If I lose a job to one of you guys... I try to find out where I went wrong, figuring that I missed something, your presentation was better, you offered a solution the client liked better, etc.

When I lose a job to someone like the cabin guy I write it off as a cheap client who gets what he pays for. The problem is that it still eats me because I know someone is getting screwed and I absolutely KNOW that I would do a better job. There are so many hacks out there... laid off Boeing guys who wire speakers up with phone wire while telling the client that they are "engineers"; guys who have never done anything but security or electrical work "faking it"; or as I've just seen... unlicensed hobbyists getting their feet wet at the expense of a client.

What would any of you say to get through to a client like this because I obviously missed the boat? I can walk away because I definitely have enough work (booked halfway through April) but I still take it a little too personally when I lose one like this. Like I said... If I lose it to an honest competitor; I use it as a learning experience. If I lose it to someone I KNOW is going to F--k up the job (someone who isn't even licensed to do the job) I get pissed. I guess the mission is to save the world from bad system design... one customer at a time.

rhm9

Your philosophy sounds a bit like mine. I'm in this industry because I love it, and that means that things like this do get to you from time to time.

I really try to educate my clients, because I feel that if they have at least a basic understanding of the stuff they're asking for, I've got a much better chance of working with them to achieve a result they are going to love.

Problem is, there are always going to be clients who don't really know or care to much about the systems, they just know its the latest and they want it. These clients will often be drawn to the people who give them the least info and get them the least involved, and give them nothing more than a slick "we'll sort it out for you" sales pitch.

Sometimes these clients end up begging for help after horror installs. Even more infuriating, they usually they end up with a working system that they're happy with, because they don't know any better. This is the segment of consumers that will always annoy we professionals, because they keep the less professional outfits turning over nice profits, while we all to often put more effort into jobs than we need to because of our pride in the finished product.

Best thing to do is accept that this segment of the market will always exist, and that the only way to win them and make money is to drop your standards.

Seems that (like me) you are not one of the people who can do this, so just walk away from them, and service those people who do care what they get. These clients will generally take the time to actually listen to you (and you can usually tell when they are). Once they do that, you should hopefully only loose them to someone better.


PS - sorry, just reading this back I realised that it was way off origianl topic for this thread, but I've spent too long typing it to bin it now!

Buy a gun.

Thon,

I'm not postal, man... just perturbed.

Aussie AV... what part of Oz are you from?

rhm9,

I'm from Perth, Western Australia

Its a pleasant 97 degrees, and not a cloud in the sky. Glad the summer heat is over.

Perth eh?

I spent time all over the East and Alice Springs/ Ayers Rock but never made it over to your fine city. I hear it's beautiful. I'm surprised you didn't say it was like... 38 degrees.

Didn't want to confuse you with all that "metric" stuff.

Next time you'll have to come over to the good side of Australia.