Re: Speaking of Commercial

["Bob La Londe" <none@xxxxxxxx>]

"nick markowitz" <nmarkowitz@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:d4af5d62-a899-4332-b5ef-fc729f8d9134@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> On Jan 24, 9:51 pm, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>> On Jan 24, 3:26 pm, "Bob La Londe" <n...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
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>> > You know, of late I have been doing as much machine work (making big
>> > pieces
>> > of metal into smaller pieces of metal) as I have communication
>> > installing,
>> > but I got a call from a good customer last week who needed some cabling
>> > done
>> > for a bunch of new APs to integrate with an inventory management
>> > system.  I
>> > was originally working for the plant management company (my current
>> > client)
>> > on behalf of a company I had never worked for before, but is a plant
>> > use
>> > client of theirs.
>>
>> > It didn't seem particularly challenging technically, but after the
>> > first day
>> > when I worked until the batteries died on my scissor lift I was
>> > actually
>> > looking forward to going to work.  I normally get the kids off to
>> > school and
>> > go back to bed for an hour or two.  The last couple days I have had my
>> > first
>> > cup of coffee before its time to wake them up, and I've been out the
>> > door
>> > right behind them.
>>
>> > Along the course of the job I coordinated with the IT guy for the
>> > company
>> > requesting the work.  Basically he was going to wait for me to run the
>> > cable
>> > and install a new J-box to hold the new equipment to accommodate the
>> > additional APs.  Then he was going to hop on the corporate jet and fly
>> > down
>> > to tie everything down and install the new hardware.
>>
>> > I asked him a few questions and each time he had an issue I had an
>> > answer.
>> > The cost of the job nearly doubled, but they will save that just in jet
>> > fuel.  Their guy is no longer coming down at all.  As soon as the new
>> > switching equipment arrives, I'll be tying it all in for them.
>>
>> > The work itself is enjoyable, but there are several things that made it
>> > really a positive job for me.  Every time they had a concern or a
>> > problem I
>> > had an answer.  They didn't expect me to provide all the answers at the
>> > original price estimate.  (Residential is notorious for that.)
>>
>> > I have had some pain is the keester customers with both residential and
>> > commercial, but I have to say the most fun and profitable individual
>> > jobs
>> > tend to be commercial.  This isn't really a big job for me, but it's
>> > the
>> > most fun I've had with a screwdriver in a while.
>>
>> It sounds like .... it's the diversification that's the attraction for
>> you.  That's what makes me get up an dance each morning. I'm thinking
>> all night long about things I'm going to do tomorrow and next day and
>> next week. I've always got some kind of research to do for products
>> and finding out if I can integrate one product with another.
>>
>> Good for you. Keep up the momentum ..... it's fun.
>
> I am same way involved in all kinds of work other than alarms  doing
> voice/data , Industrial / commercial electrical  work building
> industrial controls  being an engineer for a radio station. It makes
> the day interesting. was working on a River Towboat the other day
> fixing a Fire Alarm  and other things.

You know its funny.  I routinely tell my customers I am NOT a computer guy,
and refer them to some of the "computer" guys I know for pc repairs, network
configuration etc.  Its amazing how many of them ask me point blank if I can
do what they need anyway, and they pay my field service rate to do it even
though I charge more than the computer guys I normally send them to.  Got a
call Friday from one of my commercial customers asking me to fix a computer
networking problem at his house, because his daughter was freaking out about
not being able to connect to the on-line classes she was taking to augment
her regular high school classes.  Turns out that Qworst ... or is it
Penitentiary Link now...  had set up a wireless router/modem/hub all in one
unit on one computer for them, and never given them any of the logon
information, wireless ID, etc.  Sigh.  I really hate
Qworst/PenitentiaryLink.  I got into the router, found the information they
needed (which was different than info on a label on the bottom of the
router) and got them all working properly.  I also fixed several "while you
are here" problems with PCs printers, etc.  The customer was thrilled and
told me upfront he would pay my over time rate.  (120/hr)  He's a good
customer and I just invoiced him for regular time, but its nice to have
customers that appreciate the fact you can take care of them.