Arfa Daily wrote in message
...

"Bob Urz" wrote in message
...


Scott Lane wrote:
Just wondering if there are any small repair shops anymore. I am
running
a small shop, mostly getting small low dollar repairs. I post a $20
minimum charge but give away a lot of free estimates.

What is a good place to order picture tubes online? I know this is not
cost effective, but the customer wants an estimate . . . so . ..
Thanks.
Scott



You cannot afford to give away estimates except to maybe your best
customers on occasion. Too many people buy garage sale junk and
expect you to give away your time. NO WAY. I don't look at anything
for a carry in consumer electronics piece without a deposit.


The estimate for a Pix tube is normally NWF.

Bob


Couldn't agree more. Free estimates are the scourge of out business, and
lead to owners undervaluing our time and their equipment - the stuff
that's
worth repairing that is.

How many autoshops could you take your car to, and have them do a free
estimate ? Zip, zero, zilch, nada. That's how many. Tell your customers
that
you don't do free estimates, otherwise your children will starve, and your
landlord will kick you out of your shop, then they'll have nowhere to come
and see your happy little face. Tell them instead that you'll do them a
proper quote for $15 or whatever covers a half hour of your time, and if
they go ahead and accept it, you'll credit the amount off the final bill.
The ones who walk away are not worth dealing with in the first place.

Do not kill our trade by irresponsible business practices ...

Arfa



Thats the way I operate, exploration fee upfront, taken into final account,
unless its a straight , non diagnosis, repair job, eg replacing a mains
switch, front panel bulb etc.
Anything that requires diagnosis is a different matter, its rarely the
repair that's the difficult bit , its the diagnosis, and however experienced
you are unless you only deal with one make and model then its the diagnosis
that takes the time.
Then there is the final problem , non availability of a replacement part.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/