Tipping Installers

[jokeworm]

It's bull that I don't get paid extra to do a pole mount, but the company does.

So even if I do a pole mount I don't tell them.

No need for them to make more off of me and not pay me a dime more.

Maybe if you told them that you had done a pole mount .. and they got paid for them more often .. they would have enough money to pay you for doing them ...

 

[Dgenx321]

Nope.

They keep it a secret that they get an extra 20 for a pole mount.

On the Wild Blue installs we get an extra 20 for a pole mount, but not on Dish mounts.

 

[Mainstreet]

Nope.

They keep it a secret that they get an extra 20 for a pole mount.

On the Wild Blue installs we get an extra 20 for a pole mount, but not on Dish mounts.

So who pays for the materials for the pole mount? I'm also assuming you aren't paid hourly?

As far as Wild Blue Pole mounts, they are shafting you really badly if you're only getting $20. That's a major undertaking.

 

[DirectDishNet]

That's true Vegas, We get paid for service calls. I think I started this mess a few postings back. Let me clear this up. In some cases the retailer will NOT pay the employee to do a service call that is "in-house" Meaning if it is the retailers original install and there is a TC on it within 12 day's of time of install it is un-paid. Now with that said, As you probably know dish has come up with new metrics (rules) on how things are done. 1st when you go on a TC you must bring it up to spec. That means, If you go on a TC and all you have to do is put batteries in the remote, You still will have to replace the cable if it is old or damaged. You will have to remove ALL the staples holding up the cable and replace that with screw clips, Add a fascia mount if needed, Add pitch patch if needed, Add a ground block if needed, Add blue barrels if needed, Program the remotes if needed, Set the recover button if needed, replace ALL crimp connectors if needed, Move the ground within 5' of the ground source if needed, Add sealant if needed bring the whole install up to code. If you don't, Dish QA's it and it fails, then the original install is back charged. So now the tech has the choice of doing the service call and canceling the work order so dish won't go QA it, Or spend 1-2 hours re doing the install and get $15 to $40 for the service call. It's Bullsh!t, But whacha gonna do?

 

[rcdallas]

Whatever... to me something your fault is using RG59 when you know you should be using RG6 that type of scenario. To be backcharged/dinged over someone not knowing how to operate their DVD player which clearly has nothing to do with satellite is BS.

Even hourly techs still get nailed with stupid crap like that. Someone calls because they set tv2 on a different channel, yet fixes the problem an hour later, your still dinged. My favorite that I recall is customer tv is located above her vent, now its winter time and she wants tech to move tv, dish of course sets up a free service call. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

3-4 TC's in a month is very bad, most in which you have no control over.

I loved what I did with dish, the pathetic TC factor is one thing I wont ever miss.

 

[DirectDishNet]

I loved what I did with dish, the pathetic TC factor is one thing I wont ever miss.

What did you do with dish?

 

[rcdallas]

Dish Network Service Corp - FSS

 

[DirectDishNet]

Dish Network Service Corp - FSS

Ahhh, The old Field Service Specialist. Nice to meet you, I used to be an FSS III Worst pay I ever made untill I got a FSM position, Then I made even less with the hours I put in. Sorry, Bud. You can take a walk on the wild side and do free TC's like the rest of us.

 

[rcdallas]

Naw, I like being on the customer side now with my own point of view on things, call up and harrass Bob in india for fun.

 

[dishcomm]

If i get crappy service from wait staff I will generally leave $1 no matter what the bill was ... if i can pull it together in coins so much the better. I know several people who wait tables and a $1 tip or a "few coins" hits home harder than no tip at all - if you leave no tip at all they just assume you are cheap .. if you leave change - they know that you thought the service sucked

If they depend on the tip as income - they should make sure they "earn" the tip from me. I don't go to work and still expect to be paid if i sit there looking out of a window all day. If i do no work .. i don't get paid. Simple as that.


I always liked the method I saw in a Sitcom once (can't remember which one it was) .. before you even start ordering - take out 10 - $1 bills and let them know that the tip is there to be earned ... tell them - each time your glass runs dry you are going to take a dollar away .. each time you have to ask for something that they should get right the first time .. you are going to take a dollar away .. if the food is not served in a timely manner .. you take a dollar away .. if the food is cold or overcooked you take a dollar away.. you get the idea ..

If only I had the b@lls to walk into a restaurant and use this approach in real-life.

I would do that. I think tippping is areward for good work. I would never leaver no tip. I certainly believe an over the minimum tip must be earned. I also hate when a waitperson tells me the tips are pooled and then split at the end of the shift. That means some people don't work as hard or as smart will get the same as those who bust ass. [/I]

 

[Van]

An old tipping rule I heard years ago.

