The economy can't be that bad

[studemax]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

The only reason the economy is doing bad is because of the "dooms dayers". Sure the unemployment rate is 10%, but what people seem to forget or maybe discount is that the "Employment Rate" is 90% and last I checked 90% was an "A". At that the normal unemployment rate is around 4% and if your trying to say that and additional 5-6% of the people not working is going to tank our economy you have no clue and should probably not worry your little pretty head over it.

I think you're the clueless one, TC. The actual jobless rate is much higher - folks have given up and gone on SS. The banks are not loaning money, they are hanging on to it. The foreclosure rates are still high. Home sales are down. Layoffs are still happening countrywide. Whole states are going bankrupt.

Sure, there are bright spots in the murk. But the murk IS growing.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

jersey is humming along , we got rid of two mechanics , hired 2 that don't have the baggage or drug problems
when I was in boston , on 9/11 we had 24 mechanics , by new years 2002 we had 28 and nobody was making money
back then there were more GM dealers in heathy shape , so it was easy to find a great job
not so now , a lot of guys will not expand , due to taxes , fees and health insurance going through the roof

[TC]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

The only reason the economy is doing bad is because of the "dooms dayers". Sure the unemployment rate is 10%, but what people seem to forget or maybe discount is that the "Employment Rate" is 90% and last I checked 90% was an "A". At that the normal unemployment rate is around 4% and if your trying to say that and additional 5-6% of the people not working is going to tank our economy you have no clue and should probably not worry your little pretty head over it.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

in bad times ...we hire more mechanics and salesmen ...more misery to go round

[RR]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

I hate to say it but the chances of any given e-mail or phone inquiry actually delivering revenue can very low, and when you're a stranger to a business they may simply not have time for it. To put it another way, you know that you're standing there ready to purchase their product, but to them you are more likely to be just be the 15th person standing in line to waste their time that morning.

I understand that probably 95% of the inquiries lead to nowhere. But the 5% that lead to work keeps people in business. I don't know of any magic method of differentiating between a tire kicker and a serious inquiry, myself. But if I were a business owner who was suffering due to the economy, I would be beating the bushes and answering every inquiry made. That was my point. Yep, the economy is sucking very badly right now- I am out of a job at the end of the year. But you would expect that all businesses would be doing anything they could to get business- especially answering questions. If someone isn't going to answer a question before the sale, how can I count on them to do something after they have my money? And to me, if you are going to put a contact email address on your website, you need to be willing to answer the emails in a timely fashion- say every couple of days. That is my expectation- is that too quick?

I applaud all business owners that make every effort to answer inquiries. I have had one or two that I did not mention actually call me back. I was impressed. They will earn my business like that. But the bulk of them did not respond- leading me to believe that the economy can't be that bad- they don't need my business.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

the first folks they let go - customer service, second sales.... it makes no sense to me why you'd start cutting with the people who actually keep you in business. ah well, whenever I see that I see opportunity ;D

[Barry Donovan]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

Yes, RR - it can be THAT bad. And it will probably get worse before it gets better.

I agree.
My locale tells me like a mechanical lifter.. tough enough to go forever, but it still needs something at least once every 20 years.
???
when my area resorts to petty theft and statistics show it is high.. it is bad. minimum wage and SSI is a normal here. when that does not keep up... oh boy.
I tried as simple service man, this last city heading north...bizarre contrast of what is not quite real, and waht really earns. public service is the first to go down.
I resorted to the net a long tme ago for the cars.. even my parts store has some stampede of "everybody" automobiles in their own mind, like cheap stuff at wal mart. I rarely go to either.. unless so universal it has to be there.

[Loren]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

I hate to say it but the chances of any given e-mail or phone inquiry actually delivering revenue can very low, and when you're a stranger to a business they may simply not have time for it. To put it another way, you know that you're standing there ready to purchase their product, but to them you are more likely to be just be the 15th person standing in line to waste their time that morning.

I have spent two full stressful days in the last week preparing quotes for difficult jobs for known customers, situations where to make a mistake could break you, only to have each one evaporate for this reason or that. We have had so much of that this year that I'm getting a bit of an attitude about it. The BS vs. $ ratio is murderous.

[studemax]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

Yes, RR - it can be THAT bad. And it will probably get worse before it gets better.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

look harder , there is info all over the netwebs ...........be a search engineer

[LS1 ZR2]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

Everyone is doing more, with less people. To survive, most business owners had to trim cost, and that usually means people. Those people that are left are working their butts off to try and keep up. At my store, we have added 2 people in the last 6 months. But, our business has grown more than the amount the additional people can do. I will add more, once I see the business stay up to require them, but until that happens we will keep working.

We get a load from e-mails, all day long. We try our best to answer them twice a day, but sometimes we can't even get them done once a day. Many of the questions involve quite a bit of work, part prices, labor quotes, and more. Sometimes people have to wait a while for their answers, and I am sure sometimes we might miss one. I never want that to happen, but with everyone working 60+ hours a week mistakes happen.

If you don't get the answer you need as soon as you need it, I would give them a call. We average over 40 calls a hour, and try to answer e-mails between them and walk in customers. I suspect many businesses are in the same position.

[Bamfster]

Re: The economy can't be that bad

Customer service is a thing of the past. I just work out of the garage right now, but if someone needs something done, I get them in ASAP so they don't go down the road and spend their $$$ with someone else.

[RR]

RANT-

I have contacted several companies of late regarding products/ services they offer wanting info and pricing. I can't believe the lack of response I am getting. For instance:

Called and emailed a powder coating shop- got no answer in either form- been 2 weeks.

Emailed a manufacturer of fuel pumps about their products, wanting application assistance. Got a return email a week later telling me to send more info and see their website.... I had sent them what they were asking for already.

Emailed a paint store regarding the availability of a color (it is an old paint code). They emailed me back a week later.

I deal with people using email since I can do that quickly/ discreetly at work where I can't make a phone call.

Is the economy really that good or have people given up on service? ??? If that is the case, they don't need my business. BTW- I decided to paint instead of powder coat. I bought a fuel pump from someone else by the time I got the response on the fuel pump. And I had the answer I needed before I got the return email on the paint....