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Back in the (relative) good old days I specialised exclusively in Hoover automatic washing machines, twin tubs, vacs and tumble dryers. Never touched anything else. For about 15 years that’s all we did. If anyone phoned up about a Hotpoint washing machine we said, sorry we don’t do them.
In the early 90s we had 2 vans kitted out with nothing but Hoover parts and technical manuals. We had virtually every armature, every module and every timer. Almost every door seal, bearings, brushes etc and hardly ever didn’t complete a job first time.
We weren’t unique, there were lots of specialists. Eventually, during the 90s recession and due to the rise of Hotpoint we took on Hotpoint but we still only did their automatic washing machines and tumble dryers, wouldn’t touch their vacs.
What I don’t understand is, why do so many companies want to try and fix so many appliances where it’s impossible to give a truly outstanding service? Why are there so many engineers that have to try and fix all makes of dishwasher, cooker, washing machine, tumble dryer and even refrigeration when no one can carry anywhere near enough parts to be able to do it – never mind be able to be experienced and familiar with all those products. To me it’s crazy.
Why aren’t there companies specialising in either only fixing automatic washing machines – every house has one – or only fixing say Hotpoint, Creda, Indesit group appliances – surely there’s more than enough to handle there – or only Hoover Candy etc.
In my experience most people will usually favour a specialist and almost everyone instinctively knows someone specialising should give a much better and more efficient service and is far more likely to have the part required and the experience to deal with more problems.
Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
When I started 18 yrs ago, we did every make on the market.
I`m a specialist in Domestic Appliances, there is very little difference between makes, one guy I no swears he`d never repair a certain brand, only to find he had been, just different badge on it. :rolls:
Customer choice, to some extent means you don`t see the same make every week.
If I kept to one brand my kids would starve and the bank would own my wife.
I`ve always viewed engineers poorly if they don`t/can`t repair more than a few brands.
You don`t see GP`s refusing to treat only OAP`s.
Washing machines and Dishwashers are probably the most technically challenging, so why not repair a fridge of cooker hood, nothing too testing in that.
If car mechanics can, so can we.
Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
I used 2 love the old hoover electron 1100, good old day’s (in some ways) remember keymatic’s?
candy = 🙁
Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
chalky wrote:I used 2 love the old hoover electron 1100, good old day’s (in some ways) remember keymatic’s?
candy = 🙁
keymatic those were days what about these rolls twin tubs 😆Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
andy_art_trigg wrote:What I don’t understand is, why do so many companies want to try and fix so many appliances where it’s impossible to give a truly outstanding service? Why are there so many engineers that have to try and fix all makes of dishwasher, cooker, washing machine, tumble dryer and even refrigeration when no one can carry anywhere near enough parts to be able to do it – never mind be able to be experienced and familiar with all those products. To me it’s crazy.
You referred earlier to the yesteryear gung ho days of the likes of ‘Authorised Hoover Dealererships’ ‘Candy Agents’ and in my case ‘Robert Bosch’ authorised agency work back in the good old 1980’s…..those where the days indeed.
Advance 29 years and those agencies are long gone, the 3 manufacturers mentioned have long since clawed back the work solely for themselves. Agencies around the UK sacked, bye! bye! we don’t want you any more!
Those independent companies left to fend for themselves and in many cases having to show their employees the door also. The trade fragmented and many went their own way as I did. And as I can only speak from my personal experience have managed quite nicely fixing brands that I’d never ever seen before let alone tried to fix.
A washing machine is a washing machine a fridge is a fridge no matter who makes it. If you can fix one you can fix them all no problem. Getting spare parts again no problem and as far as technical information is concerned, what’s there to know that would cause a problem anyway?
Having the right parts on the van? Again in order to ensure your ‘first call fix rate’ is 85{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} or more you need to have your wits about you to know what the supply and demand is and to carry those spares on the van anyway. Quickly replenish and monitor your stock holding and have a good source of supply and fast next day delivery of those special order parts you may need to complete the job.
That’s the way we all work these days, the system does work if you can stay on top of your game. Especially as these days we have the Internet to help us out sourcing those spares and routing out the odd bit of technical info should the need arise.
Its wonderful to reminisce on the good old days of the 1980’s but looking back and comparing then with now I used to work harder and much longer hours then and for far less money that I earn today. The earning potential wasn’t great then, bl**dy hard graft having to cover a wider area and all the while jumping through hoops at the manufacturers behest. A proverbial yesman I was in them days.
Bugger the old days, stuff agency work and specialising. The remuneration, hastle over guarantee claims, having to drop what you were doing and travel 30 miles just to sort out one of their customers (a screamer as we say in the trade) the working conditions were rubbish!
We remember only the sunny days but in the 1980’s it rained a hell of a lot back then! 😉
Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
Worked for a “major” and was expected to repair all their products, good training was given so one grew used to finding your way around machines.Depends on your training and capability.
