I posted this as a response to someone else, but it might cause a bit of
controversy, so I reposted it here;

Many have expressed intelligent opinions here and I guess it's my turn to take
a shot at it.

I worked for one guy, had about 3000 sq ft at least and also sold Zeniths and
whitewares (Maytag & Amana). He knew the quality of the TVs was down and the
whitewares helped.I remember one day he was on the phone with Zenith and he was
declining a "special deal" on some low end sets. Ha said he could buy them
cheaper retail. He had his loyal customer base and was also factory service for
Zenith, but only certain things. He turned bigscreen work down ! While we did
do a few, this guy had a 42" back door, not counting the garage door that was
blocked off. He had a truck well suited, and was strong enough. He didn't
really want to do them. His loss.

He probably would be poking along in business to this day, but he kicked the
bucket some years ago. Where I'm at now, the boss has a healthy, normal and not
excessive sense of greed. Through experience he has learned which sets are a
problem child and which ones can be trusted.

We recently gave a customer a yoke. The set was in for a red CRT, and all was
going well until we found out the yoke was NLA. We found a used one and didn't
charge the customer a dime. Same goes when we get the RCAs dead and find out
they've needed the cap and/or PIN ckt components. We almost never call for more
money. They seem to be willing to go to the point where they are losing the
amount of money they would've made on the job. They also give free estimates. I
was totally against this and about 15 years ago I tried my best to talk them
out of it, they would not budge.

These people are so different from anyone else I've met in the busines, and
they must be right because if not there would not be Corvette(s), boat(s) etc.
Their rates are no higher than anyone else's, but due to the streamlined
estimate process quite a bit of work gets done for the man-hours spent. This is
our edge. They make it work like I have never seen.

One time we had a dead Mits RPTV in without the B1 kit. Even though the problem
was in the SMPS, it had pretty bad screen burns. Same unit had been in for an
NLA part and was scapped. WE ugave/u them the entire lightbox, installed
for nothing and the B1 kit, just pay what's on the bill. These policies have
given us superiority in the customer relations dept., and we are not cheap. We
never were cheap and we don't want to be cheap, but we get the job DONE. Even
if other shops don't, and thank the Creator that they are not all hacks. We are
better at figuring things out without a print and procuring parts. Again, this
is our edge. This is what makes us win in a losing game.

This will not last forever.

We diversified into computers, and with the same philosophy that we never were
cheap, aren't cheap and don't want to be cheap, we make a little bit of money.
Not big right now, but the way I see it, the PC and TV/audio gear will be
completely melded in a few years. We want to be there.

I also have my side gig, home remodeling and improvement. I really like
carpentry, especially something out of the ordinary, so along with that we
could be installing high end home theatres in a few years and servicing nearly
all the components of that system. I'm talking about the ones people build an
addition to their house to put in, not some guy with speaker wires hanging out
the back of his NAP PTV340.

The future is there for those who can see it, go big. Small will kill you. It's
getting damnear to the point where they'll be selling the cheap stuff by the
pound, essentials are mined by almost slave labor, processed by almost slave
labor and assembled into the product by almost slave labor. If you target
anything, target the most expensive things you can handle. Streamline the
process, and if recalls happen, handle them with the utmost care, and eat the
incidentals. It works.

What do you think ?

JURB