Can anyone speak to the reputation of the contracting company Quest Integrated? They have "lit up" cable bar with ads looking for contract installers to install WildBlue pretty much all over the country. One problem I can see is that they say, "Contracting installer has to pay for customer-required pole mounts". The cost of the poles is about $30, cost of 120lbs of concrete about $7 or $8. And either full conduit from pole to house or conduit sweeps at the pole and at the house (if using burial/flood cable). This cost to the contractor is around $40 more or less. If the job is a NLOS from the house, then the contractor is expected to pay for the materials (a $30 pole is drop material?) and, of course, he/she is expected to do the extra labor at no extra charge to the customer. If the customer requests the pole mount then the contractor is "allowed" (thank you for "allowing" me to charge something... do you guys tell the plumber you contracted to fix your toilet, "I'm going to "allow" you to charge me for that drain cleaning?) to charge the customer $49. Which covers the materials and give him literally a few bucks for labor for doing the pole mount. They do say, too, that the contractor can charge $1.00 per foot on the trenching with no "20 feet free" bullshit like DirecTV says. In other words, if the pole is 20 feet from the house the contractor can charge $20 for trenching ($1 per foot). But I do believe the trenching charge is only for customers who "requested" the pole mount. Not for jobs where NLOS from structure "requires" a pole mount to get the job in. Is it just me or does this sound ridiculous?
Example:
If you drive say 75 miles one way to do one WildBlue install with this company and the dish has to go on a pole here is how it breaks down based on your vehicle getting about 20 mpg. And that's great gas mileage. Most contractors drive the bigger trucks with about 16 or 17 mpg. But, whatever. Here's the breakdown:
75 miles one-way to the job (150 miles round trip) - Truck gets 20 mpg. Gas is around $3.60 per gallon on average right now. Total gas cost to do this job = $27 (remember that's 20mpg - at 16mpg gas cost would be $33.75. We'll say $30 bucks.
Pole mount required (can't charge the customer). Cost of materials (won't even mention here that you're not getting paid to do the extra labor) = Around $40 more or less.
Other drop material needed for install assuming all new cable and fittings (which is what WildBlue wants) = Around $8 to $10 - depending on a few variables.
So, here's what you make on your one Wildblue install that day having to drive 75 miles one-way (these are all conservative estimates - in other words you might take home even less):
Job pays $100
subtract $40 (required Pole-mount materials)
subtract $30 for gas
subtact $9 for other drop material
Leaves you with a wonderful take home pay of about $21 for your 3 hours of blood, sweat, tears and skilled labor and customer service. That's 7 bucks an hour. Remember, you're a contractor. You buy your own insurance. You pay all your own taxes. No medical benefits. This doesn't account for general "wear and tear" maintenance to your vehicle, either. This is what companies want you to do the work for. Yet, at other times they will make statements like, "You guys are the pinnacle of our company. You are the most important part of what we do. Which is why we don't want you getting cocky and start thinking that we're actually going to offer you compensation anywhere near what you should get compensated for this type of work."
I know guys have posted this type stuff before. But, many of you guys need to read this and realize that you can make it in this world without these type companies. Quit. Walk away from them. Find something else to do. Until contractors (who are treated like employees because that's what the company really wants, they just don't want the responsibility of having employees) look these people in the eye, everyone together, all at once, and say, "We're not doing work for this amount anymore", companies will continue to push, pressure and bully to see just how far they can stretch their profits. They DO NOT care about you! I don't care what kind of horseshit the guy managing you or training you said to you. They want your back, sweat, and blood so they can buy their yachts and fast cars and expensive houses. Okay fine. Get rich. It's the American dream. But pay the guy out there working hard a fair amount and a just amount for his time and labor. Stop bullying and trying to take advantage of desperate people who are scared in a desperate economy. Stand up and walk out guys. If you all do it together the company's will fall. They will have to listen to you.
I will say one last thing about the above mentioned company. The model they are building their business on is ugly. They take marching orders from the company they contract from which is DirectSAT. HSP for DirecTV. This model where one company receives its rules and orders from another company then tells the contractor what he/she "has" to do is not good. It allows the HSP to dodge the "face-to-face" meetings with the contractor. It allows Quest to "blame" it on the other guy not in the room when the installer complains. It allows the people responsible to never have to face the people they are taking advantage of. This "proxy" type way of doing business, if you will, is how businesses keep from having to be culpable. They can always say, "Well, it's not us. It's the other company that contracts us. Or it's the company that contracts from us. It's not us doing this to you." A vicious circle that is totally meant to keep you from being able to get "face to face" with the in charge.
Quest Integrated ? WildBlue - Contractor pays for
Member #: 42160
Registered: 11/5/2005
Posted:
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Name:
John Dowe
Name:
John Dowe
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na
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