I’ve been staying at it pretty steady. When I do get a little down time, I have a lot of things to do before I can get to the blog. You know how it is.
Today, I had the opportunity to be me reminded why I started this blog in the first place – to help others understand this business a little better and to take to my soapbox when there’s something to let you know.
I had a call today from a rep that wanted to let me know about the games one company has started playing with him. I’ve given the game the name of “Nitpick Thieves”. It seems this company has started returning reports to the rep when there is a PUNCTUATION error in the report. When reports are returned for correction, there is a reduction in the fee paid! Seems a period, or lack thereof, at the end of a sentence is going for ten bucks today.
When a company starts playing these games, it’s time for you to pick up your marbles and go home. It is almost sad to see how low and slimy some companies can get.
On a more upbeat note, my second reminder came to me when I pulled the paperwork for the next inspection on my route – a QC interior inspection. After looking over the paperwork: three pages, thirty-five questions and instructions on taking forty-nine pictures - I called the company and asked what they are paying for this inspection type. Fifty bucks.
OK, lets see: forty-five minutes on site, thirty minutes for paperwork and thirty-five minutes for pictures. I’m using my free camera, free batteries, free car, free gasoline, free internet connection, free computer and so on and so forth so I’m not including any of that as expenses.
Oh, by the way. Ever heard of “opportunity lost”? I learned about it in accounting. The opportunity lost here was 105 minutes of time to do other inspections. In order to call myself a “real” business person, I have to take that into consideration. Now, how many $5, $6, $7, $10 or $15 inspections could I have done in that 105 minutes? I’ll bet more than that $50 bucks!
Am I critical or what?