Bruce, You have to make the right decission from the start. If it's obviously a junker,....then NO GO (from the start).(Give an unreasonable estimate,...and drive them away). With 34 years experience in this business,...it's really quite easy to weed out the ones you don't want. I can generally tell at first glance...even before it is unloaded. In the event of a junk haul day, they charge me 75 cents per 100 pounds at the local county dump. Just dropped off 300 pounds of junkers. They only charged me $2.25. Gas for round trip to the dump was about 1 gallon,...or $2. So you see,....some of us have great advantage over others,...but,...is it worth it to run a business in a depressed area, where we have to do free estimates ? Hell NO !,.....but, it's too late for us to go back and start over again,...or most of us would get into a better line of work.
LLW LeRoy Westlund Westlund TV & Electronics 97 North Main "Where there's a will,... Centerfield, UT 84622-0087 There's always a way." Ph./Fax 435-528-3822 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: Bruce Tiedeman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: ELECTRONICS PROFESSIONALS LIST <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sunday, April 04, 2004 8:25 AM Subject: Re: [Techs] LeRoy, your gonna come out a winner... >Joe a lot of what you say is true, what do you do with all the junk that is >not worth fixing! The last time I took a load to the dump it cost me $48 >here. The time and trouble cost a lot more. You take in old stuff, spend >time figuring out the problem find out it is no good, then waist more time >loading it up and pay to get rid of it? This used to bug me till no end, >I'll take in your repair, waist time on it, and I'll pay to get rid of it >for you! I had another problem, fixing the unit and the customer never >coming to pick it up, they had no money invested decided to buy new. Would >be lucky to get my money back. With a deposit, all it takes is a reminder >phone call and customers usually will come . >I agree, if things get really bad might have to go free estimate as a last >resort, and do what you have to ! > >Bruce. > >B&T Electronics >139 Margaret St >Sarnia Ontario >Canada >N7T 2Y3 >519 344 1850 > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Joe Tech2004" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "ELECTRONICS PROFESSIONALS LIST" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 5:40 PM >Subject: [Techs] LeRoy, your gonna come out a winner... > > >LeRoy, >Thats the way uh-huh-uh-huh I like it, uh-huh-uh-huh. > >I've been doing totally free estimates for the past 20+ years, since >i've gone solo. > >1. Definitely brings in the business, even those who where gonna trash >and buy new. > >2. All my advertising is word of mouth and thats it, and I can barely >keep up with it. > >3. I have no problem determining how much cust is willing to put into >unit, therefore determines how much time i put into estimate. > >4. I have pretty much more say so over weather to repair or not then the >cust, but they don't realize it. > >5. 99% of repairs are salesmanship. I'll get a $80/$100 repair on a set >that worth maybe $150, even when they can buy new for $149.95. > >(Cust First Name), you really want to waste your money on that junk or >invest it in a quality unit that you know is gonna be around for awhile. >And i'm here to back up what I say. > >6. One thats worth $50 i'll get $25/$30 but thats only if I want the >repair or not. I've had custs wanting the repairs and i'd talk them out >of it. I didn't want the BS that I knew would be involved. > >7. Get a damn good supply of parts, if cust doesn't want fixed they >always feel obligated to you giving of your time, so I always end up >with unit, and I don't mean junk either. I'm talkin 2000 models and the >best of the oder models. > >8. Like I said in 1 & 2, first, what do you have to loose when it's >costing you nothing to get checked out, and i've saved many a units from >going to the dumps and made a good little +++for myself. > >Like everyone has been saying, gotta do what ya gotta do to survive. > >Nobody wants to spend a dime to hear what they think they already know >(it's junk, lets buy a new one). > >Granted, some are junk, how long does it take to figure that out, but >all to many who thought where junk made me #35 here and $165 there < >that was going to the dumps. > >I don't know and don't claim to know why things are the way they are. >but I do know one thing. > >Give the people what they want without expecting anything in return, and >it will come back to you 10-fold. > >LeRoy, your gonna come out a winner... > >Best to ya ol' buddy... "joe" >================================= >[EMAIL PROTECTED] From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (LeRoy Westlund) >Date: Sat, Apr 3, 2004, 9:54am (EST-2) To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >(ELECTRONICS PROFESSIONALS LIST) Subject: [Techs] Re: Fixed..NAP >HD2717C101 27B800, no video..(was vertical problem) Reply to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] (ELECTRONICS PROFESSIONALS LIST) >================================= >Hi Mark, and fellow techs. >I just put FREE ESTIMATES back up on my outside sign,...and I don't want >anybody to give me any sh*t about it. I've tried it BOTH ways, and I >don't want to drive anymore of my customers to Wal-Mart any sooner then >I have to. A FREE estimate is just THAT,...if they want a more precise >diagnosis,...then they will still have to pay $1 per inch for the size >of the screen. $20 for 19", $25 for 25-27", and $35 for 32-40". $50-100 >for PTVs. >I will also require the remote control to be brought in, to qualify for >the FREE estimate. >Cause I plan to repair, and sell them as used sets, and nobody wants to >buy a used TV with out a remote control. I plan to sell them for 1/2 the >price that Wal-Mart charges for a new one. After all, the junk they sell >is not any better then a good used TV, that has been reconditioned >properly. Of course,...that has to be part of my sales pitch. I will >have to convence them of that. >In cases where the set is obviously a junker, I won't even accept it to >start with. I will give them an unreasonably high estimate, to >discourage them from even leaving it at my facility. My plan is to get >some of the BEST, repairable sets, before they junk them to buy new. I >am certain that there are TOO many 25-35 inch sets, that are being >junked, that could be fixed and sold at a profet. I am doing this >because I am desperate. If I had many customers like the good ole >days,...I would be more picky, but, things are getting scary around >here. Dead, dead,...and more dead each day that passes. Hope things are >better for you guys in your resective areas. You might say,...that I am >making a final stab at it. Beat Wally World at their own game, and >undercut them by 50%. HO, ho,.HA, ha, HE, he,..... >;-) >LLW >LeRoy Westlund >Westlund TV & Electronics >97 North Main >"Where there's a will,... >Centerfield, UT 84622-0087 There's always a way." >Ph./Fax 435-528-3822 >mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >================================= > >Joes....Electronics >(Joe:Tech/2004) >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Fax::509-479-2283 > > >_______________________________________________ >Tech Repair CD...order your just $49.00 plus shipping...One year of updates >free. >www.intrepid-video.com www.tech-repair.net >Techs mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://intrepid-video.com/mailman/listinfo/techs_intrepid-video.com > > > >_______________________________________________ >Tech Repair CD...order your just $49.00 plus shipping...One year of updates free. >www.intrepid-video.com www.tech-repair.net >Techs mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://intrepid-video.com/mailman/listinfo/techs_intrepid-video.com > _______________________________________________ Tech Repair CD...order your just $49.00 plus shipping...One year of updates free. www.intrepid-video.com www.tech-repair.net Techs mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://intrepid-video.com/mailman/listinfo/techs_intrepid-video.com
