Most of my work is in the sub $1k area, prewires for builders, sub-contracting to two local dealers etc. I can count on one hand the number of jobs Iv'e done over $10k, to me, the ideal job is where the customer has their own TV and I supply the Surround Reciever and DVD player (usually Denon) and a speaker/sub package with installation. This normally is in the $3k range. In a typical lounge or living/family room, average size with carpet or a rug on the floor etc, these systems Always rock, less than a days work, including picking everthing up from suppliers and the people are over the moon with the results. Compare this with the previously mentioned scenario where the people shop around and haggle over price and then tell us how the salesman said it 'should be hooked up'. I know what I would prefer to be doing! I'm not knocking what you said, just clarifying and adding to my previous post.
Iain

Amazing how many installations they have done in such a short amount of time??????

Looks like a washed up installer conned on of his customers into becomming an invester.

Smells like trouble brewing......

Get this...customer purchase what BB called a "High-end" Home entertainment center. Customer had a 60" Sony GW, DVD-player, VCR, CD-player, Ipod, Cable Box, adn a lovely Sony HTIB. So he purchased all of the equipment and installation and bought a Harmony remote control from BB. BB runs rear speaker wires along the baseboards and staples them to the baseboard and it looks aweful. They also sold him on all Acoustic research high-end cables. Turns out, the sony HTIB only has two audio inputs. He has a Cable Box, DVD, VCR, and iPod that he wants to plug in. Can't plug all of them in! Can't get his system to work.

So he calls us and we give him our customer supplied equipment contract, and I go to the house to try to fix this install. I had to plug the Cable Box into the Video input and the DVD into the DVD input. No where for the iPod, VCR, and CD-player to plug in. Everytime he turns the system on, the harmony remote macros turn the TV to the DVD input regardles of what you want to watch. I didn't want to toucht he harmony remote (not familar with them), and told him he needed a new receiver. The cutomer was upset that the system was complicated, and he paid $6600 for the whole system. I told him to call BB and tell them he was mad they sold him stuff that was incompatible, it wasn't hooked up properly, and wasn't programmed effectively.

After this is all said and done, the customer is pissed that he did not gao with us or another small CE firm.

Gues what he is going to tell the next person that goes into his basement...go to my sotre, not BB. The crappy work BB does will actually gro our business because it will bring about awareness. People will get screwed from BB,CC, HH Gregg once, and they will not go back. They will learn that the 50 CE firms in the area will take care of the customer first. They will learn that they can get better product, that is easier to operate. People purchase a Lexus because they want a great car, that is smooth, functional, and classy. These are the same people that will learn from their mistakes at BB. They want quality and control.

I still can't believe that BB is selling an programming Harmony remotes. HAHAHA

Mike

PS Sorry about the ranting.

About how many hours of training do you think the "programmers"/installers from BB get before they are out on their own?
50? 100? I'm sorry, can you smell my sarcasm here? These guys get minimal training for sales jobs, I can't imagine what they get for installation.

Wow, bitter much?

I'm sitting on the sidelines today as we train 40+ installers for Best Buy. It is the first day of the 4 day training that we've flown them in for. This group looks to be at least as good as last weeks, and I would have hired any of last weeks installers for my own business (if I were still in business for myself). I won't go into detail on all of the things we train them on, but I can assure you that they will be prepared to handle installing anything that is sold in their stores.

Those of you who have benefited from slack installs at your local Best Buy can count on those days ending soon. So you might want to start figuring out how to make your business profitable - figure out what you are good at and specialize in it. You may also want to spend a little less time bitching on discussion boards and try to take care of your customers instead. Otherwise we're going to take them away from you.

How much time do we spend teaching them to program? How much time do you think it takes to teach someone to program a Harmony remote?

I notice that no one is mentioning our new Magnolia Home Theater locations. If you were scared of our Best Buy installers (and your posts suggest that you have much to be frightened of) you have no idea what you are in for with Magnolia. Get your business together and do what you do best - I expect you'll continue to grow even with a Magnolia in your market. We will grab market share, but smart installers who take care of their customers will stay in business no matter what. We rely on customer referrals as much as you do, and I can assure you that we are preparing to show your customers an experience that they've never had.

So, quit your whining and get back to work!

Jeff

Jeff,

I've been watching what you have said about your new post at BB, and I wish you well. I will take your advice and attend to my customers. And, I will watch your new serivces roll out with great interest. You certainly don't lack for enthusiasm and certainty on getting your new job done. Good luck to you.

Thanks Theaterworks,

I was feeling a bit snipy when I wrote that - I can ignore the clueless posts about my employer most of the time, but that one started becoming an attack on me and the others in my department. I'm glad you were able to see through the vitrole and read the real message. I have no doubt that you (and other regulars here on the board) will continue to thrive and I wish you all the best of luck.

Jeff

It's not so much the installations that people have problems with when they think of stores like BB and CC, but some of the information sales people try to feed potential customers.

Jeff,

There's an inclination to bash the big guys that cause us little guys pain (I've done it, too; just not today, so far.). You have $$$ to throw at a market and the ability to shake up our carefully crafted status quo, and we (I) object. I want a 9-5 job with lots of income in it for me, and that just does not leave room in my life for pesky competitors. :-)

You are right, I need to take care of my customers. And, we will compete in the open market and see who previals and how often.

I remember watching a documentary on the Ia Drang Valley battle (the We Were Soldiers story) and an interview with a guy that fought there. He talked about knowing that they were going in to an area with a large but unknown number of opponents, and that they did so willingly, with the closing line "Let's tangle....".

:-)

Jeff,

I din't mean to attack you. I am more mad at my boss for making go fix jobs that our competition does. We do not really compete with BB. WE provide the customer with carpenty work, electrical work, programming installation, the best service after the sale that is possible. That is why we get customers, is the service. I provide great service to my customer. They get one walk through after the job is complete going through the entire operation of each piece of equipment. A few days later I go back again with a personalized instruction manul on how to operate their equipment. We value our customers.

As for my previous post, I am ashamed that someone can sell equipment that is not compatable and not functional. This is not just BB, but many, many others. My boss likes to go fix jobs that were basically screwed up by our competition. Many of the times it ends up where the customer is unhappy with the stuff the bought somewhere else b/c it is hard to work, or won't work. I really do not like cleanning up othere peoples work. I like starting a job from start to finish. I was just a little pissed that we are slammed, and my boss has me go out to this guys house where BB screwed it all up. I would much rather attend to my customers not yours. I understand that BB is really trying to get into the CE business with Mag's and so forth. THis is a tough business where only the stong survive, some will survive on price and some will survive on quality. We pride ourselves on quality. I am sorry if I offende you or anyone else, I am just getting tied of cleaning up other peoples work. I have pretty much cleaned up almost every install firm's work at least once in my area. It gets old.

Mike

PS never ran into your work yet James, guess that is a good sign.