I agree with the others about being happy for the pay differential. As far as the difference for what the bossman pays you and then charges the customer?
He's got the trucks, tools, business cards, insurance liabilities, Board of Equalization, business licenses, city permits ~ just the ongoing overhead of running a business. Programming is just "gravy" that he uses to sell the biscuits. Put it this way: Do you think he could sell a complete job without having the remote programmed to the customer's spec's before he leaves the jobsite with a paycheck ?? No, not when the closest competitor is offering programming. You notice there are not two separately defined markets for installation of equipment and programming - even if someone bids a job with devices they don't know how to program they have to pre-arrange to have someone with Crestron et al expertise to come in and make it all work.
In other words I don't think there's a place for you to hang out your shingle based on: "Let the installers put in the equipment and leave, then Twiggy will come in and wake it all up for a separate fee." It's rarely going to happen.
On 08/16/02 01:58.58, Twiggy said...
I have to work with some POS laptop with a slow
processor and bad connections to the remote and
the constant crashing of the software during
programming yet I'am supposed to make "bulletproof"
remotes and be quick about it.
There's a legitimate beef, but you can also turn it into a plus- Why don't you have the boss subsidize YOU for a new laptop, or if you think that's not going to happen, buy your own. Go to Dell and get on the payment plan. The software crashing is probably due to the laptop's POS status. (Why Dell? SUPPORT! ~ "Emilio's Silicon Chip Boutique" is going to leave you in the dust when your "bargain" laptop also becomes POS.) Why should the laptop be YOURS? So you can take everything you are as a programmer with you when you leave at night. This makes you somewhat invaluable to your boss and gives you the scare factor of being able to take your skills elsewhere after you become the king of the unknown discretes.
On 08/16/02 01:58.58, Twiggy said...
$20.00 an hour for 2 hours maximum on remote
programming wich is basically $40.00 per remote
even if its a pronto.
You might be able to negotiate that up later. You could be silently working on a "difficulty per level of programming" job scale that you think could be recognized as legitimate. You may have it thrown back in your face, but your time is your money. Right now you're on learner's permit, but when you graduate any failure to pay you what you are worth is a mistake that EX-employers can regret in hindsight.
If you want ALL the ducats for programming the remotes, then open your own business. (Be careful what you wish for!) Chances are you'll be so busy you'll end up hiring someone to program them for "
$20.00 an hour for 2 hours maximum"
!!BTW~ How are you so certain your boss isn't tuning in to your communiques here? Is he that digitally challenged?