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Re: Is Gregor Interested
If I had known, I would have bought it instead of the Black discovery that I bought yesterday…
Sent from my iPad using TapatalkRe: How can the person who tested this in 2002 got away with
It’s possible but the age of the oven is consistent with the sticker on the plug. It’s one of those DIY job but it’s mind boggling that someone chose to wire up a plug like that.
Re: Does the term trade prices actually mean anything anymor
timdowning wrote:I generally aim for £40 on a dryer, £60 to £80 on a washing machine, even on lower end. £90 to £100 on an integrated appliance. This pricing tends to work well.
I think if your worrying about making a couple quid here & there on blanking plugs & hoses your working way to close to it not be worth your effort. I always emphasise why I’ve fitted longer hoses but have never been thanked more than once. 🙂We all have different pricing structures and have all sorts of reasons for this. I know that I do those little extras to make the extra cash but at the end of the day, I still make decent profit that I am quite happy with it. Naturally I would have liked to make a lot more profits. There are more profits in the repair side of the business and I enjoy that part of it more but sometimes you do get to sell new appliances to keep the customer base so that they can keep coming back to you.
As I live in Birmingham, there are so many competitions and there are a good sizeable old school customers who don’t google but they have their grown up children or grown up grandchildren doing it for them.
I am aware that I need to evolve and am working on it to make it work.
Re: Does the term trade prices actually mean anything anymor
timdowning wrote:Just out of interest can you give a Beko model & price as well as a better end Bosch.(What you pay & what you sell).
Thanks.
I can give the price easily with the use of the iPad and you get a rough idea on how much returns you get on the model. Like I said, the bulk of the profits are in the installation. In my case I am more interested in making the sale rather than making huge profits. You generate more business that way if you can do it within the same day. I treat the sales of new appliances as the same as the repairs. You can add a bit of that or remove bit of that such as older appliances have hot and cold feed, the new appliances have cold feed, use the opportunity to sell a blanking cap for the hot inlet tap. Those blanking cap costs 40p each but you can sell it for a few pounds. Some inlet/waste hoses are too short and for ease of comfort in case if you have to return to repair the new appliance in few years time, you can rest with the knowledge that you supplied the extra long inlet/waste hose. Do the job right and they will thank you thousands times over.
To answer your questions properly, I based my prices on Apollo 2000 selling price so that the customers knows what they are comparing. Apollo tells me which models are the best selling also how much stock they have. Experiences showed that lower end models tends to give you around £20-£50 profit, the higher end models can give you around £50-£80 profit. Sometimes you break even but this usually the case with Hoover or any of those promotional appliances they have on offer as I rarely make huge profits on this. I don’t sell many Hoovers, if the customers wants them despite persuasion to opt for better make, I will supply them with the knowledge that I have listened to the customers and served them well. I rather maintain customer’s satisfaction first than profits.
You do get some customers thanking you for the time and advice then goes off and find a better deal on-line. As a rule of thumb, I tend to charge a little higher on the installation if they provided the appliance from on-line (they still thinks they are getting a good deal – overall saves them a fiver or so but takes a great deal longer to get the appliance), often you get to keep their old appliance and you do what you want with it. You can do it up and sell it on or scrap it. You don’t lose money either way.
I even had a customer a while back, their 3 years old high end Bosch dishwasher needing a new flow diverter which meant new heater unit. I quoted for job (@£150), the reply was “oh no I don’t think it was worth spending that much to have it repaired, can you get me this dishwasher instead?”, she showed me the print out from John Lewis and the price tag was £600 but she wants it in few hours. It was a challenge, I went to Apollo and asked them if they have this dishwasher in stock which they did and gave me a price which was quite a lot more than John Lewis’ price. I haggled on the price and got it down to the same price as John Lewis. I contacted the customer and she was delighted. I did notified that there would be installation charge which she was more than happy as long it was done with in few hours. I delivered the result. I took her old dishwasher home and cannibalised it for my dishwasher at home then scrapped the remainder. I did made good profits on that. The only snag was John Lewis offered 5 years guarantee and I offered her 2 years manufacture guarantee which she was more than happy to sacrifice it as long she got it in few hours rather than wait a whole week.
