How much do you put into the business?

[18 stoner]

Ok, just wondering how much "unpaid work" you guys all do.

I have found in the past that a lot of people think that turning up on the job, getting work done in six or eight hours is all there is to it!

The reality of it is for me, i frequently spend weekends and many nights servicing and repairing gear, for instance i spent three full days last xmas working on my chipper.

Another thing is hidden costs such as insurance, mantenance, fuel, storage etc.

But i guess what i am asking is, how do you explain to these people that there is more to it than meets the eye, or is it not worth bothering!

[will-d]

most weekends are spent quoteing or on maintence. Not many people realise the hours you have to put in!

[FJR]

I have always thought of running the business a lot like living on a farm, my work is never completed because there is always something to do.

 

I know what you mean about trying to explain many of the unforeseen expenses to customers, it can be difficult. Most of the time I don't I don't even bother wasting my breath on explaining this because the people that really care are the ones who already understand this.

 

I don't know if this is getting off subject or not but this has made me think. Why shouldn't we get paid well? When customs say "that is expensive!", I think to myself "it should be!". I think about all the people with desk jobs making a lot more money sitting on their asses, and then here we are doing a job that can end our lives in a split second, and we're getting haggled about being expensive!

 

 

So I guess what I am trying to say is, when justifying cost with a customer I usually explain to them how dangerous of a profession this really is.

[Lee Winger]

I hate to think..

[madmatt]

No not going there hate to think .....

[Pete Mctree]

Too many hours for sure. I explain sometimes to justify myself if I think it's appropriate, but customers seldom care

[TheTreeWiseMen]

7 days a week (sorry, make that 8). If you want a successful arb business.....you gotta put in the time, that's all there is to it. You start by running the business.........and then you realize that the business is in fact running YOU. I get drunk.....and think about what I should be doing for my business, I get stoned......and think about what I should be doing for my business, I bang my Mrs.....well, you get the picture. (NO, not that picture!) BUT....would I change it? Would I f*ck!!!! And anyway, I'm not too good at taking sh*t from other people, ie. a boss.

[MattyF]

too many hours and its never enough ......although this bloody forum always distracts me when i should be doing invoices,quotes and planning applications!

[Steve Bullman]

i could ban you if it helps matty???

[nailer]

` how do you explain to these people that there is more to it than meets the eye, or is it not worth bothering!`

 

 

A guy with a squeaky noise in his house once paid two different firms to rip up and relay all his flooring, but to no avail. A friend suggested he get this old fella he knew in to take a look at the problem.

The old man turned up with a hammer and a bag of nails and mooched about for a few minutes while listening out for the sound.

He then banged one nail into a board. The irritating noise was gone forever.

 

The homeowner received a bill that read, ` £1 for banging in one nail. £80 for knowing where to put it.`