When tipping for service you leave the tip plus a penny wether it was excellent service or poor service, if the service is good and you leave say $5 then add to it a penny but if the service is bad you leave a penny and nothing more. Odd idea but to some degrea it made sense.

It's nice to see on this thread that there are customers who tip for good service wether from an installer or another person in the service industry and having worked in various service inudstry jobs over the years let me say thank you.

 

[585960]

Bottom line.........customers don't have to, or shouldn't feel like they HAVE to tip. Installers should not feel they are owed a tip. Now............the customer gets for free, a basic install. That means, for us to do a great basic install, access to all work areas. Outside, if the dish is going on a pole, wall or roof, easy and safe access to work, which means lighted, too. Now lines are to be routed into and within the house, and of course, the customer again has made easy access to walls and basement ceilings to access. Tvs are moved at least 3 feet with all trinkets, etc. gone.........(not to be moved by tech) if you want new box installed into an entertainment center, make sure all other existing wires already in place have enough slack to move in and out, because I am not touching it!! Basic (free installation) does NOT INCLUDE WALLFISH. Does NOT INCLUDE extra line runs or second TV2 run, or extra remote. What it does include is professional attitude, clean line runs, damage free install, and education on how to use your system. Now.............if you see anything up and beyond what I put in, consider this...........the tech doesn't have to, or is obligated to, do anything more. As a customer, be informed, kind and courteous, it's a plus. And if I do go an extra mile for you, and do things because I like to do it right, spend 3 hours longer than a wham bamm, its nice to be compensated, although not expected. By the way, where do you work? Payback...................... and lets not forget...........if I do a bang up job, and for some reason, you just unleashed a nightmare on me, I will be back, in your neighbor hood one day...........and I always have my cutters!!!! So please, be courteous, and nice, I always am, for I need my job. Techs are not doormats, or servants, try telling that to some people.

 

[chadzx11]

To be backcharged/dinged over someone not knowing how to operate their DVD player which clearly has nothing to do with satellite is BS.

This actually happened to me. I have the docs to back it up. Servicing tech wrote it right on the work order and they charged ME because that customer is a turd burgler. I blame the customer, the CSR, AND the management of the company I worked for.

A) Cx should not be calling E* for service on the DVD they can't figure out how to hook up.

B) CSR should not have set up the service call

C) Managment should have refused assignment of the job

I got charged back because I was the installing tech of the E*. They didn't even HAVE a DVD player when I was on site. You can't fight with them on stuff like this. You're just a mongoloid as far as most of these install companies are concerned.

 

[chadzx11]

An old tipping rule I heard years ago.

When tipping for service you leave the tip plus a penny wether it was excellent service or poor service, if the service is good and you leave say $5 then add to it a penny but if the service is bad you leave a penny and nothing more. Odd idea but to some degrea it made sense.

My mom used to waitress. She said the penny was so you would know the customer hadn't forgotten.

I don't get the deal with tipping at buffets. I leave *maybe* $2 at a buffet. I felt like ripping the manager of the last ryan's I ate at. He pulled to waitresses to do silverware over by where we were sitting, and then he proceeded to try to be the buffett pimp. Last time we ate at a ryan's (different one), we had to do self service on the drinks and when we left, the servers were all outside in the parking lot on a smoke break. No wonder they only make $2/hour. No tip, and I refuse to return to that location.

I got the dishwasher fired at one ryan's. Our poor server would bring plate after plate and they were all dirty. She was very embarrassed. I grabbed the manager and told him in no uncertain terms that whoever was on dishwasher was F'n off tonight, and showed him the fat stack of new dirty plates. I used to wash dishes, if it looks clean it is clean, but these didn't even look clean. It was like a 3 stooges episode.

 

[dishcomm]