Re: Does the term trade prices actually mean anything anymor
I think a lot of us struggle to compete with John Lewis and many internet retailers on prices even with those free extended warranty. Swift doesn’t seem to match the prices as trade against internet retailers. Often their bargain models are end of line models and my customers wants the latest model not last year’s model. Don’t let that put you off!
Swift is better on integrated appliances (but again not the latest models if you compares with other retailers) and this is where you need be clever, play your cards right and you will get good returns on these. Most of the profits are in installation.
I get my freestanding appliances from Apollo 2000 (Hughes electricals) and get good deals with them. They know me well. They will even deliver the appliance to your customer’s house free and you still cream off the profits without the delivery hassles. Just turn up and install. Like I said most of the profits are in installation rather than the machine itself.
I, too need £400 plus appliances in my book as they give better returns on profits than the lower end.
I don’t know about Amica but I was an agent for 18 months and I’ve not sold a single model. Swift don’t give a good range. The middle class customers wants Bosch, Hotpoint, Hoover and Siemens. I sell more Beko than any other makes to the working class. Beko seems to stand well against Indesits if not better. However if Swift sells Beko then I would buy a truck load of it to sell.
All it requires some clever thinking and find out what other retailers in your area charge for delivery, installation, disposal.
Re: Whirlpool int dishwasher ADG7470/1
I too have the same issues, did anyone find out what’s wrong?
The dishwasher is 2 years old and just out of warranty. I did not test it thoroughly, no leaks, board is clean as whistle. The farmer’s wife says that is started off ok then stopped. I noticed the dishwasher tablet have not dissolved. I wouldn’t have thought the tablet drop out before the fill so the fill must have worked then prior to dispensing detergent. Just a thought, faulty detergent mech?
The farm has a history of power cuts but the dishwasher was not operating during the power cut. They have overhead electricity cable.
This dishwasher is on a working farm, I store my caravan there so I am hoping to secure some few months free storage in exchange of repair. So please help me here…
Matt
Sent from my iPad using TapatalkRe: the best bearings…
I have just replaced the bearings on Hotpoint WMA58, 30mm shaft. A challenge as I was used to 35mm shaft. The parts for 30mm shaft seems to be harder to source, it need further digging to get them. Qualtex seems to be the only one that supplies 30mm spider, bearings and seal kit. It is somewhat a little dearer than the 35mm kits but a lot cheaper than replacing the rear half tank.
I am keen to know more about this Hotpoint offer of 25{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} discount if you order from them. Does this applies just to tanks or any parts? How does one get in touch with Hotpoint direct?
Re: Engineers working contract ?
A rule of thumb, if they have been doing this job in the same format for the last six months then it becomes a condition of the job description which cannot be altered without giving notice. The job description are closely tied up as employment contract so it’s important that you are clear on both.
For example the employee took on the additional role of washing his van during working times then proceeded to do his boss’s van for over six months, it is expected of him to wash his and the boss’s van and to be paid for it That role cannot change without the formal agreement between the boss and the van washing employee in writing.
This kind of thing can easily catch you out.
Re: I resent Landlords trying to push me
lee8 wrote:The landlord does not run his business to provide you work.
He has the stance you should adopt.
There are plenty of people who can replace you. You should act the same way, you dont provide a service for his business to profit and there are plenty of landlords needing good engineers.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
What are you on about? Plenty of landlords needing good engineers on the cheap and want it fixed yesterday. I am not looking for a lecture on how to run my business. I am not dependant on his business to provide me work. End of.
Re: I resent Landlords trying to push me
lee8 wrote:One of the biggest mistakes self employed people make is trying to please everybody.
I don’t see it as one of the biggest mistakes, just one of the annoying aspect of the job. I know I can’t please everybody, I only do what I can do with comfortably and sometimes I may try out a job which is out of my comfort zone in order to stretch my knowledge and experience but this is rare.
