Re: Speaking of Commercial

[nick markowitz <nmarkowitz@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 25, 2:20=A0pm, "Bob La Londe" <n...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> "nick markowitz" <nmarkow...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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> news:d4af5d62-a899-4332-b5ef-fc729f8d9134@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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> > On Jan 24, 9:51 pm, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> >> On Jan 24, 3:26 pm, "Bob La Londe" <n...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >> > 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 cabl=
ing
> >> > done
> >> > for a bunch of new APs to integrate with an inventory management
> >> > system. =A0I
> >> > 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. =A0I normally get the kids off to
> >> > school and
> >> > go back to bed for an hour or two. =A0The last couple days I have ha=
d 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. =A0Basically 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. =A0Then 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. =A0Their guy is no longer coming down at all. =A0As soon as th=
e 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. =A0Every time they had a concern or a
> >> > problem I
> >> > had an answer. =A0They didn't expect me to provide all the answers a=
t the
> >> > original price estimate. =A0(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. =A0This 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. =A0That's what makes me get up an dance each morning. I'm thinkin=
g
> >> 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 =A0doing
> > voice/data , Industrial / commercial electrical =A0work building
> > industrial controls =A0being an engineer for a radio station. It makes
> > the day interesting. was working on a River Towboat the other day
> > fixing a Fire Alarm =A0and other things.
>
> You know its funny. =A0I routinely tell my customers I am NOT a computer =
guy,
> and refer them to some of the "computer" guys I know for pc repairs, netw=
ork
> configuration etc. =A0Its 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 eve=
n
> though I charge more than the computer guys I normally send them to. =A0G=
ot a
> call Friday from one of my commercial customers asking me to fix a comput=
er
> networking problem at his house, because his daughter was freaking out ab=
out
> not being able to connect to the on-line classes she was taking to augmen=
t
> her regular high school classes. =A0Turns out that Qworst ... or is it
> Penitentiary Link now... =A0had 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. =A0Sigh. =A0I really hate
> Qworst/PenitentiaryLink. =A0I 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. =A0I also fixed several "while=
 you
> are here" problems with PCs printers, etc. =A0The customer was thrilled a=
nd
> told me upfront he would pay my over time rate. =A0(120/hr) =A0He's a goo=
d
> 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.

It comes down to who they trust to get the job done right and there
are just so many incompetent installers and techs out there that I end
up doing locks and everything else because there nothing but hacks out
there providing service. thats why im so busy and every one else is
crying all people want is good service and they will pay for it if you
deliver it.