August 23rd, 2007 → 8:39 pm @ terry
You knew it and I knew it. Out the door at 6am to finish the thirty one I didn’t do yesterday. I couldn’t find two of them so that means another special trip some day.
Then back home to do the pictures, grab a bit of brunch, and out the door again to run the route originally planned for the day. Twenty six occupancy inspections, two interior inspections and finishing up with one insurance loss inspection. Burnt out again!
True to his word, the Illinois acquaintance sent me the info he promised. Now I have to get the time to see what it contains. More on that later.
I called a company rep today to hear the latest tale of when I will get assignments from them and the latest explanation of why it is taking so long. The conversation reminded me of a quote by R. Buckminster Fuller:
Truth is completely spontaneous. Lies have to be taught.
August 16th, 2007 → 11:52 pm @ terry
I saw Sadie again today. Sadie is in her 70s and always has on tennis shoes, a dress and a shawl – summer or winter, she has a shawl. When I saw her flagging me down, I smiled with a sense of dread. I kind of like the old lady but it’s always two cigarettes and two bucks. “Ya’ can’t buy nuttin’ for a buck any more”. When I first met Sadie, she told me she was a resident of the “retirement home roun’ the corner”. I have never seen a retirement home around the corner. She also always tells me the two bucks is for a milk shake. If I ask her why they let her wander the streets by herself it’s because “I sneak out the back door”.
I worked the downtown area today which of course is primarily commercial but the older neighborhoods are always interesting. Some are real estate hot spots with ridiculous home prices, and some have their Sadie’s and other homeless people wandering the streets. Vickie let me work on my web sites until almost two o’clock and then gently encouraged me to go work twenty-six downtown properties. Our mid-month supply of work is starting to come in and it does make sense to get started on the routine stuff.
You may be the type of person that loves the movie “Patton” as much as I do. When I am out working, at times I cannot help but think of one statement Patton makes in the movie, “God, I do love it so.”, speaking of course of the art of war. I sometimes get so wrapped up in my field work I treat it pretty much like I think Patton would; there’s going to be some bad stuff but it can still be approached in an artful manner. Why did I mention this? I really don’t know unless it’s just because I do love it so.
It looks like I will be around the house on Saturday after all. I am always amazed at how often some companies take the opportunity to treat their field reps like street trash – literally, like litter blowing down the street. I told you that we agreed to help one company with some remote stuff and I planned on spending the day Saturday to do them. Well, when I came in today, Vickie was on the phone and I heard her say, “Well if we’re already having problems it seems best to not do any of it at all.” The company’s logic was that since we agreed to help them out, we HAVE TO agree to obligate ourselves to not only their lost properties but the entire area covered by two three-digit zip code prefixes. I think the HAVE TO was the clincher!
Life is good!
August 15th, 2007 → 9:59 pm @ terry
Have you seen the movie “Independence Day”? I really like the part when the Vietnam Vet is flying his fighter into the Achilles Hill of the aliens’ ship. He let’s them know who he is with “Hello boys, I’m back”.
Well I don’t have a fighter or an alien ship to attack but it’s nice to be back home. I have lot’s of comments sent to this blog to answer, lots of e-mail and a lot of stories to share. With hours of driving time, you can just imagine how much I was on the cell phone talking with people around the country. So, I really do have a lot to talk about and I’ll take a topic every day or so.
My travels were fun. I like to experience new things and see new places. I had the opportunity to do both while away doing the commercial inspections. In addition to the fun, I have a real sense of accomplishment and am hopeful of benefiting from a job well done.
I really do not know if my client is one hundred percent satisfied with my efforts. They tell me they are and I will just have to go with that. I would like to think they are; after-all, I did really give my all to do the inspections as requested and have them in on schedule. I did both. Now we wait on the checks and hopefully more commercial inspection requests.
One of the comments sent to this blog asked me a question:Â Was it worth it?
Well, let me start by saying that I have several advantages that not everyone may have. Since we are a small family business I do not have to concern myself with what I am leaving behind when I leave town to take on a special project. The income stays in the family and things stay pretty much the same except for the fact that they will have to do the inspections here in town that I would normally be doing. Yes, it was worth it. The bottom line is that the extra cash flow for the business this month will be very impressive.
While I was away, one of our clients called and asked for a fee reduction. Vickie put them off until I got back and we could discuss it. We did agree to a price cut and I really am more convinced than ever that something is going on. I just can not get a handle on it.
Everyone I talk to that is doing mortgage inspections is reporting less work and more fee reductions. This looks like supporting evidence for all of us to expand our horizon and keep our eyes open. I am continuing to look for more commercial and insurance related field service needs. There I go again, back on that professionalism thing again.
I talked with some real estate professionals that told me their money sources have contacted them to let them know of new lending guidelines. The lenders offering 100% loans are history. Some are back to the way I remember the guidelines when I was much younger – the buyer has to have 20% or even 25% to put down. One investor told me one of his lenders said they will now loan nothing to investors! Thats spelled Z-E-R-O. Something is coming down the pike. You got any ideas?
We had several special requests in the last week or so. Really more than usual; companies asking us to help out in additional areas; the same companies asking for fee reductions; requests for training and even some requests for internet related stuff. So I expect to be very busy still.
I agreed to spend this Saturday looking for some properties that are lost! Seems like this particular company has been using reps that like to stay on the asphalt. I really do know better but I agreed to help out. Even though they are paying four times the normal rate, I suspect we will lose money. So, you can forget about hearing from me this Saturday.
And, it looks like Vickie is going to be down for a couple of days. We left together a couple of days ago to go do one lonely commercial inspection that fell through the cracks. We wound up instead with Vickie in the emergency room for a little over four hours. She had taken a new medication that morning and we found out in a hurry she was allergic to the stuff. Red skin, rash, difficulty breathing, the whole bit. I don’t think she has really regained her strength yet. So, be patient. It’s going to be pretty hard on us without her help for a few days.
I wish I could let you know about a new web site that I am working on but I really have to keep this one top secret until the grand opening. I think you will find it very interesting. I have been asked to have it in place by November 1st but I feel that is very unlikely. I will let you be the first to hear of the grand opening though.
OK, I gotta run – still lots to do tonight. Take a look at www.TheRepReport.com. It has built up a little momentum and I was quite pleased that it was able to grow while in the hands-off mode for a few days.
See you tomorrow.