary to keep things moving forward.
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> It's like the installers, in the past, who have worked for me. I've
> offered to teach them the trade. Send them to school. Work with me for
> at least 5 years. Pay for their training for earning their license.
> Eventually start buying me out and taking over the company in maybe 10
> or so years. Every one of them left prior to two years. Went off on
> their own and failed before they reached 100 accounts. Sure, they know
> about panels and installatons and buying equipment and technical, but
> didn't know that there's more to running a business than doing
> installations.
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> Yes, there are decisions to make at =A0your end but it's your son who's
> got to do some serious soul searching about his talents, interests and
> limitations. It takes quite a number of years for the subtleness of
> the talents necessary to the success of a business, to prove
> themselves. And sometimes it's all just intertwined in the personality
> of the leader with no way to identify, define it or pass it on.

RHC: Jim, know that I've forwarded on the content of your message to
my son. I will keep this post handy for the future. I thank you for
putting it so eloquently