Value

Chris_32

The subjects of materials costs, providing value to the customer, quality, and all that seem to come up regularly. It has got me to wondering what value really is. Is it the best price, the best goods, low cost goods and great workmanship, ok workmanship and high priced goods, great support, no support, ??????

I feel that value is giving my customers good products from a reputable manufacturer backed by good support and a reasonable expectation that the company will be around to back up it's products well into the future. I also believe in doing the best work I know how and asking for help when I don't know something, again with the support thing.

Years ago someone told me that I could have it fast, have the best price or have the best products or service but that I could only pick to options. I feel that this holds true. So how do contractors and manufacturers alike continue to buy work. Yes, I said buy work. When someone offers an insainly low price they are buying a project. How can they support their work or their goods, expect to be around for the long haul, advertise, train, buy new tools and equipment, etcetera, etcetera when they clearly don't know what profit is? I heard a guy at a training once say that you sometimes don't get what you pay for but you never get what you don't pay for. Seems true to me. So what is value to all of you? Contractor and homeowner or DIYer alike?

Chris

Mellow_2

value

Why did you say cost twice?????? Did you ever wonder???? We as consumers want everything but you would not buy just anything. This hvac trade will sell people stuff they know nothing about and wonder why they do not want it.........I try to show how the STUFF makes their life better and easyer. The cost becomes second after that. Why buy something that don't work and don't save you money.
That don't make cents $$$$$$$$$$ Value is hard to explain. It's like a relationship it's complicated....

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Time...

...is the wild card in the value equation.

J.C.A._3

Mike,

Time may be the breaker, but QUALITY IS PRICELESS. A perceived "bargain" by a poor install, will cost more in the longrun, than a quality install, and attention to detail. The work most of us put out will keep us in a customers house for a shorter period of time on a R&R project. THAT is something that won't happen, or pay for itself immediately, but in the long run will cost less.
Try to explain this to a customer and if you do it well, they will be a customer.

If they're shopping price only,the best of us are on the losing side. If we're doing our jobs well, hopefully they'll see the quality and payback of it over time(or as I like to call it...the 3rd dimension) Chris

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Even though most of our homes are still wood, I still find much higher value in old homes with GOOD WOOD! With reasonable care of both, those old ones will still be standing (despite some sags and squeeks) after the new ones have been bulldozed.

Dare I mention good old vapor and gravity systems? THEY HAVE VALUE!!!!

Surely though I can't be the only kook who works his **** off to attempt to learn the skills of the dead men at the expense of time to the customer...

Good...Fast...Cheap

Pick two.

Rollie Peck

Value

Value is different things to different people.
For some it is getting the biggest thing or the most stuff for the lowest price. They may not care about service because they plan to discard it when it quits working. Much consumer electronics equipment is in this category. Some people can service it themselves.
For some people, service is the biggest part of the deal because their health, safety or other important factor depends upon it.
Appearance is important to some people. That is why they spend a lot more money on floor coverings and countertops than they do on the heating system.
Craftsmanship of products and installation is important to some people.
Creative education can sometimes change the consumers idea of value. When they see that your products and services will result in a safer, more trouble free home, they will sometimes be willing to forego the lowest price.
If the customer's sense of values isn't compatable with the kind of work you do, and he won't change them, you may be better off without his job.
I had planned to buy a replacement boiler and do the installation myself because I've been doing occasional plumbing, heating and wiring jobs for fifty years. Mike Thies' article on radiators and other posts on The Wall
convinced me to utilize the expertise of a heating contractor. Through Viessman and their reps, I found Mike Ward, the local Viessman dealer. Although Mike was not the low bidder, his expertise has made a contract with him the best value for me.
Dan Holohans books and many of the posts here on The Wall have been very valuable to me. Thank you all again.

Rollie Peck
Homeowner in
Madison WI.

Brian (Tankless)

I saved this from 1999

A customer's perspective.

I know a few guys from here will remember it.

Learn from this very savvy Lady, I did.

Brian W. in Swampland where the temp went from 89 to 63 injust 3 hr's ???

jerry scharf_2

hmmm

Asking what is value is akin to asking what is good. We all say we know it when we see it, but are hard pressed to make rules about it. Here's my cut at it.

People feel they have received value when they emotionally feel they have received goods that are at or above some internal satisfaction level based on the person and the situation.

Some people will feel they receive extra value if the person is really nice. Others get extra value for learning. Others see value in efficiency, and others see value in reducing costs.

Sadly, much of today's world has come to be defined by marketing people who create the emotions without content. Our world is repleat with examples of this, from hummers to marketing viagra and zoloft. The things people have been told they need or better yet deserve is amazing. I need very little and I want much more, I can do that without many billions spend on advertising.

When someone feels great about owning a hummer, they got there because of our current culture. They feel like they got value, because it allowed them to rise in their own eyes and possibly others.

As many have said, people often feel they have received great value when they can look at a beautiful plumbing job, even though they probably didn't expect that when they signed the contract. That's the power of referrals, it's the sales work you can never do!

If you build your work on respect and quality, I believe there is enough work out there. You'll have happy customers, you'll be happy and the rest of the world can march to a different drummer.

jerry