Bottom line.........customers don't have to, or shouldn't feel like they HAVE to tip. Installers should not feel they are owed a tip. Now............the customer gets for free, a basic install. That means, for us to do a great basic install, access to all work areas. Outside, if the dish is going on a pole, wall or roof, easy and safe access to work, which means lighted, too. Now lines are to be routed into and within the house, and of course, the customer again has made easy access to walls and basement ceilings to access. Tvs are moved at least 3 feet with all trinkets, etc. gone.........(not to be moved by tech) if you want new box installed into an entertainment center, make sure all other existing wires already in place have enough slack to move in and out, because I am not touching it!! Basic (free installation) does NOT INCLUDE WALLFISH. Does NOT INCLUDE extra line runs or second TV2 run, or extra remote. What it does include is professional attitude, clean line runs, damage free install, and education on how to use your system. Now.............if you see anything up and beyond what I put in, consider this...........the tech doesn't have to, or is obligated to, do anything more. As a customer, be informed, kind and courteous, it's a plus. And if I do go an extra mile for you, and do things because I like to do it right, spend 3 hours longer than a wham bamm, its nice to be compensated, although not expected. By the way, where do you work? Payback...................... and lets not forget...........if I do a bang up job, and for some reason, you just unleashed a nightmare on me, I will be back, in your neighbor hood one day...........and I always have my cutters!!!! So please, be courteous, and nice, I always am, for I need my job. Techs are not doormats, or servants, try telling that to some people.

amazing how much people expect for free. I have certain policies the customer will adhere to or I will not do the work. No moving heavy furniture. No relocating tv's. No moving of breakables.
No lifting of tv's into fire place niches
Some of the incidents...A customer who was moving in and had all her glass hummels and other look at it and it will break stuff. I got there and she was on the phone. I asked her to please move all the breakables away form the two tv's while I owrked outside. 30 mins later I was done with the dish and came inside and she was still on the phone. I asked her again ot move the stuff. She just ignored me. So I started putting stuff on my truck. She asked what was going on. I told her I was not moving the stuff and that I was leaving because she was not ready for the install. Well that get her off her ass.
Another time I walked into the house and I see a 50" tv sitting on the floor in fornt of the fireplace with empty niche above. I did the work, made up a long cable to get from the outlet in the niche to the back of the tv. Guy asks me what I was going to do about liftng his tv into the niche. I told him I wasn't touching it. He tried the old " they said it would be done'...I told the guy " I don't work for they". As far as I know the tv is still there,. I didn't care.
99% of the customers are nice to even very cool people. I will help them if they will assist with furniture etc. For these people I will go above and beyond. I don't ask fro help if I can do it myself which is usually the case. But that one per cent...GRRRRRRRRR....
Anyway I don't ever expect a tip. I don't work for tips. However I used to give a lot away for free that I will not do now. The service agreement calls for a free "basic install'. Wall fishes are not basic. Extra runs, mirror outlets, any other work requested that's not on the w/o is not basic.
With Dish chopping pay rates and still demanding free installs, the money has to come from somewhere. I cannot afford to give away what I should rightfully be compensated for. So I won't. Customers are going to have to learn that they cannot have Dom Perignon on a Miller Lite budget

 

[585960]

+1!!

 

[aegrotatio]

Payback...................... and lets not forget...........if I do a bang up job, and for some reason, you just unleashed a nightmare on me, I will be back, in your neighbor hood one day...........and I always have my cutters!!!! So please, be courteous, and nice, I always am, for I need my job. Techs are not doormats, or servants, try telling that to some people.

Ok, I agreed with you until this statement.
I hope I never run into an installer like you.
Regardless of what might happen, revenge is completely unacceptable.
You are calling yourself a professional?
I'm ashamed.

.

 

[585960]

I am a professional. I am not yours or anybodies fool. You don't have to like me, I'll get over it, you'll get over it. You may not like the truth, but you would like my service. Be ashamed at your own will. And its not revenge..............its well deserved.

 

[zapitgud]

I didn't tip my installer. It never even crossed my mind.

My attitude on tipping is changing lately anyway, I used to give good tips by default, and great tips if they did a good job. That's changing now, I'll give a good tip for a good job, no tip for a bad job. No more giving people tips for simply doing their job.

 

[DirectDishNet]

However I used to give a lot away for free that I will not do now. The service agreement calls for a free "basic install'. Wall fishes are not basic. Extra runs, mirror outlets, any other work requested that's not on the w/o is not basic.
With Dish chopping pay rates and still demanding free installs, the money has to come from somewhere. I cannot afford to give away what I should rightfully be compensated for. So I won't. Customers are going to have to learn that they cannot have Dom Perignon on a Miller Lite budget

Call me stupid but I thought wall fish's and attic work was included in the install. I know on the back of the service agreement it does not say wall fish as standard install, But everytime I argue with the customer and have to call dish the CSR tells them it is free. Anything to get the job done I was told by an advanced csr that called our local hub wich inturne called our retail office yelling "Get that nstaller back out there, Tell him to do the job right". (Customer called in to complain how un professional I was cuz I told her I can't wall fish an outside wall on the 1st floor). See?, If the customer calls dish, they get it free anyway.