Advice from someone that has been doing Satellite for almost 12 years:
1. You can make good money, $1500 a week is good, but you can make more the faster you get. a. Watch out for charge backs on trouble calls and failed quality control inspections. b. List the company for which you are going to be working for, some one will let you know if they a are a good company or not. c. Material cost will factor into your take home. Your highest expense will be fittings and Coax Cable. Average price for fittings is $10-15 a bag of 50, cable runs about $40-$70 for 1000 feet. Find a company called RSI or DSI, or contact perfect10.tv and set up an an account, there are other ways to get material cheaper, but its not legal.... d. Fuel will count big, depending on what DMA you work in, expect to spend at least $200 a week on fuel. Some weeks will be worse than others. 2. Be ready to work 6-7 days a week, from 7 am to dark, especially in the summer months. 3. Save money during the work you do in the summer, this industry is 'feast of famine' you will make loads of money in the summer, and starve in the winter, if you prepare for it, you will be okay. 4. Make sure you have all the tools, and back up of all the tools required. There are varying issues on this, i always buy the less expensive tools, knowing i would loose them eventualy, some people are die hard fans of the most expensive tools on the market..just remember, you have to buy them, and you will loose them sooner or later (in an attic, down a wall void, in high grass, or just forget them some where) 5. Remember, if you want to make it, your going to have to work your ass off at first, do things the old guys bitch about, you may have to drive a little more farther, but there is a difference between 'short term money' and 'long term money' in most cases, if you make your self an assett instead of a burden, you will increase your return on your investment in the end. 6. Try to leave your personal phone number with your customers, so if they have an issue, they will call you first, this will save you in trouble call charge backs. 7. Track your money, what i mean is, use a computer, note book, anything, to track the jobs you do, keep copies of all your work orders that you complete with detailed notes about each job. and compare them with each paycheck that you get, any thing that does not add up, take it to the company the next day, but be polite about it, if you are nice, they should be nice in return, if you are a prick, they may take up to 90 days to look into it....
But the biggest advice i can offer: Stay away from DirecTV if at all possible...this is IMO, Dishnetwork is much better to work for.
Im sure there are more things to list, but these are the basics. Im sure some one will disagree or add to it...
Never argue with idiots, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience
This is CABL.com posting #259149. Tiny Link: cabl.co/mbfzZ
