Employment with EXTREMELY high end audio gear

highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Not to mention the full time 'shoppers.' People who have as much time as they /may/ have money, and therefore are more interested in nickle and diming and disecting everything instead of looking at the forest. "I quote you 10 hours for programming..." "Well, I'll pay you for 8" .......... "The remote is 2100" ...."I'll pay you for the programming but only your cost on the remote, actually I don't want that remote, I want the step up, but I'll only pay you 2100 for it still"
All of those examples would get a big NO from me and everyone I know in this business because we all refuse to allow time, labor and skills to become a commodity. I take it as an insult because it tells me that the person doesn't value my time and skills.

If someone can't do something, they have to pay someone who can.
 
majorloser

majorloser

Moderator
If someone can't do something, they have to pay someone who can.
Or if somebody doesn't like to do something they'll pay to get it done.

I always believe my time away from work is more valuable than my time at work. Therefore, if I get paid "X" dollars per hour at work my time away from work is worth more. So my time away from work is equal to "Y".

X < Y

Just because I know how to do something doesn't mean I enjoy doing it or I even want to.

This approach can also help sell your labor costs when you relate to a customer how much their spare time is worth to them. And usually when a customer does something themselves, it may even take them far longer to get the job done. And that's not taking into account any problems that arise.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Or if somebody doesn't like to do something they'll pay to get it done.

I always believe my time away from work is more valuable than my time at work. Therefore, if I get paid "X" dollars per hour at work my time away from work is worth more. So my time away from work is equal to "Y".

X < Y

Just because I know how to do something doesn't mean I enjoy doing it or I even want to.

This approach can also help sell your labor costs when you relate to a customer how much their spare time is worth to them. And usually when a customer does something themselves, it may even take them far longer to get the job done. And that's not taking into account any problems that arise.
I like the ones who ask me if I want to do a side job, knowing I work for myself. If someone doesn't want to do something, hey may pay but it will be grudgingly.
 
MidnightSensi

MidnightSensi

Audioholic Samurai
I like the ones who ask me if I want to do a side job, knowing I work for myself. If someone doesn't want to do something, hey may pay but it will be grudgingly.
Nod. And I think side-work is stealing if you work full time for a company. Obviously I can do it cheaper on the side.... I'm getting paid cash, have no overhead, didn't have to 'market' anything, let alone insurane anything.... that's why to me side-work is sketchy.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Nod. And I think side-work is stealing if you work full time for a company. Obviously I can do it cheaper on the side.... I'm getting paid cash, have no overhead, didn't have to 'market' anything, let alone insurane anything.... that's why to me side-work is sketchy.
Someone doing a side job is just as liable from an insurance standpoint as a real contractor or retailer who installs. The ones who really piss me off are the ones who use their employers' vehicle, tools and supplies for side jobs and justify it as "they owe me". They don't understand that their view is 180° off- the employer paid for training, which made them useful (hopefully) in at least part of that skill set. Then, any damage they cause will reflect directly on the employer as soon as it happens.
 
MidnightSensi

MidnightSensi

Audioholic Samurai
insurane = insuring * I know you figured it out, but, man, these late night posts can have some bad errors! :D

Someone doing a side job is just as liable from an insurance standpoint as a real contractor or retailer who installs. The ones who really piss me off are the ones who use their employers' vehicle, tools and supplies for side jobs and justify it as "they owe me". They don't understand that their view is 180° off- the employer paid for training, which made them useful (hopefully) in at least part of that skill set. Then, any damage they cause will reflect directly on the employer as soon as it happens.
I agree, but they aren't paying for insurance and are uninsured. Versus you, who got them the job...pays lights for the office, insurance, advertising, and so on.

To me, a mechanic (well, installer) is only as good as his tools. All mechanics I work with have their own tools, it's basically required to be hired because otherwise you just end up buying them tools that they take home when they get fired or along the way. That way, if they do side work, it isn't with your tools. :)

At any rate, running a business is tough with this sort of stuff!
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
To me, a mechanic (well, installer) is only as good as his tools. All mechanics I work with have their own tools, it's basically required to be hired because otherwise you just end up buying them tools that they take home when they get fired or along the way. That way, if they do side work, it isn't with your tools. :)

At any rate, running a business is tough with this sort of stuff!
I prefer to think that someone is as good as their skills and knowledge, not their tools. I know several people who have nice tools but don't know which end of a screwdriver to pound on and some have OK or cheap tools and they can do a lot of things very well.

I agree about mechanics and installers owning their own tools from an owner's standpoint under some circumstances. My dad had an upholstery shop and he provided the tools. Several times. The guys were very careless and left things in cars all the time until he had a meeting with them and said he would no longer do that and that if they couldn't pay for them immediately, he would buy them and deduct an amount to be agreed on from their pay. Funny thing- they stopped losing tools. Hmmm. I worked for a company and they bought everything we needed- I thought they were nuts. If we wanted to use some of our own, that was fine but while I always try to be conservative when I spend someone else's money, one of the guys went out and bought basically the same things I did, but at three times the cost.
 
bandphan

bandphan

Banned
The one thing about this industry in regards to PK, you can leave a lot of money on the table;) Sure the ice to Eskimos works, but if you can build the igloo also thats more:D
 
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