Have we hit rock bottom with this?

[Johnnybravo]

Perceived value. That’s all it is. My late Father in law was a Zuffenhausen trained Porsche technician. He left Germany with the company in the 60’s when Porsche opened a dealership in South Africa. After a couple of years he went on his own, Specialising in Porsche and VW. I never forgot what he said. Every single car that came in to that workshop was cleaned inside and out. You can do a lousy job,(not that he ever did), and give the customer back a spotless car and you are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Do an incredible job but leave one little dot of grease on the steering wheel and you are the biggest c...t under the sun. Nobody ever complained about a small cleaning fee that was always on the invoice.....Percieved value, car has been meticulously cleaned therefore this bloke must be meticulous in his work ..

 

[northwest]

Perceived value. That’s all it is.

Exactly that. Begs the question, who is the more valuable to the dealership. Is it the "technician" with £20k of Snap-On in a roll cab or is it the young kid on minimum wage with a bucket and sponge?

 

[Johnnybravo]

Exactly that. Begs the question, who is the more valuable to the dealership. Is it the "technician" with £20k of Snap-On in a roll cab or is it the young kid on minimum wage with a bucket and sponge?

Suppose it all depends if there is a Snap on branded rag in said £20k roll cab , and, more importantly if said technician is prepared to wield it....

 

[northwest]

Suppose it all depends if there is a Snap on branded rag in said £20k roll cab , and, more importantly if said technician is prepared to wield it....

Unlikely in both cases. Back in the day and still with old school guys it is pride in workmanship. Nowadays it is all pay related, as in: "I'm not paid to do that".
I always clean, polish and oil everything (if it requires oiling) I hand back to the customer. With a printed out job sheet.
It works for me.

 

[MCKDAVID]

....it is pride in workmanship...

think we've hit rock bottom in a lot of things, however that one phrase sums up the good things and the bad things in our time now. Good in that it still counts for something with those that know what they want, and also bad in that almost every one has forgotten it being driven by cost..

pride in your work - had this drummed into us from a young age and again as apprentices, and I've never forgotten it. ok it takes a bit longer, but I can hand anything I've fixed back knowing that I've done it properly, and "I" know that it's right... From what I'm seeing the customers that come back appreciate it too, even if it is slightly more costly, those that don't won't come back anyway.. the only thing is reputation, takes a long time to get it right, but seconds to lose.. only as good as your last job basically.

 

[Mac168]

I really don't want to sound pompous but please be careful if you ever start in business.
One of the real issues here is Perceived Value. If Gareth had given the helmet away, it would have possibly been worth just that to the recipient, nothing. As it has a value, the buyer will (hopefully) respect that value and take care of it and get some use from it.
Many, many years ago a newsagent friend of my fathers bought a load of Bic Biro's when they were new to the market. He put them in his stationery corner at sixpence each and sold none. He then moved them onto the counter "latest thing, very new to market, limited quantity" (you know what I mean :-) ) at two shillings each and sold the lot. Perceived value you see. We often say "if it looks too good to be true it often is" and this is a reflection of value. If something looks expensive and feels expensive, you can charge a great deal more for it.
Quite often I will pay particular attention to finish, more than doing the actual job as when it comes time to pay I want the customer to feel he has got a good deal.

Why do you think, when you take your car in to *Name of Prestige or Wannabe Here* it comes back to you washed and valeted? Lets be honest, open the bonnet for most people and their eyes glaze over. But it has a sparkly Air Freshener in it, terrific, well worth the ££££'s spent. People who actually know what they are doing and could probably do the job themselves equally as good if not better than the person doing it are few and far between.

Well, there you go, I fixed the world in a couple of paragraphs and we are all the richer for it. I am off to get a bit of a reality check myself!

By your first sentence I get the impression that you think I lack the aptitude for business... that may well be the case but I’m not sure how you can tell from 5 words?
I’m quite aware that the value of most items, apart from raw commodities, are in their perceived value, due to trends, marketing or market conditions. iPhones, property, classic cars, being good examples.
For what it’s worth, the simple fact that Gareth allowed the buyer to have a play around with it in his workshop before buying adds to the value of the transaction (to my head).
Although I do buy plenty of stuff online I prefer to give my money to local businesses/people if their craic is good and the prices are reasonable, purely for the face-to-face transactions and chance to try things out before you’re lumped with them.

 

[northwest]

By your first sentence I get the impression that you think I lack the aptitude for business... that may well be the case but I’m not sure how you can tell from 5 words?

You see, there you go. From your five words I got the impression that you thought Gareth was ripping the customer off: How do you sleep was the phrase was it not? "How can you sleep at night" is usually reserved for the scam artists or rip off merchants. So if you didn't mean that I am a bit stuck, I was trying to be polite and yes, if someone uses that sentence it usually demonstrates a lack of aptitude for business as they are without clue as to the real cost of running a business.

Sorry if you think I was indeed being presumptuous.

 

[Cheesie]

I've had some **** esab auto screens in my day especially after you've had to weld in the rain

 

[Hood]

My very first auto lid was an Esab, cost me about £200, maybe more, and it was at least 25 years ago.More recently the cheap £30 ones I was buying from the local suppliers were better than the first Esab was and the Warrior I bought there at the same time (£60 ish) was no better than them.
The Weldability Phantom XL was way ahead of both and it was only a few £'s more than the Warrior, the Optrels I now use are way way ahead of all of them but they cost way way more as well. With my failing eyesight however the Optrels are the ones for me, I can pretend I can see again like I could 20 years ago

 

[northwest]

I can pretend I can see again like I could 20 years ago

This is the reason I would like a Crystal. Can't justify it though.


Nope!


<sigh>

 

[Hood]

This is the reason I would like a Crystal. Can't justify it though.


Nope!


<sigh>

You only live once, might as well go out in style

 

[northwest]

You only live once, might as well go out in style

I have a suit? It's in fashion still.....

That'll have to do for now.
Four hundred bananas is a lot to find, I have an ESAB Sentinel and they are no longer the £250 I paid so hopefully the Crystal will come down in price. Besides, I haven't looked through the Sentinel that much so it is like new. Would grieve me to sell it though.

 

[Mac168]

You see, there you go. From your five words I got the impression that you thought Gareth was ripping the customer off: How do you sleep was the phrase was it not? "How can you sleep at night" is usually reserved for the scam artists or rip off merchants. So if you didn't mean that I am a bit stuck, I was trying to be polite and yes, if someone uses that sentence it usually demonstrates a lack of aptitude for business as they are without clue as to the real cost of running a business.

Sorry if you think I was indeed being presumptuous.

No offence intended to Gareth. I’m sure he’s had enough of other people talking about his helmet...
If I ever go on my own in business I’ll have your words of sage advice to keep me right.
Let’s leave it at that, before this becomes facebook.

 

[owas]

Unlikely in both cases. Back in the day and still with old school guys it is pride in workmanship. Nowadays it is all pay related, as in: "I'm not paid to do that".
I always clean, polish and oil everything (if it requires oiling) I hand back to the customer. With a printed out job sheet.
It works for me.

I have no problem saying 'im not paid to do that' if I am, infact, not paid to do that.