The biggest challenge for us self employed is knowing when to walk away. Most jobs I can do without issues, but there have been some jobs that when you come to price up the job and you get aggro for it over the prices. It’s a classic case of take it or leave it but when customer calls me for repair, they entered into a contract knowing full well that my call out is chargeable regardless of the outcome. Most often they back down and agreed to pay, I have always been upfront with the charges, I don’t have problems with that but when you have landlord who likes to use you for their numerous properties, I had a good relationship for the last 4 years, the bills was always paid on time, the prices and lead times were never challenged until few days ago.
I am guessing that the Landlord is tired of me and dislike my charges. What he doesn’t realise that 4 years ago, their appliances were of reasonable age and I could get the parts easily then but as time went on, those parts were becoming scarce hence ‘special orders’.
Re: I resent Landlords trying to push me
Martin wrote:If the part you need from the supplier is listed as ‘out of stock’ or ‘special’ order that should be the signal to try and source elsewhere AND inform your customer anyway. Connect are THE worst supplier and THE least reliable in so many areas after all said and done. :rolls:
I did try source it from Qualtex and Masterpart, both says ‘special’ order. I do inform the customer after I have tried all three. Qualtex are generally good when it comes to ‘special’ order but like I said between the lines on the previous posts, I have no control on when the part arrives nor does the suppliers themselves. I can’t understand how one managed to get from Whirlpool direct. The landlord phoned them direct and says the part will be with him within 7 days. He wanted to know why I hadn’t spoken to Whirlpool direct. I mean was I meant to approach to them in the first place, pay their prices and risk losing the custom over the high prices I would be charging him? I could price match the offer on the part from my suppliers but the fact is that he was not prepared to wait for a period of time.
The biggest gripe was that the customer who I spoke to is the partner of the lady of the house, he relayed to her what I said about the lead time for the part after I had left, he didn’t complain about that prior to me leaving the house. The landlord runs his own business and would not be available until 3pm daily, bearing in mind the job I went to was at 10am. During those 5 hours, the partner told his girlfriend who was having none of this and went on to phone the landlord at 3pm on the dot shouting down onto him and demanded that the oven is to be fixed “yesterday” then went on to say that the child has a heart condition and it is important that the oven is fixed “yesterday”.
The landlord was left bewildered and haven’t got a clue what had hit him, then he phoned me ranting and raving at 4pm. I was on the school run at the time, I came home to some urgent messages demanding that the oven is to be fixed “yesterday”. I explained that it was not possible due to availability of the part otherwise I would have fixed in on the same day. It was a nightmare and the phone kept going off. I am thinking maybe this would be the end of the relationship with this landlord as I do not need his aggravation.
Re: I resent Landlords trying to push me
I use Connect for my whirlpool spares. How was I meant to know that you can get the part in 7 days from the same people? I’m busy enough to make that phone call as It’s not a priority. Clearly the landlord felt it’s a priority as the tenant’s child has a heart condition that requires a fully functioning oven.
I didn’t realise that it’s a medical requirement to have a working oven. I was not told of this condition, even I did know, I doubt it would change the outcome. Do you think he is bluffing?
Re: Zanussi Dishwasher ZDT6252
Sorry I didn’t have the fault codes for this model. I think it was cured by degreaser.
I can’t remember if I actually received the fault codes. Will check my files.
Re: john lewis jlwm1203
I recently replaced a door lock on the same make and model on Thursday. The machine was left in working order.
Today (Saturday) I got a phone call saying that after 7 washes, the machine threw up the E40 error code. Surely it can’t be the interlock again as it’s brand new? However this is Zanussi based machine, I have come across a fair few Zanussi with same fault along with blown module – they are of similar age 4/5 years old.
Would I be looking at the same issues with John Lewis machines? Just concerned of recurring faults.
I will check the interlock, wiring and module when I go over on Tuesday.
