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Re: are your ears burning?
canufixit wrote:if ukw…was not here for me…..us ……to use then things would be much harder…for us that work on our own… i know something YOU know something…….but when shared…its for the power of good for all…
Its a great site for info and I have found some useful stuff.
Its the same as having team meeting, its great to have not only tech info but to read others stories is also great.
But in the same way you have team meetings there confidential and subjects are disscussed away from the public.
I`ve never heard of a company inviting Which magazine into there meetings.
So I would be happier if tech info wasn`t given so freely on sites who`s only purpose is to generate more hits, which then increases advertising revenue and do it of the back of the public, internet sites excist for profit, same as any other business and there is nothing wrong with that.
I used to support MoneysavingExpert.com until I read some history of the guy, I don`t think he had an epiphany for the good of the public.
His web site now generates enough cash for him to live well and staff the site, his past would suggest he`s not as holy as he promotes. :rolls:
Its all in the PR and people have become more gullible these days.
There seems to be a common form of misinformation on forum sites, i`m not aiming this at UKWG (I`d gladly pay a fee to enter the site) but one particular site I no of was big on user content and constantly promoted there admin and mods services for free.
The site has grown into one of the nets biggest forums over a few years, those admin and mods who lied that they weren`t getting paid and did it for love and received a lot of good vibe and support for there hard work etc have now become owners of a multi million business and have earned a cheque with lots of zeros in it.
So when I read forums of how there run by hard workin individuals for no reward, I tend to be a bit sceptical.
I just wish sites (again not UKWG) would be a bit more honest and accept that the people involved behind the scenes do get paid at some point and state that fact.
Re: are your ears burning?
I don`t post advice on here.
But I oftern post wrong advice on other sites and I know a few who do it as well. 😆
I haven`t spent time and money on education and hard work to provide my serivces for free.
I`m sure the owners of this site don`t do it free either.
And I`m sure most people wouldn`t work for free whilst helping to make there profession less important.
Then again I`m happy to visit any business and pay for a service that being anything from having my hair cut to getting the van fixed.
I don`t have an ego and appreciate that every person has his/her own skills that should be protected, so that I can continue to have my hair cut or my vehicle repaired.
Asda and Tesco are prime examples, they will put all competion out of business and when there is no alternatives prices get increased.
If all self employed engineers are put out of business, the bigger guys will simply charge more and parts will become more expensive to buy.
Re: Differences between self-employed and being an employee
Advantage.
Not being made redundant after your 6 month trial period due to the lack of work, although enough to keep agents busy after leaving a secure job. 👿
All that stock responsibility to ensure it doesn`t go missing before the bas888888s make you redundant. 😉
Disadvantage.
No van stock to look after that you haven`t paid for. 😉
Re: Snobby Geits!!!
I got to fix Eric Claptons Gagganau oven on his yacht in Sotogrande Harbour, Southern Spain. 😆
Been to several Russian mafia guys washing machines in Marbella.
And one Real Madrid players dishwasher in Puerto Banus.
Plus hundreds of middle class cockney knobs. 🙁
Re: The Other Engineer
LJDomestics wrote: but to tell a customer i didn’t fit a new element, then couldn’t find the fault himself sums it RIGHT up for me.
I find a letter from my solicitor worked well when this happened to me a few years ago.
He explained that if he did not write to apologise to both me and the client, he would be finding further action coming his way.
Too which he did. 😆
As for the engineer not pulling out, I guess there are multiple reasons for not doin it.
Time is an issue for brand engineers, coupled with performance figures, possible damage and then there is the lazy engineer fed up with having the blame for damage that would have been avoided had the original installer not be a fool.
When I was a BSH/Service Force engineer, we got 9 calls to do and performance needed at least 70{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} completion rate.
You`d be faced with a m/c you knew what the fault was before entering the house.
You then find you don`t have the parts to complete the call 1st visit, so to keep performance figures up.
You BER it because ordering parts is really not good and a BER shows your not falling behind the rest of the guys.
There is a huge issue with managers, those of the road are dictatored to by Managers who run accounts and have no interest in appliance repairs or the clients.
I`ve met various top end managers in charge of not areas but countries and none gave a crap about the products or customers.
All they wanted was profit and loss accounts perfected in a way that ensured the board of Directors wouldn`t fire there arse.
Most engineers even the best engineers working for branded manufactorers have to cut corners.
Its all about numbers and conforming to the rest.
Re: The Other Engineer
In my experience the guy doin the slagging off is usually not so hot himself. 😆
I worked 4 yrs in Spain for a major brand, there engineers for all there faults didn`t slag others, at least not the 18 guys I worked with.
Maybe they did it behind my back, i don`t know, but a few I was close to did warn me about our Managers.
I think its a British trait in general, I rarely meet an Expat who didn`t moan and complain about something.
Spanish customers rarely complained, but waiting a month for a spare was acceptable, they got a bit furious though at 2 months. 😕
I`m currently doin some contract work for a snowed under agent, yesterday a simple repair which if the brand engineer had called would have been fixed on the first visit, this client had four visits and I still didn`t have the parts to complete.
