On May 16, 2011 at 05:30, mariomp said...
To O/P: seriously? Is your business doing that well that you would walk away from what should still be a profitable job without even trying? Aren't you basically leaving money on the table?
While I rather provide the complete package, with business and economy being what it is, I can't afford to walk away from a job just because client provides the equipment.
I manage job expectations; charge for every little thing; don't provide warranty for equipment related issues, and charge for testing (usually at client's location) for every piece of equipment I'm installing.
Does it always end up well, no. Do I always make the money from the job, yes.
Others will tell you that if you start taking that caliber of client, than any referrals will be for that kind of clientele. While I agree with that statement, I believe that it still beats sitting at home not being able to pay the bills.
If on the other hand you're busy and business is booming, than dump the client and don't look back.
I understand your point and I don't disagree if that is your business model.
Some time ago I made a bad decision to install an Elan system for a client who bought on Ebay. While the overall profit on the project was good, it cost me alot of time. For 6 months something was breaking down. Equipment had to be sent to Elan for repair, blah, blah, blah. This delayed other projects being finished which ultimately affected my bottom line.
I made the decision to never do it again. I don't want my company to be known as the company that will do it on the cheap. My focus now is to market to the higher end. The jobs are larger and fewer but overall more profitable. The techs are happier as well.