Often walked into customers houses having never seen the product that was faulty even though it was made by the company.
Wouldn’t want now to be stuck with the same products/manufature day in day out,need a challenge.Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
Yes the challenge.
In the good old days you never had the forum to run too for help. 😆
Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
God Imagine sitting there waiting for a call to come in for a Hoover Auto ? certainly its a novel idea but far from being a commercially sound business model. These days like Martin says we need to have our wits about us, be multi skilled and multi brand and even then it can be tough going. When I worked for manufacturers service with service calls that were sent to you via computer overnight all ready loaded on to your computer for when you awoke next morning, a fully stocked vanstock and necessary tools I could never imgaine repairing another make of appliance, why where would I start ? No Technical backup, all the pitfalls etc. The thing is when I left that employment I started work with a independent who for the best part of 30 years made a healthy living from repairing Hoover & Hotpoint, Ariston, Etc Washing Machines and Vacuum Cleaners, along with twin tubs and single tubs, No Cookers, No Cooling, No Dishwashers, No Microwave Ovens. That all changed when I arrived as I was able to embrace all of that and slowly the company evolved into being far more multiskilled, so it was a two way street, they were able to educate me on other makes and I was able to educate them in other areas. When Customers phone us they never ask for a specialist but always ask if we can repair their washing machine or whatever. In fact if my memory serves me right if one calls themselves say a Indesit Specialist or any other type of brand specialist is that not sticky ground these days ?
Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
In the old days you could survive only fixing one make of front loader but even now if a repairer specialised in only repairing Hoover Candy appliances, or only Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit white goods – or even only all makes of automatic washing machine they could surely have enough work. There are millions of them. They would also take a lot of work from the engineers trying to fix everything because as stupid as many customers are they would virtually all rather have a specialist given a choice.
Our local doctors are general practitioners who know a little about a lot, but commonly misdiagnose things and have to send people to specialists all the time. Everyone knows if you have a heart problem you are better off with a heart specialist than a general practitioner.
Are you trying to say that no one could survive fixing just refrigeration and not touching anything else? Or only front loaders – where virtually every house in the country has one? Or only on one of the big manufacturing groups millions of appliances?
The argument that a washer is a washer and a fridge is a fridge is irrelevant. I’m not saying really good engineers aren’t capable of fixing any specific appliance, I’m saying a company or engineer specialising exclusively in a smaller range of appliances is going to give a far better service than an equally good one trying to fix them all, and that customers are pretty likely to favour a specialist when deciding who to call.
Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
well i dont know about everyone else but when customers phone wanting a repair when i ask them what make it is they have to go in the kitchen and check what they have
so i dont think offering being a specialist in one make would get you any extra callsRe: What’s happend to the specialist?
andy_art_trigg wrote:I’m saying a company or engineer specialising exclusively in a smaller range of appliances is going to give a far better service than an equally good one trying to fix them all,
And we are saying in answer to that Andy that that ideal does not now work today. If you get 10 phone calls and only one is a machine that you specialise in so you say “sorry you’ll have to try somebody else lady!” Be honest, that just ain’t gonna work for you now is it?
andy_art_trigg wrote:and that customers are pretty likely to favour a specialist when deciding who to call.
The naivety of that statement is somewhat galling to be honest mate. As petalpop has just said, most of the time a customer doesn’t know which way is up let alone what make and model of machine they have? To them a washing machine is a washing machine and all vacuum cleaners are Hoovers. To us out here in today’s white goods world we take on all comers or end up loosing out to our competitors. Anyone that still holds out these days to repair specific brands or types of machines and rejects everything else in the pretence of being ‘a specialist’ will soon be filling out forms at the Jobcentre.
Mind you having said all that it’s amazing how many unemployed shepherds there are in Solihull. Yet they all have loads of kids in tow and a big plasma in the corner. That perhaps may just prove your theory that specialising can still pay.
Re: What’s happend to the specialist?
Single brand dishwasher repair wouldn’t make too much sense. Lets take the example of a Hotpoint dishwasher specialist.
Up to about 10 years ago, Hotpoint made their own dishwashers using mainly Bosch components. Then, after closing their production line in the UK, they have rebranded German-made Bosch, French-made Brandt, Spanish made Fagor, Italian-made Smeg and finally Italian-made Indesit dishwashers as their own.
So the Hotpoint dishwasher specialist could readily transfer knowledge to these other European brands, as well as the equivalent Creda, Ariston, Siemens, Neff, Hygena, Diplomat, Belling and Teka machines (and probably more). That leaves Miele, Whirlpool, Zanussi, Beko, Asko, Servis, Candy and their related brands.
The Hotpoint dishwasher specialist would probably already have enough knowledge to service dishwashers produced by nearly half the factories in Europe, quite apart from the many Chinese Indesit dishwasher clones.
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