Date:         Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:33:41 -0700
Reply-To:     Keith Hughes <keithahughes@QWEST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Keith Hughes <keithahughes@QWEST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Was: Mechanic VS customer, now: it's a passion, period!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

>Date:    Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:16:12 -0400
>From:    Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
>Subject: Was: Mechanic VS customer, now: it's a passion, period!
>
>I did this post because i felt that you guys are crasy about Vanagon, you
>are, (i guess) for the most of you, customers! some have mechanical or body
>work skills, some don't and some are very good with their hands. I'm no good
>businessman, but getting there because i have to eat and there is no way
>out, i won't fail this time! This situation was different than an engine
>job, mechanical work (unless done poorly) can not be judge by everyone, but
>a paint/body work can be judge by most. Sadly, everything is all about
>"look" today, sadly. Even last year, i would never imagine that one day i
>could paint a whole van, but i have that skill, that, i know, so why not.
>When i do a job, any job, i do it as if it was my own van, and that will
>never change! Maybe i should charge more, but i'm no "money" guy, when i get
>up in the morning, i race to my shop... this is worth a lot of money for me.
>On this van i made a good 4200$ profit, 10 days, an happy camper... i'm rich
>in many ways. I only want to be able to make a nice living, go camping with
>some of my cutomers and/or friends, be happy and make them happy. The only
>thing i DON'T want, is the stupid one, and this year, i can push them away.
>
>
<SNIP>

Ben,

I don't think anyone has *any* problem with you posting questions here -
on any topic.  You certainly contribute far more than your share to the
list.  As I said before, I spent many years working as a mechanic (about
the time you were born, granted :-), and people haven't changed much
since then.  My point about your rates was that when your rates are much
lower than all your competitors, a couple of bad things can happen.
One, you lose work since people (who don't already know you or one of
your customers) says "his rates are a lot lower than everyone elses, so
he can't  be very good", and two,  you have to assume that there will be
customers that you will not be able to please, no matter what you do,
and you'll end up eating your labor just to get rid of them.  You have
to get a bit of a premium on all your jobs to pay for the occasional
PITA customer.  That may sound unfair to your good customers, but it
really isn't.  It's just the cost of doing business.  I've been
self-employed for 9 years now (as a consultant/contractor in the
pharmaceutical field) and that's just the way it goes.  I'm not saying
you should gouge people, but just that you need to look at all the
hidden costs that happen in your business (like the unhappy customer you
send away free) and factor that into your rate.  You'll likely still be
cheaper than everyone else.  Take care,

Keith Hughes
'86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)