CABL Forum - Re: msp and the future

Did Metron do something wrong?
No. DIRECTV has been actively shrinking its distributor base for some time now, taking on many distributor responsibilities in order to reduce costs. Many of you will remember the reduction to three distributors a year ago. The decision not to renew Metron’s contract was simply a part of this larger plan.

Here's a great example of why this industry is going to hell! Installation Pro/Metron used to run a quality installation company until someone got greedy and decided to pit one installer/installation company against the other in the "how low can you go" flex pricing. How quickly everyone forgets that in the service industry the old addage "you get what you pay for" holds oh so true! As paco and pico started taking your work as un-certified installers for less and less, and you had to start paying yourself and or your installers less and less the only thing on most peoples mind while at the customers house was I got to hurry so I can get to my next job, so I can make up the money I need to make. Companies like Metron/Installs basically screwed themselves by going with cheaper and cheaper installers, until all the true professionals said "see ya" because they are true professionals, and feel that they should be compensated accordingly! So you started to get what I like to call "Ghetto fabulous" installations. i.e. dish not grounded, wires not routed/secured/hidden on exterior of home. Flat coax used (junk), until enough consumers complained, and viola bye bye Metron. Installs currently only gets DirecTv work from one source (Best Buy), and who knows how much longer that will last. Circuit City can no longer sell DirecTv equip, with a rebate and because of this they are asking me to lower my prices, as well as pick up equip from the store it was purchased from. This is a sad fact but this industry is in trouble, and I see it sliding even further into hell before it turns around, if it does at all. I've been doing this work for longer than I care to remember, and I am currently looking for a job back in the corporate world because of all this crap. It all really falls back on DirecTv if they really gave a **** about their reputation they would never allowed these things to happen, so my advice is get out now while you can. All of the HSP's do ****ty work, and pay **** pay, and the MSP's will be even worse. It amazes me that Mastec who lost their installation work for the most part about two years ago have been brought back in full force by DirecTv about a year and a half ago, even after all the horrible installations performed by them. I could go on and on but why? I am no primate, and have always done every installation to specs, and provided excellent customer service, but alas this means nothing to DirecTv or it's retailers. Why should A retailer get paid $265.00 for a two ird installation from DirecTv and we be paid $60/20 or even $70/20 as well as foot all the expenses i.e. GAS, Mat'l, vehicle, $2mill liability insurance? Do the math, we are not primates we not only have opposing thumbs, we're supposed to have a brain that works!!!

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Re: msp and the future