I have looked at this site a few times and never felt compelled to join. Only since the most recent posts have some items of note become of interest to me and have spawned this passage.
Yes to the person that posted "At one time we could post a technical question and get an answer". That has struck a chord becuase there is a new dynamic at work these days that was not around in the old days. This site has become more novice than expert. The experts are easy to pick out as their entries make sense. The newbies are all around us asking questions like "can I get free direct tv for my house since I install it?" It is a shame that there are so many that will never truly know the inner workings of the tv services industry. So here are my thoughts....
1. Cable installers are at odds with Satellite Installers. : There is no need for this anymore. At one time we were all doing well financially at the tv game. We fought a quiet war with one another. Those days are gone. We now need to recognize that we are all a part of a similar event and need to ban together to create a better work opportunity for all.
2. Complain all you want but you will not get anywhere. : Cable and Satellite alike are going through a transition. Satellite began ripping off subcontractors earlier but the cable contractors have caught up! Medicom, Cox, Charter, and TimeWarner have all contracted with companies that pay subs to perform the work. ALL of these companies have lowered payscales and implemented chargebacks. The companies that pay the subs have quickly learned that using the chargeback abusively mean hundreds of thousands in their pockets. This will only get worse because greed will prevail over morals.
3. Get out now! : This is really the true option. Not enough of any segment (Cable, Sat, UG, etc) will agree to a Union. Or to do what it takes to put together a union. A union that is run by installers would be great but not enough people would be willing to pull their trucks off the road to get the union to work. So the only other option is to get out or stay out of the business. Do the math and you will see that any $400/wk job will get you the same with less hasle.
A. Your truck (whatever expense that may be... tires and maintenance alone per year is enough. And dont forget at some point you have replace that truck. So save up at least a few hundred a month for that purchase. So lets say $100 per week)
B. Fuel - Average $100 per week (depends on your vehicle and how poorly the route is put together)
C. Satellite Supplies - Average $140 per week (Diplexers, Concrete, Poles, Wire, Connectors, Barrels, Drill Bits,tools,etc)
D. Insurance $20/week
So at best you are looking at $360 per week. Don't forget that you paid for ladder racks, ladders, meters, and so on. Usually about $3000 worth on your truck.
Now most single guys in a truck can expect to get about $1200 per week in gross billings. Most companies I know will not let you do more than that, or will not route you for more than that. You can expect at least $250 in chargebacks. I have seen memos from companies that tell GMs to chargeback every sub at least that per week. I have a copy here and may scan and post it.
So that leaves you about $610 for the week. Well here is the rub. Not all those jobs are going to complete. Customer cancelled and you didn't know. Customer decides they do not want the instal, or just are not home. So take of at least $300 as an average for the $1200 given to you.
I have talked to many sat techs and they all are saying this is the new scenario. Most are paying more in fuel as routing is further and further apart. The days of billing out $2,000 to $3,000 a week are gone.
You are beating your head against the wall to actually clear more than $800 in a week. Only the guys with connections are getting that now.
4. You are expendable. It is now a numbers game for the companies the hire subs. I have seen top guys that do perfect work let go over one disagreement. More and more "hackers" are now on the road than ever before. This is no longer a profession by definition. Companies that contract to dish network have always been the worst. Yes I said it cable and dtv guys! There has never been any real QC for Dish and the companies hire so many station wagons carrying ladders that it is just laughable. Dish now sais it is going to change things but alas it will not. But as I said times are different. MasTech has made such an impact on ripping guys off that the DTV installs are beginning to look like Dish. So gung ho new guy, you may want to do a good job. You may set out with the best of intentions but in the end you will see how much you are losing and will begin blazing through jobs just to get the pay. No QC will be your problem because they will charge you back even on a perfect job. So play the odds and just get done what you can with as little material off your truck and you may make a profit. Just a horrible stance but the new rules are dictating this position.
5. Direct TV and Dish Network do not care! I have talked with executive level management at Dish and Direct. They have made it clear that they care about one thing only. Get that customer into the 24month agreement! I had proof that one company was claiming that they had replaced LNB's and dishes on warranty work. The truth is that that company was simply sending better tech to fix installs that the hackers had done. But Dish doesn't pay for that kind of work. We estimate that this company has gotten Dish for about about $400,000 so far. Dish sais "we can't be sure". So no action. Now if Dish will not protect their own financial interests; what makes anyone think they care about the individual that did the work?
6. You will do more work than in the past: Now the DirectTV and Dish want only the larger dishes on houses. You will work longer and harder to install this dish so they have the opportunity to sell the customer HD since the dish and receiver are already there. So the sub now does less jobs in a day for less money. In the old days we were paid more for the "superdish" than a dish 300 or 500. Now the companies want to pay less (65/15 vs 80/20) and you do more work.
There is so much more that I can write but will leave this passage for now with a few final thoughts.
For those of you that took the time to become professional at your work. That have invested years in cabling house so customers get competent TV....My hat is off to you! I have seen some great work from the experienced guys and have appreciated every service call that I did behind one of you. For the newbies. Just look somewhere else for work. The $80,000 to $100,000 per year days are gone. These companies that say you will do great, will just keep your pay. If you don't know who they are here are a few that have do this on a regular basis:
RockinR
CCDish
MasTech
AntennaStar
Sharp
Custom
Vozzcom
MediaCom
KandS
Markham Communications
For those of you that think I am negative or complaining; I am not. These are just facts. I am curious as to how it will play out....
Thoughts from a Wire Veteran
Member #: 70634
Registered: 8/17/2009
Posted:
5
Location:
Virginia
Personal:
early 60s
Experience:
~26 years
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