ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Business Related Discussion Business Ethics

Great points Jps1006.

Well stated....


Dnk.......

"Honesty is what keeps customers coming back."

That's so true. Too bad there are way too many dishonest electricians out there doing work that doesn't necessarily need to be done. Honesty is always the best policy.

I can't think of anyone in this area that's doing electrical work that doesn't need to be done. I'm not even sure what would qualify in that regard.

I've installed 200-amp services where a 100-amp would have been adequate (but the homeowner insisted on 200-amp). I've installed generator wiring that has never been used (homeowner wanted). I've installed dozens of recessed lights in areas that could have been served by several (homeowner wanted).

I can't think of any home I've been in that was so overwired that I suspected a greedy electrical contractor.

I can think of hundreds of homes that were under-wired, cut-corner, or hack-job.

Dave

Ive worked in the past for incentive type electrical service companies. Ethics was never a question. And if your sales ethics was in question they (My Boss) would call me to clarify my invoices.(and he should)

It is a fantastic system to fairly compensate employees. The smartest and hardest working employess get the most rewards for their efforts.Also most incentive based companies paid the highest wages and benefits because their employees were efficent which made the company profitablable.

That is why Ive created ethical incentives in my company today.

Zaney

[This message has been edited by Zaney (edited 08-02-2005).]

I don't know how many of you remmember this, I like to call this the "Sears syndrome"

What is that Dnk?

Years ago, I can't remmember excatly what year, but anyway, Sears had, and still do, have automotive repair centers. They were apparently paying their technicians a commision on top of their salary, based upon what else they could sell the customer, other than what the customer needed to fix a given problem. Anyway, the Justice Department got wind of this and investigated.
Sure enough, they got caught, seems the technicians were tought to sell more than needed to increase sales and drive profits up. Those that did got compensated handsomely. Very happy employees it seems, very unhappy customers.

From what I can recall, Sears admitted no guilt, paid a handsome fine, let alone the cost of the class action suit, and had to do away with this pratice because of ethical reasons. The technicians were suppose do diagnose a problem, not line their pockets.


Maybe someone can correct me on this, it has been many years ago.


Just thought if any of you guys that pay your technicians commisions based on sales should know this.


Honesty is always the best policy.

Dnk......

Just a follow-up....

My customer, whose service I was able to restore with a simle repair, has given me the go-ahead to do the service change. Now, without going into details, this will be a rather involved change, and I will be charging about 50% over a "standard" change.

People may know little, but sense much. It is always possible that, had I been thinking $$$$ first, he might have picked up on this, and found someone else.

As it turns out, this guy is well-situated to steer me some serious work. Since he has now shown his willingness to pay his bills, I will be happy to do further business with him.

A movie quote comes to mind: "This could be the beginning of a long relationship." (Casdablanca)

Congrats, next round at the bar on you?


Dnk....

Honesty is the best policy. If you set up a incentive plan you have to set up a check system "in house" to check the honesty of your employees.

Then you have to enforce it with a "no excuse policy". Even if it takes firing your best tech for a unethical sale to a customer.

Zaney



[This message has been edited by Zaney (edited 08-02-2005).]

Sell what they need and don't sell what they don't need.

Come on...... how much do we really "need"?? Pose that question to a starving person in a war torn country and electricity in any form let alone NEC compliant power is probably pretty low on the list.

There is nothing wrong with making suggestions like, "ooh, that fan would be a little more convient with a wall speed control." or "you know, I can lighten this place up a little more with new fluorescents," or "your repair is done, but I couldn't help but notice your AC is improperly fused...."

What I think someone needs, what you think someone needs and what they think they need are probably all different things. It is one thing to be a good salesman. There is nothing wrong with having the skill to articulate your point of view well and sell extras to people. It only gets questionable when your point of view is a lie or you prey on the customer's fear of fire or electrocution to convince someone to do something agaist there will if you really don't think they need it.

I have found through experience that certain things are convienent, and certain things look nice. I have no problem suggesting those things.