Everyday all day there are threads on here about how bad company x, y, and z are, how you can't make any money, how they work you to the bone, etc. I have spent over 15 years in the installation business in every capacity, including owner of a prime. I am not in the business now, but I still get on here out of curiosity and it's hard to get it out of your system after being around it for so long. From an installer's perspective I don't disagree with many (most) of the negative comments, I have made most of them myself; from an owner's perspective, I have been in situations where the installers were not treated as good as they should have been, the only thing I can say is that it is helpful to understand all sides. Coming from being an installer, I knew what I wanted to do as an owner to create a positive work environment, and in many way's I was successful....but in the end the MSO will break you one way or another. I tried to not pass any charge-back's on to the tech's, but eventually that became to much. I tried to keep them at reasonable hours, even 5 days when possible, but with turnover and pressure for numbers from the MSO that also did not go as planned. I usually kept a pretty good rapport with my installers and managed to make a little money, but ended up getting out of the business because it was making me be a person I didn't want to be.
Saying all that to say this, how does it get better? I'm talking about reasonable changes that can be made now, not "ideas" of things we wish would happen. I'm not talking about forming a Union or anything similar (not that I'm against it, just not looking for that discussion here), I'm not talking about things we cannot change like how the MSO's behave, but what can be done that is within our power to do now to make the contract cable installation business a better place to be? As installers, managers, and owners, what would you change operationally, culturally, etc. How would you plan to run a successful business and create a positive work environment while abiding by regulations and without changing anything about the MSO's? I don't have an agenda here and I agree that the industry has some severe issues, I am just truly interested in getting feedback from various industry professionals on this issue.
I hope for this not to turn into a RANT, but rather a discussion of legitimate, reasonable ideas.
How do we fix it?
Member #: 41310
Registered: 10/5/2005
Posted:
18
Name:
dustin
Company:
sole proprietor
Occupation:
C.F.L.
Location:
east coast
There are 5 replies to this message
