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Re: Puzzled
A warning to those who think they may be overworked. This may sound familiar to some.
This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide my car needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the porch table that I picked up earlier.
I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the rubbish can under the table, and notice that the can is full.So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the rubbish first.
But then I think, since I’m going to be near the postbox when I take out the rubbish anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.I take my cheque book off the table, and see that there is only one cheque left.
My extra cheques are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.I’ going to look for my cheque book, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don’t accidentally knock it over. I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye–they need to be watered.
I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I’ve been searching for all morning.
I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I’m going to water the flowers.I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table. I realise that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won’t remember that it’s on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the living room where it belongs, but first I’ll water the flowers.
I pour some water in the flowers, quite a bit of it spills on the floor.
So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.
Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.At the end of the day:
the car isn’t washed,
the bills aren’t paid,
there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter,
the flowers don’t have enough water,
there is still only one cheque in my cheque book,
I can’t find the remote,
I can’t find my glasses,
and I don’t remember what I did with the car keys.
Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I’m really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I’m really tired.I realise this is a serious problem, and I’ll try to get some help for it, but first I’ll check my e-mail.
Do me a favour, will you? Forward this message to everyone you know, because I don’t remember to whom it has been sent.Don’t laugh — if this isn’t you yet, your day is coming!
Re: Hotpoint Advertise Franchises!
Was chatting to a Brit Gas engineer the other day, was jarred off with B/G and considering the Merloni way of life.
I know this may come as a shock to some of my readers, but I actually suggested to him he may be better off where he is.
Alex
Re: A joke
A 65 year old man went to the doctor for his annual health check and the doctor was amazed at what good shape the guy was in. The doctor asked, “To what do you attribute your good health?”
The old timer said, “I’m a helicopter pilot and that’s why I’m in such good shape. ‘I’m up well before daylight, climb all over the helicopter doing my pre-flight inspection, flying all day, etc.”
The doctor said, “Well, I’m sure that helps, but there’s got to be more to it. How old was your dad when he died?”
The old timer said, “Who said my dad’s dead?”
The doctor said, “You mean you’re 65 years old and your dad’s still alive? How old is he?”
The old timer said, “He’s 84 yrs old and, in fact, he built and flies his own airplane and he went flying with me this morning. That’s why he’s still alive… he’s a pilot too!”
The doctor said, “Well, that’s great, but I’m sure there’s more to it. How about your dad’s dad? How old was he when he died?”
The old timer said, “Who said my grandpa’s dead?”
The doctor said, “You mean your dad is 84 years old and his father is still living! How old is he?”
The old timer said, “Grandpa is 102 years old and he was a pilot too.”
The doctor was getting frustrated at this point and said, “I guess he went flying with you this morning too?”
The old timer said, “No…Grandpa couldn’t go this morning because he just got married and he’s on his honeymoon.”
The doctor said in amazement, “Got married!! Why would a 102-year-old guy want to get married?”
The old timer said, “Who said he wanted to?”
Re: CORGI Tax?
kwatt wrote:
I would stress that this is not just a Smeg problem though.
K.
Agreed, but it could cut a precedent if one does it etc.
Some companies recognise our plight and are happy to support us.
If we all make it clear that this is a back door revenue stream, and endeavour to seek recompense. The vibes may reverberate thoughout the industry, then perhaps we will either enjoy recognition, or reward.
Just imagine you are installing on a building site, there are dozens of these notifications that have to be carried out, and you are already working to a tight price. Chances are as in all works of life, a competitor will undercut you by absorbing this. Yet on a site, you are controlled by the standard of the builders, and there is usually a clerk of works or some other form of overseer. In addition CORGI do spot checks on sites, therefore there are 2 inspections and the criteria being very tight, you are still expected to do this. Not only you who dropped in the hob, but the plumber who put in the fire etc.
I could go on & on.
Alex
Re: Technical Trainers
If a venue is required in the South/West, I can provide. 3 Miles fom J23 M5 half way between Bristol & Exeter.
We have a small training room with white board and a drop down OHP screen. Can provide TV/Video and DVD playback if reqd. (No P.C. projector available though).
There is a wet area in the workshop for dismantling or testing.
We are used by E/Lux and was used by Merloni as well as Brandt when we were their agents. We are also used for the Lec roadshow.
We can arrange a buffet at a sensible price. Maximum number for comfort is 6 plus trainer.
Alex
Alex
Re: CORGI Tax?
kheath wrote:Its more than possible that the falling numbers of gas repairers will continue to the point where networks are going to find it increasingly difficult to get cover.
IWhat we have to do is perhaps form some sort of trade organisation to protect ourselves and obviously gain momentum through numbers. Shame the present trade organisation is not much use to us at this time!
KevinHow right you are in the above 2 statements.
We are slightly fragmented I’m afraid; and if we are not careful the likes of previously mentioned companies will have an authority to dictate the terms. We as a group could have cohesion, and perhaps get together on this. Of course we will then be perceived as trouble makers.
This is a time where a trade organisation would be able to arbitrate on our behalf. It can be said I’m no longer a member of one such organisation, they done nothing for me in 10 plus years of my membership, and somehow I doubt if they could now. Enough of that.
It does appear the issue in this case may well be with Smeg rather than Servevast. There is one positive though, they are paying full gas rate to disconnect the old, and a new call to return & connect the new. It isn’t always like that though.
Servevast now have an agents e-mail forum, bit similar to how we started. Be interesting to see if this site would get a mention on the forum by one of their members. Would open up the debate somewhat I’m sure.
