How Busy Are We

[Alanj]

Re: How Busy Are We

Hi guys, work seems to be picking up, here in the N.E. of Scotland.I’ve been busy now for a couple of weeks, hope it continues. 😀

[technics1200]

Re: How Busy Are We

absolutely dead, we are, so dead its annoying.

[washtec]

I always find that it goes quiet in the easter half term hols, I think that all of mummy and daddies money is being spent on keeping the kids occupied.

[aqualectric]

Re: How Busy Are We

Have’nt stopped – working all weekend just to keep up. 8 to 10 jobs a day, bearing jobs at night in the workshop. Been like this since October. Already booked out ’till Wednesday. Not making it up – like digging sand in the Sahara at the moment. Still have a WMA and a wm22 bearing change to do tonight / tomorrow. Writing this while a Zanussi bearing job is on test. Delivering that back tomorrow.
The dilemma is, do I employ someone and lighten my workload, or struggle on and hope it quietens down soon? Very nervous of employing others; horror stories abound; but I also realise I will have no spare time to train them either. I already farm out my fridge, microwave and vacuum repairs to others. But 2 local engineer colleagues of mine have retired or lessened their working week due to illness and so I have picked up most of their customer base as well.
I must stress, I am not complaining – I am happy to be busy! I give a rapid reliable service and I go far beyond what is expected to please my customers. 🙂 So it’s me own bloody fault really!!!
The job centre and colleges round here are hopeless for recruiting, and everyone in this industry seems to be self – employed.
Anyone have a magic formula for finding suitable recruits? 😕
Help!!!

[washtec]

My solution would be to not work weekends and give yourself a bit of a break to be with your family, otherwise you may end up ill like your work colleagues.
I have a local engineer who even works sundays and late evenings, and I often think to myself how his customers must be laughing thier knackers off and thinking “What a mug, does this guy actually have a life” as he turns up on a Sunday morning or 8 oclock at night to fix thier washer.

You can only do so much and for us one man bands I think that you must try to strike a balance between earning a living and actually living a life.
I generally find that having someone other than yourself (my wife in my case) answering the telephone helps to prevent me from being pressured by customers(always desperate..not) into overloading my daily workload, she has my diary and we find that customers really dont mind waiting a day or two, or even getting someone to sit in for a morning or an afternoon, to prevent me having to call at 6pm when they get home from work.

Having said all that, I love what I do and its great to be in demand, but I for one will be enjoying a little quiet spell to be about whilst the kids are off school, but getting back to your problem, if you do at anytime go quiet and you have employees, then youve still got to pay thier wages holidays etc, now what could be more stressful than that.

[Author]

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