The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

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ndemge

Commander
Joined
Jul 15, 2002
Messages
2,644
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

I had a few parts made at a local machine shop. The deal I worked with them was, Make a prototype, If I like it and buy the lot, it's just another piece... If I don't like It, bill me for the hours involved and we part our seperate ways.<br /><br />1st part: $1,000<br />Every part there after: $1.00 :) <br />Just the way fab works.<br /><br /><br />
Originally posted by cntrydude:<br /> My job is to quote precision machined parts and mechanical assemblies for a machine shop. My favorite is when I quote a job for say 25 complicated parts that have as many as 5 different machining operations. Obviously there is a great deal of "set up" time for each operation which gets amortized over the 25 parts. Many times over the years I have heard "that sounds good, now can you make me one so I can see if it's going to work" and then of course they want the prototype for the same as the each price for the 25! Just boggles my mind.
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Dhadley

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 4, 2001
Messages
16,978
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

My Dad and I used to own a marina here in town. Everytime I went to the local boat ramp on Sunday to take my boat out I'd get asked to work on the guys motor that wouldnt start and was clogging up the ramp. You know the guy -- hes at every ramp I've ever been to sooner or later. <br /><br />I'd try to be nice but the conversation usually went something like;<br />Them -- "My motor wont start/shift/tilt/etc. Can you take a look at it for me?"<br />Me -- "I didn't bring any tools" (Dont look in my boat though)<br />Them -- "Use mine" (so you KNEW the motor was broke when you came here!!)<br />Me -- "Well, I dont have any parts with me for that motor"<br />Them -- "Just tell me whats wrong and I'll go buy the parts" (Obviously from someone else) "Then when I get back you can show me how to put them on" (Oh sure. I'll wait right here for you where the only thing hotter than the sun is my family)<br />Me -- "Just drop it off at the shop. We'll get 'er fixed next week"<br />Them -- "But this is my day off!" (Hummm.... I guess I'm not allowed to have a day off)<br />Me -- "What a Coincidence! Mine too! Guess mine didnt sneek up on me, I knew it was coming (trying to be humorus) and planned accordingly. Just drop it off at the shop so I dont have to charge for a service call"<br />Them -- "Youre already here"<br />Me -- "Really, just drop it off. We'll fix it"<br />Them -- "OK. I'll bring it in. You can follow me and fix it real quick right now" <br />Me -- "Look, I'm sorry that your motor wont (run/shift/tilt etc) but mine does and I'm taking my family out"<br />Them -- "Well, tell me where youre headed. If we get going we'll go there too. That way if I need a tow back you'll be right there"<br />Me -- "I really dont think thats a good idea"<br />Them -- "Youre right. We'll ride with you"<br />Me -- "Rats! I left my key at the house. Wait right here. I'll be back"<br /><br />Youd be amazed how many obscure boat ramps there are if you just look.
 
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noelm

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
761
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

hehehe know the type, we used to call them "just" jobs, like, could you JUST have a look now, or while your at it can you JUST replace the water pump or while your here (at daylight at the ramp) could you JUST give me a hand with the tilt/flat battery/melted wheel bearing, ah thats what makes being in the service industry great.
 
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Dhadley

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 4, 2001
Messages
16,978
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

"Just jobs" -- thats a good one Noelm. Gotta remember that.
 
Nos4r2

Nos4r2

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 12, 2004
Messages
1,533
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

of course the obvious reply to that is 'I've JUST started working at double time on days off"...
 
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Dhadley

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 4, 2001
Messages
16,978
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

I actually used that once. He said OK and I got the motor running and then he didn't have any money. "Send me a bill" says he. I did. That was 30 years ago. Still waiting.
 
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Winger Ed.

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 24, 2004
Messages
649
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

Originally posted by noelm:<br /> to call them "just" jobs, like, could you JUST have a look now,
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I often hear, 'all ya gotta do,,,,,,'.<br /><br />I've gottten to where I tell people, "I no longer participate in conversations that start out with 'all ya gotta do is',,,,,,,".
 
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GatorMike

Ensign
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Messages
902
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

I had a close friend named Skip who's business was booming. He decided since he was making so much money that this would be a good time to build a room addition onto his house. He called me and asked if I would draw him some plans. I told him I quit drawing plans years ago and didn't have the time. He insisted he would pay me and kept on untill I said ok. I made it clear that I wasn't out to make any money and would only charge him for my time.<br /><br />I measured things up and discussed with him and his wife just what they wanted to do. When I came back with the first rough draft Skips wife had some changes which is understandable. Everytime I went back she wanted revisions. Now I'm starting to think I'm doing this for almost nothing and she is being a *****. Well, what should have taken me about 20 hrs wound up taking 60 hrs.<br /><br />My wife asked what I was charging Skip for the job and I told her that if I was still in the business I had done about $2,500 worth of work but I couldn't charge Skip that because he is a friend. I told her to give him a bill for $500 so I wouldn't feel I did the job for nothing. The wife took the bill to Skip and he got mad. He said "$500 for a few sheets of paper? You've got to be chitting me.". Then he wrote out a check and threw it at the wife and said "There tell Mike to go f#ck himself.". <br /><br />That is the last time I ever talked to my old friend Skip.
 