This is one thing I passionately care about, and we must make it clear we have inordinate costs these days when it comes to gas, and most of us are family businesses, and we should not have to bear the administration without recompense.
This I’m sure will be debated for a while yet.
Alex
Re: CORGI Tax?
I’m not going to be popular for this one then.
Servevast tell me they can only go to £5. If we notify on line we are in for £2.50 mark up. Sue Cherry tells me that SMEG will not go any further on this. I did mention £10 admin fee, along with one of their agents. There was curt reponse regards money issues not to be discussed on public forums, and it may have since died a death.
Looking at that, some food for thought. We only get an additional £2 for SMEG gas work in the 1st place. I’m wondering if a review is needed.
Perhaps a new thread is required on Smeg gas rates, or do we keep it here?
Alex
Re: Which- online
One word: Inertia.
However we musn’t send this topic onto a tangent regards DASA though.
Re: A joke
A woman goes into a pet shop looking for a parrot. The assistant shows her a beautiful African Grey parrot. “What about this one? A beautiful bird, and it’s an absolute steal at only £20.”
“Why is it that cheap?” the woman asks. “Well”, replies the assistant, “it used to live in a brothel and as a result its language is a touch fruity”.
“Oh, I don’t mind that”, said the woman, making her mind up, “I’m broad minded and it’ll be a laugh having a profane parrot”. So saying, she buys the parrot and takes him home.
Once safely in his new home, the parrot looks around and squawks at the woman. “Flip me, a new brothel and a new madam”. “I’m not a madam and this is not a brothel” scolds the woman trying not to laugh.
A little later the womans two teenage daughters arrive home. “Un-flipping-believable. A new brothel, a new madam, and now two new prostitutes” says the parrot when he sees the daughters.
“Mum, tell your parrot to shut up, we’re not prostitutes” complain the girls, but they all see the funny side and have a laugh at their new pet.
A short while later, the woman’s husband Dave comes home.
“In-flipping-credible, a new brothel, a new madam, new prostitutes, but the same old clients. How ya doin’, Pete?”
Re: D&G Karting Day
Elected for Grantham, easier to get to. They invite me to Kent every time, but I prefer Grantham.
Re: D&G Karting Day
Also at Buckmore Park Chatham Kent. 7th July. Replies needed to have been in by friday 6th May.
The last round of meetings were in November. So time isn’t really flying.
Alex
Re: Countdown
Mmmmmm
Doesn’t take a lot of working out which way things could be heading.
This may the dawn of an exciting new era, I like it. Without trying to be cynical however; The obvious question, along with others that will be asked. Who will keep the trainer trained and updated on new innovations and products? You all have doubtless looked at that along with many considerations.
I dont know if manufacturers will be too keen, unless of course they supply a co-operative membership of a certain group with the work; time to shut up I think, my brain is ticking.
Alex
Re: Ireland Invades Iraq!
I sent this to some of you as an m’peg file, but it is worth opening up for all to see.
May take a while to buffer if on narrow band, and speakers are a must.
http://gprime.net/video.php/newsreportfromiraq
Enjoy, Alex
Re: Countdown
Penguin45 wrote:OK, am I the only one in here who doesn’t know WTF you’re on about Or did I miss something?Ta, Chris.
No you are o.k. I don’t know either. Tried to work out about the postbox, got nowhere and gave up.
Baited breath now to see what is going down, I shall lose sleep waiting to know I suspect.
Alex
Re: Comet Service Centres
Briefly. (As if I could be brief)
Comet had an aggressive take over of the work, being they will look after the customer cradle to grave. This applies to practically everything. What they do is carry out the work, and then invoice the manufacturers at a reduced rate. The threat they applied was, “If we cannot be allowed to do this, we will not sell your products”. This is not a “buy out scheme”.
This was all very well, but they will only call on products that are near a main road corridor; get a customer out in the wilds, they don’t want to know. We constantly have to remind them they are responsible for their own service, and I’ve had stand up arguments with their Hull office on this.
The idea was set up that if they were to do any work in a Service Force area, they must agree to do ALL the work in said area. Conversely, if they would or could not undertake this, they were to do NO work in a given area, and the Service Force agent kept all the work. Sure enough that has not happened.
If a customer phones from some TA BA or BS areas, particularly near the big towns, Comet oblige. If on the periphery i.e. some BA, TA, DT & SP codes, they insist we do the call. They will do TA1 to 9, and TA21, 22, 23 & 24. Their engineer lives in TA4 which is next to TA23, so he gets all the work, take TA18, 19 or 20 which is next to the A30 main road, they won’t go there. Yet we are expected to.
As there was a stalemate on the DT & SP codes, they agreed that we would have exclusivity on ALL Comet work in all postcodes. I even have e-mails to that effect from the National Comet service manager. So thinking they would honour that pledge, (naive or what); we agreed to call on a customer in an SP code. Despite their assurance, we noticed still no work in the areas of chimney pots.
All came to light when they were faced with a recall, and they simply did not have the skill to put it right. The customer phoned us, said the Comet engineer had been, and was unable to repair. This customer was in a TA1 code; so as we had been mislead and Comet proved themselves untrustworthy, we have gone back to not attending their calls. All very well & good until you consider their customers in DT & SP codes.
Sad state of affairs, pity they gave all these assurances, and immediately reneged on the deal, and the loser is THEIR customer.
Alex