The original guys have never worked on this brand before and didn`t realise that a very small simple clip was missing. :rolls:
Are they crap engineers, no there daily stuff they manage well, but the agent needs to pay wages, so takes on all kinds of makes.
There is no time to learn or anybody to learn from.
But after 5 visits and almost a month they deserve to be put into the numpty group of idiots. :rolls:
A big issue seems to be call volume as well, when you got 8 visits, you don`t have time to sit and relax, think and take time to asses the M/C.
Had these guys been on only 4-5 calls a day, they may improve, although I fear they would just rush through to be home at 2pm. :rolls:
Being self employed I find that I am much more attentive to detail, I dont want the recall so ensure my work is A1 and double checked before leaving.
But I`m well happy only doin what I need to support a decent lifestyle, 4-5 calls suits me well and I`m not interested in taking on agency work and employing people.
I`ve met some right idiots within this industry and trying to employ good engineers is difficult.
So I`m not goin to ruin my good reputation in my community.
I also don`t slag off others unless there dangerous, then I inform HSE. 😉
Re: Worst Week Ever
My local Gas/Electrical Assesment centre have a reduced number of training placements by the large appliance employers, not just white goods.
But on the flip side there courses are full, due to ex forces personnel and Jobcentre referals.
The industry both white goods and plumbing are not goin to fall short of potential recruits.
Re: Worst Week Ever
I guess lookin outside the conventional design hasn`t been an issue for most here.
You don`t need to totally strip down a BSH D/W to replace the heater.
Its a cost issue, but there will come a time of change.
Re: Worst Week Ever
My “sources” are mentioning the consumer repairing there own appliance.
I guess the biggest hurdle is safety regs, but if an appliance can be designed with pull out push in components without breaking regs, it`ll happen.
That Paykill two draw d/w is an example, all control components are in the draw front and access is just unclipping.
The draw/basket contains the motor/heater in the base, it slides out and two push clips unconnects the hoses.
The heater is a simple copper coil, very compact and unclips from the base and the motor/pump is tiny and unclips.
Any failure of the appliance can be replaced by simply having the consumer sliding out the basket, unclip two hoses, reconnect new basket and slide back.
Takes around 2 minutes to replace every component in the appliance.
Ship old basket back to base for reconditioning and return to next failure.
Re: Snobby Geits!!!
I hate the fact that kitchens have become status symbols.
There meant to be places of work and so get messy.
One thing though, large houses arn`t always a sign of wealth, they usually mean the client has a good business and on the back of that has a huge mortgage and debts.
So they probably can`t afford the running costs. :rolls:
I work/ed for top end clients, now though I find John Lewis clients worse.
Only yesterday I got balled out from one about her Fridge bottle rack breakin. :rolls:
Her response “I thought buying John Lewis products means there extremely good quality”.
No buying John Lewis means that the chinese built rubbish is more expensive 😆
Also cookers, why when clients don`t clean them do they believe “there not fit for purpose”. :rolls:
Most of the time I find it difficult to agree, especially when were meant to be understanding, i have to supress my Victor Meldrew response to there pointless lives.
One day though I shall get images of children suffering from all kinds of hearship around the world and start to show clients how to put there life and the lives of others into perspective
Re: Worst Week Ever
Yup, call out paid.
Its not so much that info is so easily available, but add the cheap appliances to the mix and our job is become less of a requirement.
Take Fisher & Paykill dishwashers, utter rubbish, but they can be repaired with nothing more than a small flat head screwdriver.
I give it 5 yrs.
Clients will be able to repair there own appliances or have a complete exchange with less cost than having a service call.
The boffins are already working on soloutions.
Re: Worst Week Ever
After 22 yrs and inl different countries workin in the same industry i`ve seen the situation getting worse rather than better.
So I guess its time to look into a different industry.
Re: Worst Week Ever
I had my favourite type of client today.
Calls me on Sunday to book call for his Belling D/W (Baumatic).
So I call, he gives me the info about the repair agents charging £105.00 call out and repair.
I diagnose.
Door lock is broken and PC not sending signal to Door lock, so PC rogered, suprise suprise.
I quote £100-150.00 of the top of my head, but will need to source for accurate price.
He`s on laptop within a flash, using Partmaster.co.uk, he`s got module priced at £68 and door lock £3.99.
Great start to a Monday, so i say, order tem, I`ll charge you £45.00 to fit with no guarantee.
Not unreasonablee £45.00 fitted.
No, that apparantly is not acceptable and too expensive.
F88k off was my reply then (I was a bit more polite), pay me my call out and do what you want.
I get a phone call at 7pm.
Do I install D/W, as I`ve just come from B&Q and bought there last Electrolux Intergrated D/W for.
£89.00 😥
So add the Depression, Gordon Brown and the Internet were all gonna be f88ked.
Time to stack shelves in Tesco. 😥
Don`t people get it, for an economy to grown, you earn money and spend it.
Buying goods and services with low profit margins, whilst great short term for the consumer, will result in huge job losses and slower recovery.
Its not rocket science.
