I was lucky i was more prepared than others but it sucks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeiss Nut
You basicaly have to dig into your savings to stay afloat til unemployment kicks in .
This hurts you because no matter what you get on unemployment you still lost a big chunk of your savings
I was working at a place and one of the guys told me about 10 years earlier that the owner called a meeting all 12 techs came in and said we only have work for 3 of you 9 guys got laid off that second.
Yeah, that's an interesting point. I'm wondering if that is not on the horizon where I am at now. Right now we have 3 techs of which I am the most senior. I was talking to my service manager the other day and he was telling me how our boss wants him to figure out how productive each tech is. I figure they should do that anyways, but to me it seems like this is being prompted by the fact that sales has been bad and the money is getting so tight.Quote:
Originally Posted by nick982002
So, I've noticed how bad sales has been, all OT is cut, and NOW we need to know how productive each tech is. To me it sounds like the business is going bad and it is time to see who will have to go.
Another point, is I guess they finally might have done an inventory because I was told by our GM a month ago they could not account for over 15K in inventory. I know there was no inventory done in the three years I have been there and probably for a couple of years prior to me hiring on. I always thought that was weird since other places I have worked have usually done an annual inventory and service vans were done say every 90 days or so.
They were doing a lot of business when I hired in and that went on until earlier this year. So, I think it was so busy and they were making good money they did not worry about these things as much. Now a lot of this is coming back to haunt everyone.
Parts house........always the parts house.
They will tell you. when no one else is around they will let you know, just ask. IF THE PARTS HOUSES ARE CALLING IN FOR APPROVAL It's PROPBABLY ALREADY TO LATE!
Some companies go from paying the first month in full with a discount, too paying in three months with a penalty. when this happens the parts house GM then puts a limit on the monthly amount charged, then does a credit background check. ask the counter rep how close you are to the limit.
I had a few that came out after I had everything loaded and had me unload!!
THE BIGGER THE COMPANY THE FASTER THE FALL, large layoffs are always another indicator that it is probably already to late.
Quote:
Originally Posted by secorp
oh man, that had to of been embarassing, hopefully there werent any other techs there watching. it must of felt just as awkward if not more like when you buy something at HD and the door alarm sounds the guy comes out, takes your bag, inspects it, sees that it was some stupid tag or senser they didnt take off and in the meantime every idiot there is looking at you like your a thief.
Quote:
Originally Posted by refer guy
That particular house did not have a real good policy on credit. the bill would often arrive the next day after I purchased. dispatch would call looking for the freaking invoice, I hated that house. after that day I always avoided that house part out of embarrassment, part I never knew if the company had credit there or not. also after that day if I had to use them.........before I loaded I always had them run the credit.
the other ones I never even got to the PO part, there credit was dead from the start.
That one day I had a load too, it took me 30 minutes to load and thirty to unload. then another hour at another Parts house and still had to get the install/start up done in one day. that company went under about three months after I left.
I agree with the parts house post,if there is a consistent problem getting your parts due to credit issues,get that resume up to date and turn up the heat on the networking.
Most owners will not say anything, because they are either hoping to pull it out,or , they are going to run it and pocket every dime they can till their creditors shut the doors for them.
Also,if they say anything beforehand it may speed up the process .
The current times are different for what signs to watch for; for instance the supplier's credit departments are tightening payment terms.
A month before Christmas 2007 one Florida HVAC contractor layed off 400 +/-installers but is still in business. He was doing approx. 20,000 systems a year.
Some companies are having to remove the tires and tags from trucks/vans that are not being used so as not to have to insure them. We're talking fleets of vehicles not 4 or 5.
To the gentleman that is getting 40 hours a week I would recommend being thankful for what you have.
One contractor here that was doing 12 RNC jobs a week is now lucky to have 12 service calls a week.
we just laid off five guys last week. our big prob right now is getting people to pay us. we have right at $200.000 in the unpaid stack. makes it hard for us to pay the bills. we are curantly having to pay with a check at supply houses.
I don't really have a problem with getting the 40 hours, and I have been doing that. One of the problems is we are still being given the same amount of calls and expected to get 50+ hours done in 40. We have plenty of service calls to do but if we cut back the hours then the amount of completed calls is going to have to go down.Quote:
Originally Posted by adrianf
I talked to my service manager last week about it and he agrees but apparently the issue is out of his hands. We are supposed to have a meeting this morning about many of these issues. I guess we will see what happens.
I would say better find another job, and have it written in stone before I turned in a notice at the one you have now. Texas has a strong economy, and our work has slowed down also. I have been working at here for 3 years also, but, I'm not ready to jump ship, and try and find another job the way the economy is at the present time.
Stay the storm, you might be glad you did.
As the new owner of a company that I was a tech for over twenty years and and very
loyal. when my old boss retire he sold me the company for a dollar that was the building and the trucks a five man crew being loyal to the company will pay off.
You all have to work for one goal not for a pay check my company is small but strong doing about 1 1/2 mill. a year still running the way my old boss ran it be loyal to all
and it will take care of it self
When that one goal is reached is everyone going to get the same paycheck?Quote:
Originally Posted by ceohvac