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i have been fairly busy this year up until this week when the phone has rarely rung and just the occasional email for work. is anybody the same or is it just me? its not like im out in the sticks-i normally work in north london and surrounding areas but it is just to quiet this week.
Re: where has all the work gone
Oh blimey, yet another thread on the subject….. 🙂
It’s the nature of the beast….endless Bank holidays, many packing their bags in readiness for this months med cruise….long spell of high temps, no rain, no tumble dryer probs…..cheap deals on appliances at the sheds….the world is coming to an end on May 31st…Bin Laden’s body has been washed up thru stop cock in Wapping, Al Queda wants it back…. and so on. 😈
Trust me…tomorrow you’ll be rushed off your feet…… 😀
Re: where has all the work gone
Yes we are pretty slack at the moment, not many incoming phone calls or customers through the shop. No Rhyme or Reason, I have mates in other trades Mechanics, Gas Installers, Building and Plumbing and they are all saying the same, it cannot stay like it as everyone needs to live, they need hot water, clean clothes, cooked food and having had a couple of walks around two of my local sheds last week they were doing nothing either !
Re: where has all the work gone
It seems a common theme at the moment and, for the past couple of months as well.
Very low sales across a wide spectrum and not just this industry either but the reports are that appliances sales have been disastrous of late in general.
K.
Re: where has all the work gone
Very quiet as well, even contract work, not crisis point yet but getting close………. 🙁
Re: where has all the work gone
i have hit crisis point! 2 jobs today, nothing booked in for rest of the week
Re: where has all the work gone
I have had very little since well before easter. Haven’t taken a wage in a month and I have a van that doesn’t want to work if someone does call :rolls:
It’s bleak oop north 🙁
Re: where has all the work gone
I’ve been busy since early march, it went dead over the bank holidays but it bounced back soon after. Strange I’m the one who always moans that it is quiet.
Re: where has all the work gone
very quiet over here,lot’s of enquiries but no one has any spare money and are putting off the inevitable.Had a phone call today where a Bosch is making “a horrible screeching noise when spinning” but they can’t afford to have it fixed.
Re: where has all the work gone
Hi, I’m Chris Blackwood the Owner – Engineer Of Penny Lane Domestic Appliances, Liverpool.
After reading all previous post, it would seen its not just my business is extremely quiet, for about three months I’ve only been booking 2 to 6 calls aday, I would nornally have up to 9 -11 calls aday.
Talking other business here in Liverpool, their the same.
Most of people I talk to say the Whitegoods repair business sould be booming in an recession, but its not. No one seems to know why?……Has any one out there in the trade, worked out why where all so quiet?
I’m starting to worry!
Re: where has all the work gone
Crikey, you must be worried Chris, first post after joining UKWG’s eight years ago. 😉
Steady as she goes here, workwise, nothing spectacular but 7 to 9 calls a day on average since the turn of the year. Only booked one or two days ahead at the most though.
Jim.
Re: where has all the work gone
Having been through at least three recessions this one seems to be having a greater effect on our trade at least in the area we operate in. Now looking at things logically we operate in a area with around 150,000 houses, with roughly about 20 other companies made up of one man businesses and a couple working out of retail premises. In previous recessions our business has always been busy but up until around beginning of May it went slack, last week I had ten calls all week ! with the shop very quiet on consumables and DIY spares. Talking to one or two other local engineers it seems they are suffering as well.
We can blame the bank holidays, nice weather, Royal Wedding, the Cat or the Dog but its way quiet and it makes you wonder what folk are doing as regards repairs or even buying new. Appliance Sales are meant to be down across the board so people are not spending. However go out of an evening and the local pubs and eating places are busy, everyone seems to be booking holidays
so people seem to have money but are selective on how they are spending it ?With the catchment area we operate in we should be busy most days, but currently we are not and I can understand others here when they say they are getting worried about the downturn. iadom seems to have 7-9 jobs per day bring booked one to two days ahead.
Makes you wonder how you can increase your call rate ? and also makes you reflect on how your business is accessible to customers.
Re: where has all the work gone
The local Indian and Italian restaurants that I frequent quiet often have been dead for over a year now, most of the local pubs don’t appear to be that busy either.
And yet the cruise I am going on next week is fully booked up. :con:
I think in my case it is having a fairly compact area with a high population density. Also there used to be several major employers in this area that were part of the old AEI/GEC group. That led to huge amounts of staff sales of Hotpoint appliances all those years ago and there is still a residue of these customers even after all of the factories have gone. I am now repairing the machines of some customers grandchildren. :eeek: 😥
I also have around 300 ISE machines out there that bring in a few calls a week at a very generous remuneration rate. 8)
I am certainly quieter than four or five years ago but as I don’t do any advertising at all and am approaching the twilight of my time in the business I am fortunate enough not to have to worry about the odd quiet day or two.
However for those with large mortgages, several employees etc it must be a very trying time indeed.
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