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carrotsnapper

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 17, 2004
Messages
243
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

I'm a phone guy. I get offers all the time to come after hours and they'll pay me instead of the phone company. I say sure. It's $100. for me to drive up to your house and $100. per hour after that. They always say, "that's more than the phone co charges." I say OK, call the phone co then. After 30 years I don't want to work after hours and I don't screw my employer even if it is like the government.
 
Twidget

Twidget

Commander
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
Messages
2,192
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

I used to get that all the time on my last job, Carrotshapper. I always told them it would cost 3 months pay. Theory being that if my employer found out I would be an ex emplyee. I never had a taker.
 
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Ouan

Cadet
Joined
Oct 25, 2004
Messages
15
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

d. He said "$500 for a few sheets of paper? You've got to be chitting me.". Then he wrote out a check and threw it at the wife and said "There tell Mike to go f#ck himself.". <br /><br />That is the last time I ever talked to my old friend Skip. [/QB][/quote]<br /><br />That's very unfortunate. They say "no good deed goes unpunished"
 
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jafa

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 10, 2004
Messages
172
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

Twidget , whats a carrotshapper ? :cool: :cool:
 
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Capt Joe

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 1, 2003
Messages
140
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

"whats a carrotshapper?"<br /><br />I have a funny feeling it's either:<br /> (A) the bloke who puts the points on carrots<br />OR<br /> (B)the same as a piecost
 
Twidget

Twidget

Commander
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
Messages
2,192
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

It's a misspelled Carrotsnapper. My fingers must have gotten tied up. :)
 
jtexas

jtexas

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Messages
8,646
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

Originally posted by Capt Joe:<br /> "whats a carrotshapper?"<br /><br />I have a funny feeling it's either:<br /> (A) the bloke who puts the points on carrots<br />OR<br /> (B)the same as a piecost
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Okay I'll bite: what's a piecost?<br /><br />Is it anything like a henway?
 
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orca

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 12, 2002
Messages
422
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

quote:<br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Originally posted by Capt Joe:<br />"whats a carrotshapper?"<br /><br />I have a funny feeling it's either:<br />(A) the bloke who puts the points on carrots<br />OR<br />(B)the same as a piecost <br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Okay I'll bite: what's a piecost?<br /><br />Is it anything like a henway?<br />___________________________________________________<br />G'Day, glad you asked, here in my part of Australia a Pie costs $2.60. 20c more with sauce<br /><br />Sorry I stole your punchline Joe
 
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Capt Joe

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 1, 2003
Messages
140
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

Since Whaley pinched my punchline I'll be the silly "B" who asks what's a henway?<br /><br />Where abouts are you Whaley?
 
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ebbtide176

Commander
Joined
Jan 22, 2002
Messages
2,289
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

i had a similar situation to gatormike. i had met a guy(customer)while i was working at a starter/alternator rebuild shop, who helped me get permission to hunt some land.<br /><br />i had later left that shop to work on my own specializing in auto-electrical. later i decided to go to school for electronics, and was working 2 parttime jobs loading trucks & delivering newspapers in the twilight hours.<br /><br />he saw me in town 1 day, and said he inherited his grandfathers old (40's?)pickup, and wanted to really fix it up. he wanted me to check out the all the electrical probs, as it had been neglected for a decade at least. it looked like rats had gnawed most of it up.<br /><br />i told him what was going on with my life, and i didn't even have time to sleep... he persisted, so i told him i'd look at it. it was in such bad shape, i suggested he call this place that could make him a whole new wiring harness customized, and at my old dealer cost, which was probably a 1/3 public offering.<br /><br />he didn't want to have to buy the harness, and then pay someone else to install it, he had to have me do it all... <br /><br />so i worked on that truck in the hot sun of my backyard in S GA (HOT SUN), created a whole harness out of new & scavenged wiring (for separate colors)that had to be separated/cleaned, retaped, loomed, heatshrinked, cut to length,etc. i even had to reuse many terminal ends to match the orig. i'm talking even the steering column, ign switch, gauges, tank -all wiring was replaced, and rebuilt starter, & generator(i might have installed an int. regulated alt). even had to replace some switches, gauges with similar age/type... along with a laminated schematic.<br /><br />figured up my time, cut it in 1/2, gave him a bill for $300 and he hit the fan! he slapped the money on me from a wad he had(a 'rich' guy in town), and left with few choice words, and wouldn't even look my way in passing later.<br /><br />maybe a month or so later, i was at his dad's paint store, and he was working the counter. he mentioned with pride that his grandad's old truck got an award at some car show... but we never really got together again. <br /> :) <br /><br />dang, sorry to make such a long story...
 
jtexas

jtexas

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Messages
8,646
Re: The customer wants me to do WHAT? for HOW much?

Happened to me this weekend only I'm the customer. <br /><br />Friend of mine has a welding machine at his business and an employee who is not a welder by trade but knows how to use the equipment. He agreed to re-weld some broke spots on my trailer, so I dropped the boat at the lake & brought it over. Spent about an hour on it, I gave him $40. He did a great job on the trailer, but now something's wrong with the boat battery.<br /><br />I don't know how he did it, but doesn't he owe me a new battery?<br /><br /><br /> ;)
 
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