Re: Timely message to all

[ABLE1 <somewhere@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 3/25/2020 11:21 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> On 3/25/2020 5:23 AM, ABLE1 wrote:
>>
>> On 3/24/2020 10:12 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>>> I'll send any referrals to Les & Jim.
>>
>>
>> Thanks Bob, but the travel time is gonna cost the customer a lot!!
>>
>> Today I am going to go to the site with the Dictograph panel.
>> First step will be to ID the unlabeled wiring rats nest.
>> BTW no residents in the house, just the caretaker.
>>
>> This will be a day to remember.
>>
>> Hope all have a good safe day as well!!
>>
>> Les
>
> If somebody local will not take care of them it might be worth it.  Used
> to have FBII send me referrals for panel owners in remote locations from
> time to time.  Most were just thrilled to have somebody willing to come
> at all.
>
> I grew up in a less remote area.  Maybe 60 miles from town.  My dad and
> I learned to do all the electrical, plumbing, and refrigeration work we
> needed done for our grocery store (and many other things). We just
> couldn't get service companies to come out at all.  I took my
> refrigeration certification course (mail order) when I was 14 I think.
> In later years as a contractor I had a number of big cooling companies
> as regular clients.  I think they were impressed that I actually knew
> atleast roughly how everything worked.  My dad had a handy man service
> on the side that actually generated more revenue than his hardware
> store.  People were thrilled to get things fixed.  He's a retired
> snowbird now (sunbird?) and he still just about always has handy man
> jobs going.
>
> Ok.  1900 miles might be a bit far for a service call, but I had clients
> from 200-300 miles away.  Some of them actually had service companies
> that were closer, but they couldn't get them to come out and do service
> for them.  I charged them for my travel time, but they were just happy
> to have somebody who knew what they were doing fix their stuff.  One was
> a school.  Whenever I had to go out there I planned a full day of it.
> I'd fix what they called me for, and then ask what else they had that
> was broken to save on another travel charge. My truck looked like the
> moving scene from the Beverly Hillbillies when ever I headed their way,
> so I would be prepared.


Bob, It would seem that your Dad had the work right ethic to figure out
things on his own.  And that work ethic was passed down properly.

My Dad was the same.  He was the top Ford Mechanic at a local dealership
for 28 years before he retired.  He always had the ability to figure out
stuff of other trades.  When he did have someone come into the house to
fix something, he was always looking over the guys shoulder and asking
questions.  Got enough input to not need that service call again.

I learned a lot of his ways, either by direct contact or snarfing it
while watching others.

Drives me crazy when the wife says she is going to call a plumber
to fix a leaking faucet or other stuff.

As for those long distant customers, I have had a few as well but they
have since closed up shop.  And yes, they were very happy to pay the
travel time.

This is good conversation that brings back some good memories.  :-)

Thanks Bob!!

Les