Hi Guys, I just love this site. I have learned so much, especially from TomV's posts. I'm wanting to get out on my own very soon. I'm building a service truck and have all the nessary tool and equipment to weld, fabricate and fix darn near anything. I have 23 years experence welding, machining and industrial plant maintenance. How do I approach equipment owners to get them to let me repair their equipment without me having any formal training as a heavy equipment field service tech? I can do the work, but, my experence is all been in a shipyard or manufacturing plant. Any advice would be much appricated. (yeah, I know I can't spell!!!) Mike
Well in the first place why should anyone want to hire someone to figure out and repair expensive equipment to someone who can't figure out how to use spell check? Your next best bet is both a web page and the yellow pages. Rick
Don't worry Mike, I've been self employed working on heavy equipment for over 20 years and I'm not sure I know how to use spell check on HEF. As far as your original question, it's hard to break into any industry on your own. If you have the welding experience, then focus on that and when people know you're good they will likely let you do other repairs also. Go for it, it takes time and you will likely find out you won't make as much money, but it's a challenging and rewarding job. As far as the tools and equipment, you will never have enough tools to fix darn near everything. Trust me.... Hope it works out for you.
Spell checking is done via the browser, not part of the forum software.
It is going to come down to your hourly rate, Find a place like Ritchie Brothers Auction that you can sub contract for before each auction and you can do small repairs year round and then all you will need is a couple of companies that will become loyal to you, It all starts with the labor.
I personally don't think the rate has anything to do with his success. I feel the honesty and integrity will firmly plant you in the business. I own a small business and rely on outside vendors to do some of the things I do not feel comfortable doing such as Hyd pumps and motors. I have never done them so I use the experts. One company I tried after the guys I have been using for a couple years changed management did a pump for me. His price was rediculously cheap but his work was terrible. Not sure if he had the skills of was missing the desire but I will not use him again even if it was free. So do a good job and be honest with your customers. If you don't know about what your working on let them know that and that if you can fix it you will. If not you will direct them to someone you trust. I do it all the time. Usually when I tell them I'm not sure about something they ask me to come look and see if I can figure it out. Because they have been mistreated by so many other company the trust me to steer them right. With that said I don't expect my customers to pay XX per hour while I stumble around trying to figure out their machine. If it takes me 6 hours to figure something out and fix it after I'm done ill think back, if I knew how this worked how long should this job have taken ? If 3 hours then I bill them that. It has worked out great for me so far and have been out on my own for going on 5 years now.
I do agree, I guess I take honesty and integrity for granted and think that everyone uses it. If your in business it should come naturally but you are right most of the time it doesnt
been in the business for over 30 years and i can tell you this you will never be out of work......:usa
YUP! I also take it for granted and every time I get burned I'm totally shocked on how they would do such a thing. LOL Got burned by a customer for $2909 this past year that I have been doing business with for probably 3 years. I was very shocked. Not sure of any recoarse that I have though. Just figure that all the dishonest folks in the world will keep me busy. MR Komatsu I agree with you there!
I have been on my own for 10 plus years now, have done very well, always treated peoples equipment and fixed it like it was mine. Just keep it professional, good honest diagnosis and when they are slow to provide parts money or the parts, pack up and go to next on list. Your not a bank and any markup on the parts is still zero if you can't collect, your steady money is your labor. Most will bitch about the bill if its ten or ten thousand, either way. If its done right and timely they will call back again. Biggest problem i had was taking to much work and getting behind, be honest and if they can wait good if not ok, they will still call next time if your work is good.and remember who your doing it for, you and your family, the work is just work.
Take the bast**d to small claims court... have to check local, state law's , on the amount to qualify for small claims. If you still don't get the money from the worthless so and so, the file a 10-99 on it, at least the government will tax him for the money he owe's you.... kinda like your last stab at kicking the bast**d in the balls...... I hate people like that.... good luck.... Grandpa.
A lot of good ideas and advice. I have done a lot of work on my over the years and my conclusion is it`s not for me. If you are a one man show it`s real tough to have to find the work and also do the work, unless you have an established work base of customers. The biggest killer ? Have a come back and the customer expects you to stand behind it. A buudy I had back home years ago went into a crane set up and repair business. They were putting a Manitowoc tower attachment and somehow they dropped it and crushed part of the boom. His partner got out and said :everybody O.K., my fault." Put them out of business right then and there. the cost of the boom and the fact that their customer had borrowed pieces of the boom from about 10 diferent c.ontractors now wouldn`t have anything to do with them. I figure my job is like going swimming, there is safety in numbers. Just my $.02 don`t forget. Good luck in your endeavor.
From an owners point of view,Good fitters (and bad fitters) are very hard to come by.I have ran a smallish outfit for 25 years through 2 recessions using old Cat dozers.I have used the same fitter for 23 years until his untimely departure after an accident.He would do all my main work and the work of countless other small outfits.There is NO doubt he was responsible for keeping us all out of bankruptcy as he understood the needs and finances of his customers.In the real world small outfits like us can't allways 'do it right'and we often have to make do with 'just keep it going'.Give him an open cheque book and he would 'do it right'.I have also used various so called fitters for more basic work such as track work or welding and quietly formed the opinion never to let them near an engine or transmission etc. I have also made sure that they get paid on time as I understand that I am totally reliant on them.It never ceases to amaze me the amount of outfits that hold back money until they want them back(the old cheque's in the post mate and can you call in next week to look at this dozer..........).A good fitter knows if his customer can't pay or won't pay until he is needed next time.Perhaps this get's reflected in the invoice or the speed on which he attends the sick machine?........ Fortunately for me,my dozers aren't my main source of income so when I lost my fitter I could just simply of sold all the machines but was lucky enough to find his replacement in a fellow board member on here.Some weren't so lucky and have struggled since he's been gone with the fitters that still roam my area.They have even started using the local Cat dealer but they aren't really up to scratch. My new fitter has done my work now for 2 years and as long as he still wants to work for me,then I will keep my machinery.And that says it all. The point is to any fitters looking to start up is that you will definitely find work.Wether you get repeat custom,is down to you. The point I make to any employers,is that if you find a good fitter,then look after him.