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I have just set up my own company working from home. Been doing it for 1 month now with a zero cliant base. I have been a partner of a business that is very well established for over 18 years and just been bought out. Done 5000 leaflets (which include a picture of me holding a tool box), and some local newspaper editorials. For the first 3 weeks it was much better than I ever expected, between 4 and 6 jobs a day, then the phone just stopped ringing (almost completley!) all my local contacts tell me they are deadly quiet also at the moment so I suppose I’m bound to be. Located in Dewsbury West Yorkshire, and feedback?
Regards,
Robert.A lot of retailers especially are very quiet…
Credit crunch.
Fuel prices.
Media spreading fear of impending financial doom for everyone.
Once the scaremongering stops it should ease a bit I think unless we do actually tip into a full blown recession. But there’s been some classic quotes…
“We’re in a period of negative growth, not a recession” I loved that, I think it was Alistair Darling that one.
I heard another on Radio 4 the other morning about house prices and I can’t recall how it was put but I nearly crashed the car laughing as how she worded that houses were too expensive.
K.
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
Looking back at the last recession we done very well, people adopted a make mend policy as opposed to buying new.
Listening to Gordon Brown yesterday morning being interviewed on Radio 4 he was spouting more crap about Britain being a place where people can realise their dreams and ambitions, where people can get point of delivery medical treatment, where people can start a new business !
All sound familiar ? of course it does I can recollect his very first budget speech, along the lines that this is a budget for the British Family and Small Business !
Whilst I accept that there are some extenuating world financial problems many of them brought about by the greed of the banks, we are all suffering the mismanagement of this fellow. I feel especially sorry the the people trying to run haulage firms many facing ruin, and I doubt the goverment wil be there to bail them out like Northen Rock !
Lets see what news the local elections bring as a barometer to the faith people have.
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
When I started, I needed an “in”. Given that I knew most of the other local engineers at the time, I put the word out – roughly – “If you don’t want to do it, I will”. Dishwashers – there are three Indies in Leeds who do dishwashers. Built-in machines, brilliant! It’s easier to fix it than try and replace it, guaranteed earner. Property agents, landlords (need to get the billing side organised first). They’re all earners, if you’re prepared to take them on.
I’m still a sole trader, but I’m busy. Don’t suppose I’ll ever be a millionaire, but I make a living. ISE helps, a lot – a great investment in my future, IMO. Sign up.
You can do it, consider the options in your area and exploit them.
Penguin45.
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
whiskeyjack6058 wrote:then the phone just stopped ringing (almost completley!) all my local contacts tell me they are deadly quiet also at the moment so I suppose I’m bound to be. Located in Dewsbury West Yorkshire, and feedback?
The last few months has been the quietest I’ve had in business since I started in business 15 years ago.
Can’t see how all the economic doom and gloom should affect our types of business as people should be looking to repair rather than replace in these circumstances :?.Some weeks are ok, then it falls away again 😥
Everyone in my area seems to be a bit quieter than usual so that is some sort of comfort that it’ll pick up at some point.
Bryan
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
Had the quietest few weeks since I went solo in 1998. thought it was down to me jettisoning Tompsons and the BT Pronebook but everyone I speak to says the same. Even started doing the shoot yourself in the foot type of jobs that I used to say no to (out of area or ‘I’ve had the back off’ types).
TC
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
Very quiet here too, just one call today 🙁
It’s the ‘Foxtrott Effect’ I guess…(slow, slow, quick, quick slow)?
Half term holidays and the run up to Bank holidays always shows a dramatic slow down in the trade overall. At least it’s given me a chance to paint the garage doors and repair the garden fence. 😉
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
yep, this year has yet to get going for me, & its nearly summer! What makes it worse is that 07 was a very busy year, turning jobs away some weeks.
The sheds & supermarkets are doing some pretty agressive price cutting to shift stock and that aint helping.
As p45 says though robert, be flexible, integrated dishwashers & the like are good earners, advertising has its part to play, but doing a quality, fairly priced job is your best bet for repeat business & referrals.Looks like you picked a difficult year to start though mate ! 😯
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
cornwell40 wrote:Even started doing the shoot yourself in the foot type of jobs that I used to say no to (out of area or ‘I’ve had the back off’ types).
TC
You do get the oddest calls sometimes 😆 I have just taken a call for an Arthur Martin LF0535 integrated washing machine never ever heard of that brand before 😯 .
I must admit I did cringe when the old boy said it was of French extraction, until he said it`s the same as Electrolux. A quick search on pro corner reveals prod no. 914770207 and parts are available to so hopefully we can sort it out for him.
Don
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
We’ve also been alot quieter in the last couple of weeks, it has been extremely busy and has slowed down since half term. Nice to have a breather.
MervRe: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
Isn’t it bizarre how things go ,I am snowed under,Picking up estate agent work like it’s going out of fashion Ithink cos it’s all integrated stuff .
Just looked and am booked Tue ,Wed,Thurs so far next week .
Selling a few ISE2’s as well.
LawrenceRe: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
Amazing how integrated stuff has a lot of guys in our trade running for the hills! Called today to a machine , old AEG dishwasher, some bod had been out to it 2 months ago, removed front plate, peered underneath, pronounced it flooded & BER & charged elderly owner £40 for his ‘trouble’.
Machine was in flood constant pumping mode so hoiked it out to see just what was leaking. Float sw arm was stuck in up position but base was bone dry, must have been flooded originally, evaporated over the weeks & corroded float arm a bit.
Sussed out leak was probably caused by choice of detergent for this slim dishwasher & advised her accordingly.
It really wasnt rocket science & the first guy really just had to spend 20 mins at job to achive the same result :rolls:
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
Where I am there are three other guys two of which put customers my way when they have a built in ,The other one gets in such a mess that I end up calling anyway.
And as for Diplomat Hygena ,nobody wants to know ,escept me of course 😀
LawrenceRe: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
What a lot of people don’t realise (or choose to) is that they’re all basically the same. If you understand how a dishwasher gets through a programme, you understand how any dishwasher gets through its programme – the trick is to learn the little nuances of the individual brands. If you can do that, why say “No” to anything? Lots of work if you’re prepared to take it on……..
Chris.
Re: Are you quiet at the moment or is it me?
I love integrated machines – the last good earner in the trade. And the one least likely to disappear. 😉
Where else could you fit a PCB to a cheap chinese made Baumatic dishwasher and get paid without complaint? The hassle of replacing an integrated machine is usually too much to bear for most people, so you nearly always get the job. I have a full book until Thursday and working all day Saturday (8 calls).
We will repair any make as long as the spares can be obtained with the exception of Miele. Have to say, we’ve been doing 6 days a week most weeks of this year (so far). Hope it lasts………Steve.
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